The Boys and Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula is a safe place "with caring youth development professionals where a child can learn, grow, and reach their full potential." The Club has two neighborhood-based buildings, one in Sequim and one in Port Angeles, which are open every afternoon to children ages 6 to 18. Thanks to outside funding and generous donations, the Club is able to offer affordable memberships of only $30 per year to its members.
It Takes a Village
Recently, Mary Budke, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, explained how important interdependence and collaboration is amongst non-profit organizations when working to create positive change in a community. "For us, 23 and Me is the 23 partner agencies that United Way is affiliated with. We use ... St. Vincent de Paul, Peninsula Behavioral Health; we serve lunches at the YMCA in the summer and breakfast too. United Way helps put out the events for all of our organizations. And they also have done support letters for grants and helped us get funding for our programs that we run." United Way is proud to have a seat at the table, especially when it's a table filled with such incredible and collaborative non-profit organizations.
"United Way support has enabled us to reach more youth, provide vital resources, and expand our services to better meet the needs of our community. Thanks to this partnership, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the kids and teens we serve, ensuring they have the tools and opportunities to succeed."
United is the Way to give every kid safe spaces to learn.
Support from United Way
Another important aspect of United Way's relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs is through our Educational Attainment Initiative. This effort centers around helping high school students find and apply for funding sources for higher education, trade school, career training, or whatever else they hope to pursue after graduation. The program is managed by our Education Attainment Specialist Kennedy Cameron. Club CEO Mary Budke had this feedback for Kennedy and the work they had done over the previous school year. "Kennedy comes to the Clubs [and] works directly with our teens, getting them signed up for FAFSA. [FAFSA] was really difficult to navigate." Mary expressed her thanks to Kennedy for hosting office hours at both club locations. "It was a huge help to us." She concluded.
United is the Way to nurture social and academic success.
The Boys & Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula understands that youth is a time when children are developing not only physically and intellectually, but emotionally as well. The Club is dedicated to supporting its members in that growth. "At the Boys & Girls Club, our Behavioral Services Specialist plays a vital role in supporting the emotional and behavioral well-being of our members. This specialist works closely with youth to provide guidance, interventions, and support, helping them navigate challenges, build coping skills, and foster social and emotional development. The goal is to create a safe, positive environment where members can thrive mentally and emotionally, building resilience and healthy relationships."