“We ran out of food.”
That was the text I received from Destiny, who was managing our grab-and-go meal distribution. Kids and families were still showing up only to find our tables empty. The demand was clearly growing faster than expected.
When we first closed the doors to our Club kids last week I was crushed. Everything about it was contrary to our mission. We’re supposed to be here for the kids who need us most, and there we were, turning them away in their greatest hour of need.
We started serving grab-and-go dinners almost immediately after we closed our facilities. Our Club’s mantra from the beginning of the year has been “Whatever It Takes.” All of us were willing to do whatever it takes to support our Club kids and their families, and providing meals was a powerful way to do that.
Looking at the growing crowd of people who had heard about the meal distribution, I started making calls to see if I could find more food. Thankfully, a distribution site a few blocks away had extra meals. I hopped in my car, picked up the meals, and brought them back to some very happy kids and families.
Families arriving to find we had run out of meals on Tuesday, March 24th.
Whatever it takes.
The meals weren’t enough though. I knew our kids needed more. They needed to stay connected with the mentors who knew them and cared deeply for them. They needed some small sense of normalcy in a world that was quickly spinning out of control.
After several brainstorming sessions, my team developed BGCM Boundless, a virtual Club where our members could safely engage with and connect to our staff. BGCM Boundless is a mixture of pre-recorded content, live-streaming programs, group mentoring, homework help, and social and emotional programs that will help our kids successfully navigate these challenging times. BGCM Boundless doesn’t officially launch until Monday, but we already have 40 kids registered!
Whatever it takes.
Today, it takes YOU. We’ve never been able to succeed without you. Today, more than ever, we need you to support the Club. Together, we can do whatever it takes to make sure our Club kids can thrive, despite the chaos of the world around them.
Thank you,
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