Volume 26 | October 28, 2020
OCTOBER 2020 NEWSLETTER
One Dream, Many Voices: A Virtual Teen Town Hall
On October 12, teen Club members Makenna B., Rhiana C., Niyonna G., and Cindy Y. joined Minnesota public officials and community partners to discuss issues that affect teens in our communities. This virtual Teen Town Hall - One Dream, Many Voices - centered teen perspectives on police reform and political representation. Our four teen panelists, alongside Club staff and alumni, spoke with Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington, Senator Sandy Pappas, and Representative Rena Moran to share their opinions, experiences, and visions for the future.

The success of this Teen Town Hall is a testament to how holding intentional space for youth voices can create powerful and enlightening discourse that can ultimately transform our communities! We are proud of our teen members for their insights, their impactful contributions, and their dedication to their Clubs and communities. Please stay tuned as we continue to build this movement and develop future events!
TEEN MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
Makenna B. and Rhiana C.
Al Lenzmeier West Side Club

Sisters Makenna and Rhiana, members at our West Side Club, joined our One Dream, Many Voices Teen Town Hall to get involved with police and school reform activism. Hailing from a family with deep roots in the West Side and Club communities, both sisters are keenly engaged in political discourse and current events, staying up to date by reading online articles and watching the news at night with family members.

Makenna is a talented singer and a dedicated student who can often be found doing schoolwork and working on musical projects in the West Side Teen Center. Rhiana is a prolific and inspired visual artist, expressing herself through abstract drawings and paintings rendered in both traditional and digital mediums. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created obstacles for their school's athletic programs, Makenna plays on the volleyball team, while Rhiana is looking forward to playing football and basketball when the opportunity returns.
Niyonna G.
Mt. Airy Club

Niyonna, a 10th grader at Central High School, loves to participate in Club events. As a way to engage with local activism, Niyonna joined our Teen Town Hall to speak about political representation, systemic racism, and some of her personal experiences. She is an avid dancer and absolutely loves food! She also recently started a part-time job at the Mt. Airy Club, helping out at the front desk and around the building as needed. Congratulations, Niyonna!
Cindy Y.
East Side Club

Cindy, a Harding High School senior, has been a member of our St. Paul Clubs since the age of six! Her family is deeply involved in the East Side community, and many of her family members attend the East Side Club or are Twin Cities Club alumni. Cindy is a dedicated Keystone Club member and has participated in the Youth of the Year leadership program every year she's been eligible. She also organizes and attends Club events whenever possible, including a virtual forum earlier this year with Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.
Kane*, a second grader, participated in our summer program at the Jerry Gamble Club and returned to the Club for our fall session. Over the summer, Kane excelled in reading groups, made huge improvements in his spelling and reading rates, and leveled up from Some Risk to the Low Risk category in his reading assessments. He always makes an effort to read lots of books on his own, and he especially loves the book Dragons Love Tacos. Our Club staff members truly enjoy having Kane in their classes, and we love seeing him back in the Club this fall!

*Name changed for privacy.
As we embark on a new school year, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities is working diligently to ensure supports are in place for Club youth and families to succeed despite the profound and ever-changing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest following the tragic death of George Floyd. These events have magnified racial and economic inequities with overwhelming ramifications.

It is BGCTC’s responsibility to act NOW to advance equity for all youth and families, and we hope you will support our continued work this fall. The Weinert Family believes so strongly in BGCTC’s impact that they are generously offering a $50,000 dollar-for-dollar match on contributions this back-to-school season! 

Your gift to Success Ahead will provide BGCTC youth and families with high-quality academic programs, school supplies, at-home technology, and other resources needed to thrive in this school year. Donations received by October 30 will be matched dollar-for-dollar for the first $50,000 in donations, so your gift will go twice as far for the kids!
UPCOMING EVENT
Voices of the Future

Monday, November 16, 2020

Please mark your calendars and join us for our 2020 Annual Meeting and Celebration, being held in ((virtual)) format this year!

Despite the very challenging circumstances faced in 2020, BGCTC continues to make an incredible impact on youth because of our many dedicated staff members, volunteers, donors, and community supporters. At Voices of the Future, you will hear about BGCTC’s impact in 2020, learn what’s to come for our organization in the future, and join us in celebrating the amazing changes YOU have helped create in our Club communities!

Event details include:

  • State of the Club address from President & CEO Terryl Brumm
  • Program highlights from staff & youth speakers at each Boys & Girls Club
  • Surprise performance by one of our very own... stay tuned!
  • Time to celebrate our collective impact as a Club community!

Thank you for your continued dedication to our youth and families. We hope you will join us for Voices of the Future!

Please RSVP by November 13 to receive a link to our event with more information!
Weekend Family Meal Program
This fall and winter, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities will continue to provide nutritious, well-balanced weekend meals to Club and community families thanks to a grant from the State of Minnesota.

BGCTC has partnered with Morrissey Hospitality to provide 350 families with two prepared meals for a family of four every weekend through the end of 2020. Morrissey Hospitality prepares the meals at their catering facility in the Saint Paul RiverCentre and delivers them to our five Flagship BGCTC Club Sites for distribution every Friday afternoon. The weekend meals program is part of BGCTC’s multi-faceted COVID-19 response plan and ongoing commitment to advance food security for families in our Club communities.
Support BGCTC with the 2020 Vikings Yearbook!

Danielle Hunter is on the cover of this year's Vikings yearbook, and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities is honored to be his charity of choice!

Through the month of October, YOU can help support Club youth and families by purchasing the 2020 Vikings Yearbook. Use the code SKOL at checkout and a portion of the proceeds will benefit our Clubs!
Review BGCTC on GreatNonprofits!
If you love the work of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, then tell the world! Did you know that behind recommendations from friends and family, reviews impact volunteering and donating decisions?

Please help raise visibility for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities by posting a review of your experience at the Clubs on GreatNonprofits! We'd love to hear the stories of our volunteers, community partners, donors, and families. With your help, we can get listed as one of Great NonprofitsTop-Rated Nonprofits of 2020.

Visit our profile on Great Nonprofits and tell us your story!
How You Can Help
While social distancing measures are currently limiting the types of volunteer opportunities available at our Clubs, please consider supporting BGCTC in the following ways:

  • Donate non-perishable food items, hygiene and cleaning supplies, school supplies, games, and activities for Club kids and families
  • Sew or donate masks for Club staff
  • Promote our organization on social media to build awareness
  • Share employment resources for families
  • Write encouraging notes to our kids or Club staff
  • Make a monetary donation online, by mail, or by texting OURKIDS to 243725

To make an in-kind donation of any of the items listed above within the coming weeks and months, please contact Molly Hemes at mhemes@bgc-tc.org to arrange a drop-off time at one of our Clubs.
Share Your Club Story

Do you have a story to tell about our Clubs? We'd love to hear about your experiences as a member, alumni, volunteer, or partner. Your story could even be featured in an upcoming newsletter or social media spotlight!

We appreciate opportunities to share the stories of our BGCTC family. Please send your stories to jprewett@bgc-tc.org, and we will reach out to you soon. Thank you!
You Can Change a Child's Life

With your support, we can continue to provide life-changing academic, leadership, and healthy lifestyles programming to youth across the Twin Cities.
Thank You to our Corporate Partners!
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities | 651-726-2582 | info@bgc-tc.org | boysandgirls.org