The Covington Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana announced today that a “Friend of the Club,” who wishes to remain anonymous, is offering a matching gift challenge that would contribute up to $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club in Covington to help support the Club’s summer enrichment program. The donor will match dollar-for-dollar all new donations to the Club up to a total of $10,000.
Located at 919 N. Columbia Street in Covington, the Boys & Girls Club hosts an average of 60 young people each day during the school year and provides programs focused on academic success, good character & citizenship and healthy lifestyles. The Covington Unit is getting ready to begin its full-day eight week summer enrichment program on June 2, 2014. The Covington Unit plans to have more than 70 youth enrolled for its summer program.
Part of the motivation behind the matching gift challenge is “to encourage individuals and businesses to support and become engaged with the Boys & Girls Club here in Covington,” stated the friend. “We want more people to learn about and become invested in the Covington Boys & Girls Club as it provides a safe and caring environment for children to spend their time after school and in the summer. Especially in the summer months, when many parents have to work and might have to leave their children home alone and unsupervised, the Club provides an affordable, safe and educational summer camp experience for kids,” said the friend.
In order to double the impact of a donation to the Covington Unit Boys & Girls Club, contributions must be made to the Club by June 20, 2014. Individual donations can be made online at http://bgcsela.org/covington-summergift or sent to the Covington Unit – Boys & Girls Club, 919 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433.
According to a recent national survey of Boys & Girls Club alumni conducted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 57% of alumni say the Club “saved my life.” The survey found that 62% of alumni reported that the Boys & Girls Club experience caused them to become “more committed to my education” and 85% of alumni said the Club helped them to “know right from wrong.” The majority of Club alumni surveyed said that their participation in the Club helped them develop a sense of responsibility to give back to their community.
The Covington Unit is open to all children in Covington between the ages of 6 and 15, and membership dues are kept low to ensure that all children can afford to attend. The Club works hard to keep kids safe, instill creativity and confidence, and provide caring adult guidance. Its programs focus on Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship and Healthy Lifestyles. The Covington Unit has a local voluntary advisory board, a full-time unit director and several part-time staff members. Volunteers also assist with programs as well as service projects at the Club.
To learn more about Covington Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana, please go to www.bgcsela.org/covington-unit http://www.bgcsela.org/westbank-unitor contact Jessica Beck at 985-327-7634.
