Virginia Hayward, Chief Executive Officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley (on left) joins with Dr. Crystal N?one, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley in Washington D.C. to advocate for youth. Courtesy photos.
AGOURA HILLS — In order to advocate for a better future for youth, Dr. Crystal Nãone, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley, traveled along with hundreds of other club leaders across the nation to storm the steps of Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on March 5 as part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Days of Advocacy.
Participants focused on sharing with members of Congress the issues that matter most to kids, and why afterschool programs offered by clubs are critical in ensuring a great future for America’s youth.
“Boys & Girls Clubs are an essential place in kids’ lives where they can develop skills, make lasting connections with mentors and achieve great futures,” stated Dr. Crystal N?one. “It’s vital that our elected officials know what each of us is doing for our community,” she continued.
Studies have shown that every day, 11.3 million youth leave school with no place to go and in the summertime, that number rises to 43 million. Decades of research indicate that afterschool programs help kids learn, grow and avoid risky behaviors. Over 10 million children attend afterschool programs once the school day ends and having access to quality afterschool programs is crucial for youth.
CEO’s and officials from Boys & Girls Clubs across the country convene together to advocate for youth in Washington D.C.
Whether through tutoring and homework help, access to technology, college and career readiness programs or skill development, the Boys & Girls Clubs have an outstanding track record of helping young people make academic strides. In 2018, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley supported 12,526 community youth and 4,290 registered members at 9 chartered sites in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, to access such programming.
Studies has also shown that investment in after-school opportunities creates an impact in local communities, especially for working families that rely on Boys & Girls Clubs as a means to be employed full-time. Nationally, every $1 investment in a club returns $9.60 in current and future earnings and cost-saving to individual communities. In Ventura County, it has been calculated that for every $1 invested in their work, Boys & Girls Clubs generate $15,45 of positive economic impact in the community (Damooei Global Research).
“Our kid’s success isn’t just on Congress or our state legislature, but on all of us to move the needle for youth in America, helping them reach their greatest potential,” noted Dr. N?one. “Our young people are the promise of tomorrow, they are our future leaders and innovators of our economy,” she continued. “Prioritizing and investing in our kids not only leads to better outcomes for our kids, but also to a healthier, safer and more prosperous nation,” she added.
For more information, contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley at 818-706-0905 or visit the website at www.bgcconejo.org.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley are open before and after school, during lunch, on weekends for sports leagues, throughout the summer for the camp program and all day during school vacations with tours of the Clubs available upon request. For more information about supervised youth programs, to donate, volunteer, or register online, please log onto www.bgcconejo.org or call 818-706-0905.