Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana (BGCGNWI) announces the success of their 2024 Return to Learn match campaign, which took place September 12-28 and coincides with the beginning of the new school year. Thanks to the community’s outpouring of support, BGCGNWI not only reached its $100,000 match goal but exceeded it by more than double with a grand total of $211,799 – an impressive 50% increase over their 2023 Return to Learn campaign.
As part of an ongoing, transformative partnership with BGCGNWI, the University of Chicago Medicine provided a dollar-for-dollar match for all donations up to $100,000. , The contribution is part of the academic health system’s healthcare mission to support the community following the opening of UChicago Medicine Crown Point in April 2024. It will enable BGCGNWI to enhance their Social and Emotional Wellness youth programming and staff development. These added resources improve the overall well-being of youth so every Club Kid is empowered to become a productive, responsible, and caring citizen.
BGCGNWI keeps membership costs as low as possible to serve as many families as possible, charging just $75 for one school year membership. However, their organizational expense per child is $2,380 annually. The record-breaking funds raised during the 2024 Return to Learn match campaign, therefore, translate into services for about 89 youth per year – a significant impact.
This year marked the debut of the Clubhouse Heroes competition in which notable local figures represented the organization’s 10 Clubs in a social media fundraising campaign concurrent with Return to Learn. This year’s winning hero is Chelsea Whittington, owner of C WHITT PR and former Gary Club Kid, who raised $3,415 for the Gary Club. As the winning hero, she will deliver on her promise by hosting a social media responsibility seminar followed by a pizza party for the Gary Club Kids. Through their combined efforts, the nine Clubhouse Heroes raised over $13,000.
The additional 2024 Clubhouse Heroes are:
- Carl Kurek –VP of Development at Lakeshore Public Media (Portage Club)
- Drew Sarkisian – owner of Modern Edge (Merrillville & Lake Station Clubs)
- Jessica Kish –owner of New Chapter Real Estate (Cedar Lake Club)
- Pete Trkovich – 2011 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (East Chicago Club)
- Robbie Hummel – sports broadcaster and former NBA player (Valparaiso Club)
- Ron Kittle – Goodwill Ambassador at Chicago White Sox (South Haven Club)
- Sasha Armstrong –School City of Hammond teacher (Hammond Club)
- Stephanie Jones – author of children’s book series “Giving Gal” (Duneland Club)
“We are grateful for the community’s tremendous show of support during this year’s Return to Learn campaign,” shared Mike Jessen, President & CEO at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. “The adage ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ is especially true today, given the growing challenges today’s youth face. We are honored to partner with University of Chicago Medicine, our corporate and private donors, Clubhouse Heroes, Club Resource Council members, parents, staff, and countless others in our village. Together, we are bridging gaps in kids’ lives and empowering them to realize their full potential as tomorrow’s scholars and leaders.”
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana has been opening doors to GREAT FUTURES for Porter and Lake County youth for over 60 years. Clubs are open after school and provide great places for youth in grades K-12 to meet friends and have fun while in a safe, supervised environment. Clubs are open during holidays and in the summer. For information on membership, volunteer opportunities, or to donate, contact (219) 764-2582 or visit bgcgreaternwi.org.
