Post on 09-Mar-2016
description
SAVINGOUR KIDSOUR COMMUNITY OUR FUTUREA
ND
Approved by the Capital
Campaign Review Board of
Berks County, Inc.
Dear Friend,
We would like you to meet four of our kids from Olivet Boys & Girls Clubs. They agreed to tell us their personal stories and we decided to share them with you because they are fairly typical of the kids who come through our doors. They found the club and together we found ways to help them reach their goals. They are simply kids whose circumstances make reaching their dreams a little tougher than most.
We are approaching you today because we would like to reach even more kids in the very same manner. Our hope is that you partner with us in that undertaking. Throughout the year 2013, we will be enlisting the support of our friends to reach the goals of Olivet Boys & Girls Club’s Capital and Capacity-Building Campaign. The Capital Campaign will allow us to build a facility in the underserved neighborhoods near Pendora Park. Capacity is needed to sustain all of our Club’s needs during a time in which our kids’ poverty levels are rising and public grant-funding to our programs is drying up.
Ultimately, our vision is to have a Club within walking distance of every child for whom there is a need, and to double the number of kids served over the next five years, thus reaching more than half the kids in the city of Reading.
There are practical motivations for this vision. We feel the expansion of our services impacts everyone in the community, whether they are aware of it or not. Reading was recently named one of the most impoverished cities in America. As we all know, poverty affects the children first. If these kids grow up without a dramatic change of circumstances, our entire community will continue to spiral downward. This is not an opinion. It is born out by research. And it is easy to observe when traveling through our inner city.
The Olivet Boys & Girls Club keeps kids in school. About 92% of our kids graduate with their original ninth grade class. The economic implications of dropping out are well-researched - lower wages and family earnings result in a heavier reliance on public assistance and trouble with the law. The huge economic return of more kids graduating is their escape from these challenges, which benefits our whole community.
A recent New Jersey study indicated that for every dollar invested in Club activities, there is a $15 positive economic benefit to the community. Your support makes a huge difference!
Whatever reason you choose to support this effort, please remember that our goal helps to support the kids’ goals. Changing one life for the better is noteworthy. But, it is far short of our ultimate goal of saving our kids, our community, and our future.
Warmest regards,
Sue Perrotty Chris Kraras General Co-Chair General Co-Chair
“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.”
--John W. Whitehead
Olivet Boys & Girls Club has been
providing programs in East Reading at
13th & Perkiomen since 1998 in the
former Temple Oheb Shalom donated by
Paul Kozloff. The facility no longer meets
our needs. We are limited in the number
of youth we can serve in an aging building
with high operating costs, no gymnasium
and no off-street parking. We anticipate
expanding the number of youth served
from the current limit of 200 to more than
500 in the proposed Pendora Club.
With our approved Capital Campaign, we
seek to raise a total of $3 million to build
a new full-service facility for the children
in southeast Reading. This effort will also
provide funding for other capital needs
of Olivet Boys & Girls Clubs, including a
new roof at the Oakbrook Club, new HVAC
at the PAL Club, dam renovations at our
Blue Mountain Camp, and new vehicles to
transport our members.
We also have challenged ourselves
to build our capacity to serve more
children in the city of Reading.
Our intention is to double our
membership over the next five
years. To that end we have set
an ambitious goal of raising $5
million over the next five years
for program expansion, outreach
efforts and building
partnerships.
Proposed Pendora Park Site Rendering
NEW CLUB AT PENDORA PARKOur
“The test of a morality of a society is what it does for its children.” --Dietrich BonhoeffeGerman theologian 1906-1945
Reading has one of the
highest percentages of
residents living below
the poverty level in
America. We would like thank Kim, Myrna, Giovanni, Adrian, and
Mya for their stories and a special thank you to Ed Kopicki
for his professional photography services.
If we double the number of kids we serve - we fully believe we can save Reading’s future.
SAVING OUR KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FUTUREOur Goal:
The 2012 College Access Club
members surround Myrna
Fuchs who mentors them in
their college search
MEET KIMTo find out more about Kim on our website go to: http://olivetbgc.org/CapitalCampaign/index.html.
KIMBERLY POLANKO’S GOAL:“I never want to worry about finances for my family like my father worried. Becoming a nurse-practitioner will help me support them when the time comes.”
Kim
With nearly 82% of Olivet Club members
coming from households at or below the
poverty level, the prospects for attending
college, or even just graduating high
school can be challenging. But the Olivet
Boys & Girls Club meets this challenge
head-on with programs that engage
members and help them realize the value
and purpose of education.
That’s why 92% of 12th grade club
members graduated with their original
ninth grade class in 2012. In this same
year, the local city graduation rate was
only 62%.
But the Club goes even further, providing
an innovative program to assist students
in navigating continuing education
opportunities. The College Access
Program is free to club members and
provides a channel for students to receive
professional advice, visit colleges, and
even have application fees waived.
The program is not just about finding a
college – it’s about changing a kid’s life.
One such life is Kim Polanko’s, a member
of Olivet’s Mulberry Street Club. Kim
comes from a large family and had
challenges funding her educational goals.
