WHAT: Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Michigan City are uniting for the region’s Great Futures Balloon Launch sponsored by ArcelorMittal.
WHEN: Thursday, July 31, 2014 – 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Balloon Launch will take place at 3:00 PM
WHERE: County Line Orchard
200 South County Line Road
Hobart, IN 46342
WHY: On July 31, Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Michigan City in partnership with ArcelorMittal will launch the Great Futures Campaign to mobilize the community in support of kids and empower our youth to achieve success. We are redefining the opportunity equation for young people by elevating the critical role out-of-school time plays in a child’s chance for a great future. When our community prepares to go back-to-school this fall, we want to ensure that out-of-school is part of the conversation.
Our nation’s state of poor academic performance, obesity, drug use, and youth-related violence are cause for alarm and national action. Every day, 15 million kids leave school with no place to go1, putting them at risk of being unsupervised, unguided and unsafe. What happens during the hours between school and home can have a dramatic impact on a child’s future. By providing access to positive and productive programs as well as caring adult mentors during the out-of-school time, we can help reverse the most negative trends facing our youth.
As a leading advocate for youth, we want to ensure every child has access to a safe place after school and during the summer where they can build the knowledge, skills and behaviors to put them on the right path. Through the Campaign, we want to reach more kids in need and grow participation in our life-changing, outcome-driven, out-of-school time programs to transform the future for our kids, community and country.
Join Us as more than 250 dreams, goals, and visions of Boys & Girls Clubs youth will soar to the sky. At 3:00 PM each child will release a single blue balloon into the sky with a very special message attached: “My hopes and dreams are…” Keep a look out on July 31, 2014 to catch these hopes and dreams! Share them with your fellow friends, family, and coworkers to help spread our mission. GREAT Futures Start Here!
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County was founded in 1971 in Valparaiso, IN. Currently Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County operates four Club units in Valparaiso, Portage, South Haven, and Chesterton; and operates Kidstop sites nine school locations. Serving more than 5,000 youth annually, aged kindergarten through high school, our organization provides Club programs and services that promote and enhance the positive development of boys and girls. For more information on membership, volunteer opportunities or to make a tax-deductible donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County, please contact your local Club, call (219) 464-7282 or visit bgcpoco.org. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/bgcpoco and like our Facebook page at facebook.com/bgcpoco.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana was founded in 1954 in Gary, Indiana. Currently Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana operates six Club sites in six cities throughout Lake County Indiana. Serving more than 7,000 youth ages 6 to 18 years of age, our organization provides Club programs and services that promote and enhance the positive development of boys and girls. The core belief of the organization, Board of Directors, staff, and donors is that all six Club sites provide youth with a safe place to learn and grow, teach youth to develop interpersonal relationships, to provide youth with life-enhancing programs and character and development experiences and last but not least to continue providing youth with hope and opportunity. For more information about BGCNWI visit (www.bgcnwi.org). Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BGCNWI.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Michigan City
Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City was established in 1997 as a charter of the Boys and Girls Club of America. Our after-school programs reach out to more than 300 young people each year to teach them about making positive choices for their lives. In our changing world, more and more children are left to their own devices during after school hours. Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City welcomes any youth into the arms of care, belonging, competence, usefulness, and positive influence. Through the engaging programs offered, members gain a sense of self and positive reinforcement in both social and educational skills. Our Clubs aim to produce community-service and goal-oriented youth, who will grow up to be responsible citizens and powerful leaders. For more information visit boysand girlsclubmc.com or call (219) 873-2298.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.