The Boys and Girls Clubs of The Western Reserve

If I did not come to the Boys & Girls Club then I would not have had the opportunity to learn about leadership. I am currently the Vice President of our Keystone Club and this has allowed me to learn first hand how to lead others in impacting my community ... Read More

One Spark Campaign
We know that one idea can spark the imagination of a child. We are committed to igniting that spark!

Who was it that Believed in You?

Stop for a moment and ask: "Who was it that believed in me?" Was it a parent? A teacher? A coach? A Grandparent?

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserves mission is to answer that question by inspiring and enabling all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible & caring citizens.

Consider Carla, who with her three younger cousins, is being raised by grandparents. Carla grew up in Cleveland, Ohio with her mother, stepfather and two brothers. After eleven years of being physically and mentally abused, Carla found herself using alcohol, drugs and erratic behavior to escape from her pain. When she was eleven the court removed Carla and her two brothers from her mother’s custody. The siblings were split up among different family members and Carla found herself living in Akron, Ohio with her grandparents and three cousins that were also removed from their parent’s custody.

Carla was enrolled in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve in April of 2007. When she came to Club, no one knew the stories of her past or what she had been through; however, it was clear that she struggled with emotional issues and anger control. As time passed Carla’s attitude slowly began to change, she was becoming confident and showed self control. Carla is now a leader at Club and in the community, and is an inspiration to other members to overcome the circumstances in which they live.

When asked what inspired her to become the responsible young adult she is today, she said “because someone believed in me!”

Be the Difference

We need your help – now more than ever – so that we may continue to expand, and more importantly sustain our after-school programs at low-cost to at-risk youth and their families.

By making an investment in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve , you can make a difference in a child’s life.

Help us shape their future. Help them believe in themselves. Help us answer a child’s honest question – ‘Who believes in me?’ – by declaring in one voice:

“We do!”

Invest now in children who belong to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve . Believe in their abilities and help us inspire and enable them to grow up as happy, responsible and caring adults.

Donate to the 2010 One Spark! Annual Campaign for Kids today.