Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas

Serving the needs of at-risk youth, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas was established in 1965 with one club in West Dallas and has grown to thirteen clubs located in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods throughout Dallas County. The agency strives to instill traditional values while providing progressive programs that address the problems faced by today's youth. On any given day more than 1,000 of the agency's 5,000 registered members will participate in five core program areas: Character & Leadership Development; Education & Career Development; Health & Life Skills; The Arts; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation.

Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over a two-year period to expand and enhance year-long, after school educational programming for underprivileged teens. An effective school dropout intervention program, Project Learn will provide the support and educational tools that teens need in order to graduate on time and be ready for college, work and life success. Programs under the Project Learn umbrella not only deal with academic issues but also strengthen character and help teens avoid high-risk behaviors. In addition to expanding programming, the requested funds will allow the agency to increase the frequency of participation by teen members. Teens currently comprise 20% of the membership base, with a 13% participation rate. With this funding, teen participation is expected to increase over two years to 50%, or 500 teens.