Boys & Girls Clubs Pivot To Meet The Needs Of Members During COVID
DENVER (CBS4) – This year has been a struggle for most people as society adjusted to the impacts of a pandemic. Many of the children and families served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver have been hit especially hard. The economic impact has been great, some parents have lost their jobs, others have had to work on the front lines throughout coronavirus.
At every turn, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver has tried to ease the impact.
"And we're still operating in that model, meeting the needs of kids and families as they continue to grow and change during the pandemic," said Erin Porteous, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.
During the Stay At Home order, the clubs provided hygiene products and food to the children in their homes in an effort to keep the families afloat during an economic and health crisis.
During the summer, the clubs opened with precautions, providing a safe place for the members to go while their parents were at work. When school went back into session, the clubs opened their doors to remote learning, so that it's members would have access to reliable internet.
"It went pretty great," said 10-year-old Starlynn, a club member for 5-years.
Starlynn says online learning was a breeze for her.
"I did well because my teachers always pushed me to make sure I got my work done before I have a lot of free time," she told CBS4.
She also did well because she could rely on the Broncos Boys and Girls Club for access to remote learning.
"At my house we have a lot of distractions, so it's harder for me to actually pay attention to class," Starlynn explained.
The 5th grader know that a lot of fellow student haven't fared so well outside the classroom.
"It's effecting a lot of people with their grades because they're having a harder time paying attention in class, because their parents are probably at work, and their older siblings are distracting them a lot that they can't pay attention, really much," she said.
When Starlynn has free time, she relies on the club then too. She works in the computer lab, she's a member of a leadership program, called Torch Club, and she participates in the reading program.
"In my free time, I would read more books to reach my reading goal and have more fun with the Boys & Girls Club," Starlynn said.
When the schools opened to in-person learning, the clubs returned to after school care to a smaller capacity of kids than they usually see. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver have stepped up this year to meet the changing needs of their members. And they'll step up again this Christmas with the help of the Together 4 Colorado Toy Drive.
LINK: More Information About The Together 4 Colorado Toy Drive
The Together 4 Colorado Drive-thru, Drop-off Collection is Friday, December 11th, 2020. CBS4 and Boys & Girls Clubs staff members will be collecting toy donations outdoors in the parking lot, with social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand sanitizer available. Anyone who wants to donate can just drive up, and drop-off a donation without even getting of their car. The collection will be happening at two King Soopers, the one on West Alameda at Belmar in Lakewood, and the other will be at 80th and Sheridan in Arvada. The collection runs from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For people who don't feel comfortable leaving their houses, there are still ways to participate. The Boys and Girls Clubs are taking donations on their Website. The money will be used to buy toys.
