GREAT FUTURES START HERE. Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro

Annual Report 2016-2017

Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro

2016-2017 Annual Report

Board of Directors

A Message From Our President

Marcia Steckler – President

Retired Educator

Steve Gordon – Vice President CEO, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Lisa Ford – Secretary Parent Robert Nassau, MD – Treasurer Retired Pediatrician Larry Alper Educational Consultant Scott Aronowitz Educator, Keene Middle School Scott Gordon-Macey Financial Planner, Baystate Financial Mike Powers General Manager, 99 Restaurant Linda Rinder Nurse, Brattleboro Union High School

Educating and empowering young people to be productive, responsible

citizens is a core concept of the Boys & Girls Club mission nationwide but

especially here in Brattleboro. If there ever was a time such a mission could

play a significant role in our nation's future it is now.

As president of the Board, I have seen first-hand the positive impact that the

Club can have for the young people who participate in Club activities and

programs. The statistics reflected in this annual report speak volumes

regarding the number of youth in this community who participate in Club

programs -- from region-wide leadership opportunities for teens to day-long

summer camps for the children of local working families. The outcomes also

reflect the dedicated commitment of the Club's staff and their BGCA training

as youth development professionals.

When Ricky Davidson took over as the Club's Executive Director last

October, he began implementing programs strategically targeting the needs

of elementary school age children in our Flat Street and Westgate Club sites.

The number of meals served free of charge to area youth for both dinner and

week-day summer lunches more than doubled during the past year.

Additionally, the Club is expanding its prevention programs and out-reach

for older teens and middle school age members. While these initiatives

illustrate the Club's pro-active work on behalf of area young people, they are

also indicators of the evident need for meaningful after-school child care, the

prevalence of food insecurity facing area families and the need to combat

substance abuse across all socio-economic lines in our community.

To accomplish this requires support in many forms. The Club continues to

diversify its funding sources, ranging from private foundations, corporate

sponsorships and state and federal grants, to fund-raising events such as our

annual Going-the-Distance bike ride which raised over $50,000 this year. We

depend upon the generosity and on-going support of individuals and

businesses from our local area to help with capital improvements and to

provide nearly 20% of our annual budget. We rely upon the time and talent

of volunteers to serve as mentors in STEM and other educational programs,

in the Club's bike repair shop, and with various health and wellness pro-

grams. We also need volunteers to serve as advisors for Board committees

and as Board members.

The Club indeed plays an important role in our community. Thanks to the

dedicated work of Club staff and the generosity of community donors, the

outcomes highlighted in this report are inspirational. I encourage you to

consider how you might help further the Brattleboro Club's mission of

enabling ALL its young members to become productive, responsible and

caring citizens. We welcome your time, your talents and your philanthropic

investment in helping to sustain our vision of empowering young people

through inclusive and aspirational opportunities.

Marcia S. Steckler, Board President

Our Staff

Ricky Davidson Executive Director Gabriel Weiss Flat Street Unit Director Melissa Renaud Westgate Program Coordinator Jamie Mahon Administrative Coordinator Ryan Squires Summer Program Coordinator Hannah Manon Kids Club Coordinator Shantell Rizzitano Kitchen Coordinator

Program Staff Jessica Hanson

Iain Haukka

Kathleen Mackin

Caleb Morris

Emilee Rogers

Matthew Whalen

Jes Wright

Words from Our Executive Director

2016 –2017 Annual Report

The 2016-2017 fiscal year has been one of change and growth for the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro.

In the summer of 2016, we expanded our summer camps to serve more kids and families. In the fall of 2016, we started “Kids Club”, a licensed afterschool program for members from first through fifth grade. We also saw a dramatic increase in our average daily attendance during the school year, doubling and occasionally tripling the number of children participating in our after-school offerings. We also saw a corresponding increase in the numbers of meals and snacks we served free of charge to youth and families.

This year, our annual Youth of the Year program for teens included BGCA’s newly instituted Jr. Youth of the Year activities. At a ceremony in February, Casandra Earp was named Brattleboro’s first ever Junior Youth of the Year. In May, Casandra joined long time member and Brattleboro’s Youth of the Year Derrick Harnish in Montpelier for the state competition. At this ceremony, Derrick was chosen to represent Vermont at BGCA’s regional competition in New York City. Our Brattleboro organization is proud to be the home of Vermont’s State Youth of the Year for the second year in a row.

This past spring also included significant renovations in our music and performance space. This effort, spear-headed by David Snyder, is already opening doors for mission-based collaboration with other non-profits such as BrattRock. Looking ahead, 2017-2018 will feature expanded offerings and opportunities for young people. We anticipate adding licensed after-school programs at our Westgate Club House and continuing to grow the number of youth we serve every day. Other plans include program-related improvements and some necessary repairs to our Flat Street Club House.

This has been a year of change for me as well, moving from the role of interim director during the summer to that of executive director starting in the fall of 2016, and I am grateful to the Board of directors for their support as I transitioned into my new role. I want to recognize the club staff for their hard work and dedication to the young people in our community; they change lives for the better every day. Most of all I want to give a big thank you to our members, whose energy, humor, dreams, passion and compassion make every day a true joy.

Ricky Davidson

Executive Director

2016-2017 Annual Report

2016-2017 Fiscal Information

2016 –2017 Annual Report

Out of our 1,100 members we have an

average of 74 youth in attendance daily.

Club Member Derrick Harnish

2017 Vermont State Youth of the Year.

Our members participate in over 3,240 hours

of community service through the club.

2016-2017 Highlights

We combat food insecurities, having served 19,434

snacks and 11,175 dinners free of charge.

100% of our teens graduate on

time with a plan

2016-2017 Annual Report

NON-PROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PAID

BRATTLEBORO, VT

PERMIT #21

Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro

17 Flat Street

Brattleboro VT 05301

Our Mission

To inspire young people especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.

Boys & Girls Club

of Brattleboro