Message from our CEO, Geovanny Ragsdale | |
There's Still Time to Register for Winter Camp! | |
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Registration for Winter Camp is still open!
Sign up for one day, or multiple days, from now until January 5th. Get ready to sleigh the holiday boredom and join us for frosty fun activities:
❄️ Gingerbread House Decorating
❄️ Winter Relay Race
❄️ Computer Building
❄️ Dance Party
❄️ Puppet Making
❄️ Songwriting
❄️ & More!
Learn more and sign up today at bgcwv.org/winter
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Save the Date! - Upcoming Events | |
Because of You, Appreciation Breakfast | |
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This month, we recognized our community partners and members whose time, treasure, and talent were celebrated at our Because of You, Appreciation Breakfast. Thank you to U.S. Bank for their generosity as the title sponsor for the event.
Held on December 5th at the beautiful Woodland Hills County Club, nearly 100 guests attended and celebrated together at this special event. Without the support of YOU, our caring and generous supporters, the programs and activities offering life-changing opportunities for youth at BGCWV would not be possible.
THANK YOU!
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Expressing gratitude for the generosity of our community partners and donors. During this holiday season, BGCWV felt truly blessed. Thanks to our community partners and donors, our families received various holiday contributions. We are grateful for the toys, necessities, and food donations that were provided. Your contributions and time are deeply appreciated.
Thank you to:
Councilmember Bob Blumenfield
Sneaker Hustle USA
King Fandom
Universal Hilton on The Hill
Monnix- BGCWV Alumni
JCPenney- Northridge
Welby Way Elementary
Macy’s Topanga Store #503
Old Navy Fallbrook #920
Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Woodland Hills
National Charity League San Fernando Valley Chapter
SoCalGas
Maxine, Rick, family and friends.
Anonymous Donors
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We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Macy's for hosting a delightful breakfast for our members. The gathering was a fantastic experience for everyone involved, and the added perk of a shopping spree made it all the more special. | |
The 17th Annual Cooper Reading Challenge | |
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The 17th Annual Cooper Reading Challenge was a success! After spending the month of November reading age-appropriate books and writing reviews, book reports, and creating beautiful dioramas, Club members had an exciting outing to Barnes & Noble Calabasas to culminate the challenge!
Created to instill the love of reading in children of BGCWV, the Cooper Reading Challenge celebrates member’s hard work and each child receives $25 to spend on one or more books for themselves or family members.
“Our success is a direct result of community leaders and supporters seeing the value of literacy programs that support youth in their personal and academic lives,” said Martin Cooper, president of Cooper Communications and Emeritus Board Chair of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley.
A very special THANK YOU to our supporters, SoCalGas, Barnes & Noble, Daily News, Valley News Group, everyone who donated, and founder of the Cooper Reading Challenge, Martin Cooper, for making this event possible each year.
To learn more about the Cooper Reading Challenge, please visit bgcwv.org/cooper-reading-challenge.
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Walking in Our Light Community Event | |
The Walking in Our Light event was a wonderful night that united our community. We celebrated the light of each person, family, community organization and business that has created a safe and nurturing neighborhood for all to thrive. | |
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Volunteers and volunteer groups needed!
Are you interested in a meaningful experience where you can share your knowledge, time, and experience with our club members? Join our volunteer program today.
For more information, please contact Denise Zarate, Community Relations Manager: d.zarate@bgcwv.org or volunteer@bgcwv.org
Or visit bgcwv.org/volunteer
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We’re hiring! Full-time and part-time opportunities available!
🌟Part-Time Clubhouse Coordinator
🌟Part-Time Youth Development Professional - Driver
🌟Part-Time Lead Youth Development Professionals
🌟Part-Time Youth Development Professionals
This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a nonprofit organization and make a direct impact on the lives of youth in the West Valley!
For the full job descriptions and qualifications needed, please visit bgcwv.org/careers
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Check out this past month's happenings: | | |
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Reseda Elementary
The Get Together Foundation provided kids with a purpose-driven music program. It was crafted to empower 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in expressing themselves through music. The program culminated in a heartwarming music showcase featuring holiday songs performed by the participating children. This showcase not only celebrated the students' musical accomplishments but also provided a platform for them to share their creativity with parents and the community, fostering a sense of joy and connection through the universal language of music.
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Coach Anne's Art Activities | |
Blythe Elementary
Coach Anne creates arts & crafts activities for our members. All members participate, but grades TK-2nd have a special love for this activity. Coach Anne has done activities ranging from face masks to making snowflakes. She even created a huge poster for the classroom where she combined several different activities together. This poster is entirely made up of art from the members.
