February 28, 2019

A Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) membership includes a lot. So much, in fact, that we regularly have Club members, parents, donors and volunteers confess that they aren’t aware of all the benefits BGCSF membership offers. BGCSF continues to be among the least expensive, highest quality program options for youth and families in San Francisco. With your $100 investment (Note: No family will be turned away due to an inability to pay), you’re not just getting a membership; you’re preparing your child for the workforce, ensuring access to tutoring, scholarship information, and academic support, getting them involved in youth sports leagues that nurture positive competitive attitudes and develop leadership skills, and introducing them to healthy lifestyle choices through our Behavioral Health Services, cooking, gardening, and life-planning activities.

With more than 125 years of history in San Francisco, BGCSF knows what it takes to adapt to evolving needs in the city. Our rich history ensures Club youth continue to receive innovative and expansive programming made possible by our exceptional staff. Our investment in those staff means we’ll continue to be at the forefront of youth development for years to come.

Every day, parents tell us how the Club is making a difference in the lives of their children in countless ways. For a parent like Norma, praise for BGCSF comes easily. “BGCSF is like family,” Norma said, “My kids can come here and talk about anything, and the staff is so helpful. Because of BGCSF, their confidence levels are boosted; they want to go far and beyond. BGCSF prepares my kids for college, having them think about areas of study and focusing on those achievements as a goal in their life.”

For BGCSF parent Jerome, the benefits are similarly apparent. “BGCSF feeds our kids, they give our kids something to do after school, they give them tutoring when our kids are having trouble in school.” Jerome said. “On top of that, BGCSF has tons of leadership programs encouraging them to become better people by building their character. BGCSF has been here for us in every conceivable way.”

With our new membership pricing, we hope to have a pricing structure that better reflects the caliber of programming we offer. As has been the case for more than 125 years, BGCSF will continue to provide better youth outcomes through our award-winning programming that delivers results in all four areas of our Success Equation: academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character and community engagement, and job readiness with earning potential.

Below is a brief summary of how Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco programming benefits Club youth, as well as a demonstration of the significant value our membership offers. If after reading this you still have questions about BGCSF membership, please email Esan Looper, Senior Director of Club Services, at elooper@kidsclub.org.

Job Readiness with Earning Potential:

Central to the mission of BGCSF is ensuring that our members are prepared to join the workforce. Through partnerships with top-tier Bay Area employers like Twitter, Charles Schwab, Gap Inc, Verizon, United and more, BGCSF provides Club youth with career exposure and professional contacts that help them grow in to the career of their dreams. In 2018, our Youth Workforce Development program generated more than 400 jobs for Club members, helping our youth develop skills and gain confidence about their place in the workforce.

  • 378 teens were connected to 412 jobs through the Club this past year
  • 244 teens completed our course on responsible financial management
  • 200+ teens completed career and financial portfolios that included a cover letter, resume, and planning documents

Healthy Lifestyles:

BGCSF knows the importance of healthy habits in the development of youth, and we offer a comprehensive approach to keeping youth in the best shape possible both physically and mentally. Through health education, BGCSF teaches and reinforces good habits to ensure Club youth grow into happy and healthy adults. Every day at the Club, we provide a host of healthy lifestyle programs promoting responsible relationships, resilience education, nutritious eating choices, and engaging fitness activities for all members.

  • 95% of all Club youth reported making responsible choices
  • 222 youth participated in our Eat Fresh Nutrition Campaign
  • 145,000 healthy meals and snacks provided to Club youth in 2018

Good Character and Community Engagement:

Through programs like Youth of the Year, Keystone & Torch Clubs, and Club Leaders in Training (LIT’s), BGCSF provides a wealth of character development opportunities to San Francisco youth. Among the most important aspects of these programs is the focus each places on giving back to the community. By showing youth the importance of working together towards goals that benefit others, BGCSF helps youth recognize their role as leaders of tomorrow and shows Club members how they can bring about positive change in the world.

  • More than 49,500 hours of volunteer services were completed by our members
  • BGCSF helped 100 youth plan and execute community service projects in 2018
  • In 2018, 63 youth got to participate in BGCSF’s Leaders in Training (LIT) program at Camp Mendocino over their summer break

Academic Success:

With technology at the forefront of our world, academic success is more important than ever to ensure youth become successful in adulthood. BGCSF provides cutting-edge learning and development techniques that prepare Club youth for 21st century challenges. We offer youth after-school tutoring, learning and literacy programs; extensive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education opportunities and STEM partnerships with leaders in the field, like UCSF and Columbia University, College Prep, campus tours and scholarship connections, and much more. Through this all-encompassing approach, BGCSF ensures our Club members have all the tools they need for college and beyond.

  • We linked our youth to nearly $1 million ($982K) in college scholarships, including athletic scholarships
  • 95% of STEM participants said they like learning about STEM at the Club
  • 97% of core seniors* are college or military bound (89/92)


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