Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington COVID-19 Response

Dear Friends!

Washington Boys & Girls Clubs continue to provide extraordinary levels of support to their communities.  Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Clubs have served as emergency childcare for essential personnel, food distribution sites, hubs of internet connectivity, and now, as the most critical resources for kids and families - centers of support for virtual learning.

Many working families are struggling to maintain employment and assist their kids with the challenges of online-only learning.  Parents are overwhelmed with conflicting schedules amongst siblings, technology challenges, unfamiliar material, and short attention spans of their youngest learners.  Many families have both parents working outside of home, providing essential services to their communities.  Many families also rely on school meals to make sure their kids receive a balanced breakfast and lunch.  The multitude of challenges is overwhelming, and is creating unsurmountable stress, financial ruin and loss of learning and growth for our children.

Throughout WA State, Boys & Girls Clubs have been open for 10-12 hours per day since March, something unheard of in our over 80 years of operations.  From emergency childcare to summer camps to virtual learning support, our Clubs have responded to every challenge with open doors, low to no fees, and life-changing programs thanks to the support of donors like you.  Kids in Washington State Boys & Girls Clubs are spending time in safe, COVID-compliant, nurturing environments.  Our Club professionals make sure to support their learning, address any social or emotional challenges, provide encouragement and ensure the members' basic needs are met.

Thank you for your past contributions this effort, and we hope you will include Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington State Association in your year-end giving plans!

Sincerely,

Katya Miltimore

Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington State Association

There are over 140 individual Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Washington State, and over 80 of them remained open, serving children of first responders and essential workers during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic this spring.  Clubs ensured that all health and safety guidelines were strictly followed, and provided a safe and positive place for kids to come at the time when all schools in WA were closed per the Governor's Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.

Funding support helped our Clubs to secure personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, pay for extended staffing, and allowed us to provide over 450,000 meals and snacks to Club kids and families throughout the state.  Thanks to you, kids continued learning by participating in high-yield, hands-on learning activities and engaging in virtual Club sessions.  Many Clubs also offered programs focused on mental health and emotional well-being, at a time when Club families faced severly heightened anxiety, uncertainty and transition.

During March to June timeframe, Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington State served over 2,000 kids per day, allowing their parents to work in critical, and at times, life-saving industries.  Boys & Girls Clubs organizations in every community continue to partner with local stakeholders, health departments and educational entities to ensure that we can support our Club families as our state makes difficult decisions regarding resuming of in-school activities this coming Fall.  Your ongoing support will allow us to keep our doors open, when many others may be required to close.

Links:

• Learn more about our Clubs in Washington State