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Justice St. Elementary
This Month at Justice St. Elementary we learned about different Holiday traditions and planned our holiday party during our leadership program, “Little Sparklers.” During this program they made decorations, planned activities for the party, and decided what we’d have to eat. The theme was “ugly holiday sweaters” and we had pizza, chips, juices, cupcakes, and goodie bags. We also hosted a dance party, an arts and craft activity making Christmas trees out of popsicle sticks, and watched the movie Elf. We even had a DIY photo booth where members were able to take pictures with their holiday sweaters.
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Woodland Hills Elementary
Members at Woodland Hills Elementary made Gingerbread people for their holiday party art activity. At the end of the activity, all of the gingerbread people were made into a long chain to signify the friendships made over the year.
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Teen Center
Members participated in a demonstration of what someone sees when under the influence by using specialized goggles. Nine members were actively engaged and had a blast during this demo. The end resulted in a clearer picture of the negative impact that various substances have on people. This program runs through our winter camp. We would like to highlight the Tarzana Treatment Center itself for making this program both exciting and informative. Our members really enjoy when they run their program.
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Cooper Reading Challenge Field Trip | |
Canoga Park High School
In December, we prioritized the joy of reading to enhance students' vocabulary and writing proficiency as they commit to lifelong learning. As a token of appreciation, we acknowledged the efforts of thirty-five students who submitted book reports by presenting them with gift cards, facilitating transportation, and benefiting from discounted book prices at Barnes & Noble.
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Chatsworth High School
As the end of the year is approaching for our members at Chatsworth, we wanted to celebrate them, and the holiday season, for their dedication to the club and the end of the year! Since finals week is here, we scheduled a holiday party/winter celebration. We had a relaxing day of holiday cookie decorating, hot chocolate, and holiday movies. We also participated in team building activities for students to get to know each other even more. The students had a great time decorating and getting their mind off finals for the last week of the semester.
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Cleveland High School
To celebrate the end of the year, we threw the members a holiday celebration event. We started the event by handing out tacos and snacks for the members. Once they finished their food they got into teams to build gingerbread houses. We also used the time for last minute crunch time studying for finals week.
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Dollars Raised in November | |
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As donors and members, we want to thank you for supporting Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley.
Your collective gifts of $85,239.00 generated the following breakdown to the organization.
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Join the Community Giving Program | |
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This is an opportunity for local businesses and business owners to become Corporate Champions and support the Club’s mission year-round. Sponsorship levels provide access and recognition at major events.
Visit: https://bgcwv.org/ways-to-give/
Contact : Kelly Ventimiglia, Chief Philanthropy Officer; Email: K.Ventimiglia@bgcwv.org
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Join the Monthly Giving Club | |
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As an individual who values the work of Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, you can make an immediate difference when you become a monthly donor. Monthly givers help provide high-quality programs which serve the kids and youth across the West Valley during the most critical hours of the day, after-school.
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A monthly gift of $10 provides one afternoon of services for one kid every month.
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A monthly gift of $25 helps to subsidize one kid's transportation to the Clubhouse for one day every month.
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A monthly gift of $50 provides supplies for one class offered to 20 kids every month.
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A monthly gift of $100 provides a STEM kit for one class of 20 kids every month.
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A monthly gift of $250 provides two weeks of summer camp programs for one kid.
We serve the kids daily because you partner with us on our mission to inspire and enable every young person, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible adults.
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Info, Resources, & Community Events | |
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Curious about the latest updates from BGCWV?
Be sure to check our “Media & Stories” page on our website! Explore exciting news, inspiring articles, and learn about our community impact over the years.
Updated regularly at bgcwv.org/media
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The Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) is looking to enroll new families in the San Fernando Valley area
The CCRC can help you pay for childcare for all hours of the days, nights, weekends, or even just a few hours a week. Visit ccrcca.org/apply to view the requirements and to get your application started.
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GoPass Program
The GoPass Program is available to students at participating K-12 schools and community colleges, with a focus on helping students ride transit without the worry of paying fare. With a registered GoPass TAP card, students attending participating schools can ride Metro and other participating systems to and from school, and for trips after school and on weekends. Click here to see the participating schools, districts, and transit partners.
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Our Corporate Champion program recognizes businesses that support the Club with a year-long contribution that impacts the lives of more than 2,500 young people. Contact us to become a Corporate Champion today! To learn more, click here. | |
Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley| www.bgcwv.org |(818) 610-1054 | |
Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit in the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, and the IRS. Our EIN is 95-4419365. To support the work we do in 2023 you can call 818.610.1054 ext. 2001 or give directly at www.bgcwv.org/donate every gift helps to ensure kids and youth have a safe place to reach their full potential. | | | | |
