Dear Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana Donors, Volunteers and Community Partners –
COVID-19 has brought uncertainty and disruption to our communities, but Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana’s top priority has not changed: the health and safety of the youth we serve.
I want to take a moment to inform you on what we are doing to ensure the well-being of our Club members, as well as the staff and volunteers who work at/with our Clubs and members.
Safety is and will continue to be our number one priority. Just as you are, we are closely monitoring COVID-19. We will continue to follow the guidelines of the CDC, the Indiana Department of Health, and our national office, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In doing our part, it is imperative for us to help flatten the pandemic curve by closing all Club locations until, at least April 3, a date that will be re-evaluated next week.
As a community resource for so many families, here is what our organization is doing to ensure our Clubs remain safe and viable:
• We are working with schools to communicate resources. Most of our local school districts have set-up schedules on when families can obtain meals for their children. We will continue to communicate with and support their efforts to disseminate necessary information and resources from schools to our Club families.
• We are providing wages to staff. This type of closure can cause financial hardship for many of our 220 employees. To help remedy such a burden, and to show our appreciation to our staff and their families, all employees will be paid their regular scheduled time and wage through March 27. After this time, I, along with my senior leadership team and with approval from our Board, will determine and communicate future decisions affecting Club operations and wages during this pandemic.
• We are providing virtual programming. Connection to and support of our Club members is very important to us, especially during this time. Beginning next week, our Clubs and program staff will be offering virtual programming to current Club members. We will continue to help kids progress academically by supporting eLearning efforts, conducting virtual tutoring sessions, and helping kids stay active and moving during these school closures through the use of technology.
As President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, I will continue to work closely with our volunteer Board of Directors in making important decisions in the best interest of our kids and communities.
Thank you for all you have done, and may continue to do, to support our Clubs and kids. Additionally, if you need assistance – or know a family that does – please reach out by emailing us at bgcgnwi@gmail.com and we will do what we can, or connect you to other resources that may be of assistance during this unprecedented time.
I hope you and your family stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Ryan Smiley
President & CEO