Kim decided to participate in the College
Access Program. “There is no way I would
have been able to go to college without all
the help Olivet’s offered me,” says Kim.
Myrna Fuchs, the College Access Program
Administrator, gave Kim the personal time,
attention and advice that Kim could not
get from her school. “I have a passion for
helping these kids; I want them to go to a
school that will change their lives.”
That passion and dedication worked.
Kim won admission to Moravian, secured
additional funding from the college, and
entered her freshman year in the fall
of 2012. And she’s not alone – 91%
of the kids who participated in the
College Access Program are enrolled
in a 2 or 4 year degree program.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS STORY
“I am not just trying to find them a college,” states Myrna, I am trying to change their entire lives.” --Myrna FuchsCollege Access Administrator
of “OLIVET CLUB KIDS” graduate from High School verses 61% of NON-MEMBER PEERS of the SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.
Olivet Club Members
Non-Members
92%
Our
ONE OF GIOVANNI ORTIZ’S GOALS:To play Carnegie Hall and make the price of admission a generous donation to a worthy cause.
Giovanni
MEET GIOVANNI
To find out more about Giovanni on
our website go to: http://olivetbgc.org/
CapitalCampaign/index.html.
Giovanni Ortiz is an incredibly talented
11 year old boy, with skills for guitar,
violin and piano that rival those of
his instructors.
In 2011, he was also homeless.
“I ran out of money. I couldn’t pay my
utility bill,” his mother, Yvette recalls.
Having no family nearby she was on her
own to manage this crisis. “I called the
shelter and they told me they had room
for me if I could come right away. I had
no time to think about it.”
While the family still struggles financially,
they now live in a pretty row home near
the Opportunity House Shelter that
helped them through a difficult time.
But a significant impression was left on
Giovanni from the experience, and he
knew he wanted to give back to the place
that helped his family.
“At the Olivet Boys & Girls Club, they
teach us to treat others as we want to be
treated,” says Giovanni. With this ‘Golden
Rule’ in mind, he devised a way to make a
difference for the families at the shelter.
Through his participation in the Club’s
production of the musical, “Annie,”
Giovanni suggested that the free
performance have an admission fee: one
canned good for the Opportunity House.
The suggestion was met with great
enthusiasm from the staff, fellow Club
members and the community as a whole.
So much donated food was collected
from performances that a cargo van
was needed to transport all of it to the
Opportunity House.
But Giovanni remains humble. And
inspired. “I just like helping people.
Now I’m thinking, why not do it more
and more?”
Giovanni’s story is just one brilliant
example of how the Olivet Boys & Girls
Club fosters an environment of community
awareness. In fact, 70% of Club members
say they feel a responsibility to give back
to the community.
GOOD CHARACTER & CITIZENSHIP STORY
“He had this idea in his head that he wanted to give a lot of food to Opportunity House, but I had to explain to him ‘how do we do that if we don’t have money to buy the food or a car to collect it?’ Even when I told him that, he couldn’t give up on it -- he wouldn’t let go of the idea.”-- Yvette Garcia, Giovanni’s mother
86% of Club Members say the Club helps them STAND UP FOR WHAT
THEY BELIEVE.
76% say the Club helps them DO THINGS THEY
COULD NOT DO BEFORE.
86% 76%
Our
ADRIAN PEREZ’S GOAL:To finish his degree in social work and inspire kids in the manner in which he was inspired at the Olivet Boys & Girls Club.
Adrian
MEET ADRIAN
To find out more about Adrian on our
website go to: http://olivetbgc.org/
CapitalCampaign/index.html.
When Adrian Perez arrived in Reading as
a child of seven he rarely left the house
on his own. He came to this country
with his mother and two younger sisters
and moved into a house in the Oakbrook
Housing development of Reading. His
mother’s solution to keep her children
safe, in what she decided was a very risky
neighborhood, was to keep them all inside.
”My mother was strict about leaving the
house. She wanted to keep me off the
street so I wouldn’t have any problems.”
The neighborhood risks were real. He tells
stories of friends not graduating from high
school, some going to jail or worse. “I had
one friend who was involved in a drug
game. He was shot and killed,” Adrian
recalls sadly.
A buddy told Adrian about Olivet when
he was fifteen. He joined and made up
for lost time by throwing himself into
club activities. “I am social; the club was
comfortable and made me feel good. I
was really grateful for the opportunity.”
In addition to basketball, he became a
member of the Keystone Club; he ran
the concession stand and helped with
kid’s café. According to Unit Director and
mentor, Nick Nazario, “He has always
displayed leadership qualities. He has
strong beliefs about not messing with
drugs and alcohol,” a trait he shares with
91% percent of his fellow club members.
The qualities were abundant at LEAP
leadership camp where, as a teen leader,
he conducted a workshop to assist peers in
the pressure of adolescence.
As the only man of the house, Adrian feels
a responsibility to protect his two sisters,
Zuryan, 17 and Zurica, 12. “They look up
to me. If I fail they will be more willing to
fail. I really want to make my Mom proud,
too. I don’t want her to have worries.”
Adrian is double majoring in social work
and political science. Eventually he sees
himself doing work with kids. “I’d really
like to help kids like Nick helped me. He’s
just a great guy. I want to be like that.”
