A $6,000 donation from Canada Post was made to the Battlefords Boys & Girls Club. (battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

HELPING THE KIDS

Donation will help Battlefords Boys & Girls Club meet ever growing demand

Oct 9, 2019 | 1:17 PM

Not all youth have the same opportunity to access safe, constructive activities and positive guidance outside of school.

This is where the Battlefords Boys & Girls Club steps in to help.

The non-profit organization provides kids between the ages of five and 14 with safe recreational, cultural, educational and social programming after school Monday to Friday. Last year, the organization saw 7,844 after-school visits. This year alone, their numbers are up 17 per cent.

During their programming, employees at the club serve snacks and meals and assist students with their homework if need be. They organize indoor and outdoor activities and facilitate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) based programs.

As the demand for the program continues to rise in the community, a $6,000 donation from the Canada Post Community Foundation for the club’s after-school drop-in operation will go a long way, according to Executive Assistant Tricia Kennedy. The money will be used to support staff, purchase supplies for crafts and activities and deliver nutritious food to the kids.

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“It is open to everyone. A majority of our members tend to be low income or at-risk youth but we are finding across the board that families just can’t afford a lot of after school care,” she said. “We are open to everyone in the community and really seeing an increasing need for our services.”

Kennedy said studies show that unstructured, unsupervised time can impede positive development, lower academic performance in youth and increase the risk of drug use.

“If the kids do not have this they are at home or on the streets and we provide a safe spot for them to come,” Director of Programs Teagan Harty said.

While grants renew for a handful of programs each year and the club receives funding from the Ministry of Social Services, Kennedy said each year is a struggle to find applicable grants and piece together payment for an ever-growing demand for services.

The Battlefords Boys & Girls Club operates a majority of programs at their main site but has satellite activities at Bready Elementary School, Holy Family and EMBM.

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cjnbnews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow