13 Dec Boys & Girls Club of Nassau County

Posted at 19:13h in amelia island, charity, non profit, public relations by Kari Kenner

During this giving time of year, it feels good to learn more about the real, positive impact some local non-profits are making in our world. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County (BGCN) are doing some pretty wonderful things for lots of kids, providing safe and educational after-school occupation for ages 6 to 16, helping them not only reach and maintain high standards in school and life, but also raise their sights on what they can achieve and what they can be.

While government at all levels struggle to control costs, the BCGN takes a significantly different approach to funding compared to most other such organizations, which tend to receive significant funding from public sources (i.e. tax dollars). Instead, the BCGN was designed by its leadership to operate with almost no such assistance. In short, the goodness of Nassau County citizens is what keeps our Boys & Girls Clubs open, active and thriving.

A big reason for this success is a local group of BCGN supporters known as the Guardians, with members pledging to sponsor children at the Club for multiple years, attendance costing $1,000 per year. Recently, the BCGN hosted a special luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island to thank their Guardians and update them on the year’s progress.

Our friend and President of the BCGN Foundation, Bill Gower, was gracious enough to invite us to attend. We were impressed with with the passion of the Guardians approach, as well as the fiscal soundness with which they utilize their limited funds, allowing them to build and maintain two modern, well-run BCG locations, the Roberts Club in Fernandina, and the off-island Miller Freedom Center. We’ve since taken a tour of the Roberts Club and can tell you this first hand: the Clubs are making a meaningful impact in our local community, one kid at a time. To the Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau, we give a hearty thank you for all they’re doing!

If you’d like to know more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County, to volunteer, donate or to consider your child attending, please visit: www.bgcnassau.org.