ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE By: Christina “Cryss” Lynch

Mission Statement  To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

A B&G Club Provides  A safe place to learn and grow…  Ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals…  Life-enhancing programs and character development experiences…  Hope and opportunity…

Benefits of B&G Club  The Boys & Girls Club is a place – an actual neighborhood-based building – designed solely for youth programs and activities.  Many Clubs are open every day, after school and on weekends, when kids have free time and need positive, productive outlets.  Every Club has full-time, trained youth development professionals, providing positive role models and mentors.  Clubs reach out to kids who cannot afford, or may lack access to, other community programs. Annual membership dues are low, averaging $5 to $10 per year.

Research by Louis Harris & Assco. says:  80% said Club staff helped them learn right from wrong  95% indicated the Club was the best thing available in their community  52% said participating in the Club "saved my life"

Famous Alumni of the B&G Club  Bill Cosby  Michael Jordan  President Bill Clinton  Jackie Joyner-Kersee  Denzel Washinton  Brad Pitt

Interview One  Danitra Nelson: Program assistant  When I spoke to Ms. Nelson I asked her to give me a run down of how she viewed the organization, the benefits, flaws, and her overall perspective.  Ms. Nelson stated: The B&G club is an overall great organization, but only based in the area that club is located in. This club I work for is very run down school house. We don’t have a Gym, game room, tech room, or teen center like other clubs do.

Cont.  There is only 4 rooms in this whole building: two rooms with tables, a bathroom, and a tiny office.  The other staff members of this B&G club do not allow the children to play outside because they don’t have basketball court or anything to play and personally I just don’t think its safe. This neighborhood itself is run down.

Cont.  I asked: Why did you want to work for the B&G club?  Ms. Nelson: Honestly, I needed a job!  Me: So, do you see yourself as a role model to these children?  Ms. Nelson: No I don’t, but I do feel that I come here & do my job. I feel that I keep the children out of as much trouble as I can.  Me: What do mean when you say trouble?

Cont.  Ms. Nelson: These children fight, curse, act out, & just misbehave most of the time. I try to teach them not to curse at us adults or the other children, to keep the hands & feet to the own bodies, to ask when they want something & not to demand it.  Me: Have you ever broken up a fight?  Ms. Nelson: A few…  Me: Is there any punishment?

Cont.  Ms. Nelson: Yes, I call there parent or guardian & tell them they need to come pick up there child because they were fighting.  Me: Do you feel that this particular B&G Club is missing the resources to make this a fundamental organization for the youth in the community?  Ms. Nelson: Yes, this place is nothing but a babysitters for parents who cannot afford to put their children in a better program & this is all this neighborhood has to offer. Now the B&G Club that we are branched from is what a B&G Club is suppose to be like.

Interview Two  Jasmine Cummings: Program Director  When I spoke to Ms. Cummings one would have thought I was dealing with two very different organizations.  Me: Ms. Cummings why did you want to work for the B&G Club?  Ms. Cummings: I love children and I’ve always wanted a chance to help them out as much as I can and the B&G is a great place to do that.

Cont.  Me: How do you feel about the area the club is located in?  Ms. Cummings: This area is great. We don’t have the largest most up to date club but we have a basketball court outside, a game room, tech room, and a reading center.  Me: Do you see yourself as a role model?  Ms. Cummings: Yes I do. I allow my kids to talk to me about anything and come to me with questions about everything. I want them to know that if they don’t have anyone else they feel they can talk to that I am here to listen and help as much as I can.

Cont.  Me: Do you feel that you have any “problem” children?  Ms. Cummings: Some of these children do not come from the best background, but my group & the other groups seem well behaved & seem to have a good time here.  Me: Have you ever felt that you were just a babysitter & that parents just drop their children off here?

Cont.  Me: Do you feel that this particular B&G Club is missing the resources to make this a fundamental organization for the youth in the community?  Ms. Cummings: Like I stated before we don’t have the most up to date facility, but this a outstanding environment for the youth in this community. I love it here just as much as the children do. Sometimes I don’t even feel like this is my job, I’m here because I want to help children in anyway I can. When I have my own, they will be part of the B&G Club organization!

Cont.  Ms. Cummings: NO! Of course not, I know all my groups parents and I have professional relationships with them. They talk to me about any issues of concerns they have & I do the very same.  Me: Have you ever broken up a fight between the kids?  Ms. Cummings: We haven’t had any physical altercations, but the children do disagree time to time, but never put there hands on each other.

Cont.  Me: How often do you have to have parents come pick their children up when they have done something wrong?  Ms. Cummings: I don’t believe in calling the parent to come get their children. I sit my children down and make them work on their issues because they won’t learn resolve their problems with other or learn that what they did was wrong if I just hand them back over to their parent without acknowledging the problem hand. They have to learn wrong from right.

Overall  Ms. Nelson & Ms. Cummings had to very different outlooks on the B&B Clubs that they worked for. These two clubs are literally only 20 minutes apart, but are in to different city limits. Ms. Nelson’s club is actually branched out of the one Ms. Cummings works for!  Knowing that these two clubs are brother & sister clubs but they are so drastically different makes me feel that Ms. Nelson was right when she said that the area of the club plays a major role in how well this organization benefits the youth!

The End  Information obtained from the following:  Ms. Danitra Nelson  Ms. Jasmine Cummings 