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES STORY
Adrian’s mother’s solution to keep her children safe, in what she decided was a very risky neighborhood, was to keep them all inside.
“My mother was strict about leaving the house. She wanted to keep me off the street so I wouldn’t have any problems.”
91% of Club Members AVOID ALCOHOL,
TOBACCO and OTHER DRUGS.
85% say Club members say they are MORE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
91% 85%
Our
MYA EASON’S GOAL:To be an Early-Childhood Teacher in order to improve the lives of young children.
Mya
In a Harris survey of
Boys and Girls Club
Alumni- over 57% said
their club experience
saved their lives.
MEET MYATo find out more about Mya on our website go to: http://olivetbgc.org/CapitalCampaign/index.html.
Mya Eason is a girl who does not like to
sit still. Her reasons for coming to Olivet
every day are simple. “I love coming here
because it’s just a great place to be when
I don’t want to be at home. I can do arts
and crafts, I can do my homework, I can
see all my friends, I can just get out of
the house.”
Although only 12 years old, Mya knows
about the dangers of the streets. “It gets
dark fast, and it’s just not safe out. Every
day I hear something on the news about
someone being killed or raped – it’s
unbelievable and barbaric.”
But because of the club, there’s a safe
haven for Mya and other kids in her
neighborhood. “When I come to Olivet,
it’s a positive place to play, just hang out
with friends, talk, eat food and just be
active. At the club, I feel so safe.” And
she’s not alone, 80% of club members
attend the club because they feel safe.
Physical safety is just one aspect of
how the Olivet Club is a safe place.
Mya credits the caring and committed
staff of the Club with creating a warm,
emotionally safe environment. “The Club
is a second home to a lot of kids whose
home situation isn’t very good. There are
positive staff members who, when you’re
not feeling very good, ask you what’s
wrong. They want to help you out.”
Mya doesn’t just enjoy the benefits of
the safety offered by the club – she
actively shares her passion for staying
drug- and alcohol-free with fellow club
members through Berks Pride, an Olivet
performance group that teaches kids
about the dangers of drugs and alcohol
use by performing skits. “We teach kids
to not mess up your body with drugs
and alcohol. You’re messing up your
future. It’s not even cool. I think the
coolest people are the ones who don’t
do that stuff.”
SAFE PLACE STORY
“It gets dark fast and it’s just not safe out, and then I come to Olivet and it’s a positive place to play and just hang out with friends, talk, eat food, and just be active.”
--Mya Eason
86% of Club Members say the Club helped them
FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES.
83% are better at saying NO TO THINGS THEY KNOW ARE WRONG.
86% 83%
Our
During the summer months Olivet operates a variety of innovative Camps, from nature and sporting programs at Olivet’s Blue Mountain Camp to swimming programs at the Clinton Street Club, and even theater and music camps at the PAL Center for the Arts. These summer programs provide fun, safe, developmental activities for over 700 youth while providing an alternative to costly childcare services for many struggling parents.
The majority of our members (82%) are from low-income or below-poverty-level families living in Reading. Their access to safe and supportive programs that encourage education, life skill development, character development, and arts and culture is either limited or unavailable. All seven Olivet Clubhouses are located in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and have become dependable, safe and nurturing havens for city youth and their families, who face a wide range of socio-economic challenges on a daily basis.
Poverty affects our children disproportionately, and Olivet programs give hope to children who desperately need it. Shrinking tax revenues, high unemployment, low educational attainment and crime within the city adversely impact inner-city families. Poor nutrition, childhood obesity, elevated high-school dropout rates, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, single parent families, and negative influences on the streets are all components of poverty that impact our children.
The Olivet Boys & Girls Club surrounds kids with positive role models and well-developed programs that encourage them to “dream” again about a positive future. Our club leaders create a culture of positive thinking that empowers, and our programs set high expectations for our youth to achieve their dreams, which enhances their sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem. Club members clearly understand that there is a direct correlation between success and hard work, resulting in empowerment rather than entitlement as their path forward.
During the most recent academic year, the Olivet Boys & Girls Club provided programs and services to more than 4,000 inner-city kids ages 6-18 through seven clubs located in the City of Reading, concentrating on the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Priority Outcomes Areas: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, Good Character and Citizenship
OUTCOMES AND ASPIRATIONS: measures of success
✔ 92% of Olivet Boys & Girls Club members who went through high school with their original freshman year class graduated from high school, compared to only 52% of students in cities with similar demographics.
✔ 88% of elementary school participants increased their academic performance or maintained their good grades.
✔ 68% of secondary school Club members improved or maintained good grades.
✔ 66% of Club members spend more time on homework.
✔ 83% of Club members indicated that they “try harder in school.”
✔ 71% of Club members surveyed expressed more interest in going to school.
✔ 90% of our members expect to graduate from high school
✔ 84% of our members aged nine to eighteen expect to be placed in trade schools, two year or four year learning institutions after graduation
Our goal is to double the number of children served. With your help we can reach that goal.
Our
www.olivetbgc.org
SAVING OUR KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FUTURE