Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend has been running Club+ since the school year began on September 14. Their expanded services provide wraparound support for local kids engaging in Comprehensive Distance Learning. 90 percent of the youth enrolled in the program received financial assistance, thanks to generous partners:
- Central Oregon Health Council — $50,000
- Roundhouse Foundation — $15,000
- Taco Bell Foundation — $13,680
- St. Charles Health Foundation — $10,000
- United Way of Central Oregon — $7,000
- First Interstate Bank — $5,000
- Umpqua Bank — $4,000
- Washington Federal Foundation — $3,000
“When we decided to launch Club+, we knew it would take a lot of support from this community,” said Juliana Williams, executive director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend. “These partners have made it all possible. They provided critical funding when we needed it the most, allowing us to launch Club+ with confidence. There is more work to do, but we are off to a very strong start.”
Club+ can serve up to 171 K-12 youth, in either the Downtown Bend Club with four full days or at the East Bend Club with five partial days of programming. Guaranteeing broadband access for everyone to log into live instruction presented a unique challenge. Bend Broadband stepped in with a technology sponsorship to ensure each location had the speeds and bandwidth needed.
“We are happy and honored to assist with the growing broadband needs of the Boys & Girls Club of Bend during this uncertain time,” said Nicole Lewis, associate manager, field marketing. “We value the hard work that the Boys & Girls Clubs do and the extra mile they are taking to help school-aged children and their parents thrive during the challenge of distance learning.”
The Club still has space available in the first- and second-grade cohorts. Families are encouraged to contact the Club to enroll, or be placed on a waitlist for other grade levels.
Funds are still needed to ensure youth who need the Club most can access the program through scholarships.
bgcbend.org • 541-617-2877
