Transforming Kids, Strengthening Communities

Doors of opportunity have been opening for the kids of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor for more than 50 years. Director of Club Engagement Dan Fry hosted a tour of the Eastern Pulaski site on Thursday, March 12 to show local officials and leaders what they do at the club on a day-to-day basis. The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor (BGCNIC) currently serves students in St. Joseph, Fulton, White, Cass, Clinton and Pulaski Counties. The BGCNIC serves about 2,000 kids over the entire organization. The West Central and Eastern Pulaski sites host about 100 kids a day. The Eastern Pulaski site, located in the elementary school, uses two rooms and is very secure. The Boys and Girls Club offers after-school and summer programs. The after-school enrichment program gives homework help and engages students in educational activities in literacy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and the arts. The summer program offers five weeks of all-day care which includes field trips and enriching learning activities, all designed to prevent summer learning loss while still providing a fun environment. Chief Development Officer Lindahl Chase acknowledged that childcare is one of the most critical needs for the families that they serve, especially during the summer. However, she said that the Boys and Girls Club is more than just childcare – it's a program that will help students prepare now for better futures through valuable learning and activities.