Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa (BGCCI)

The organization serves approximately 1,600 Central Iowa youth ages 5-18 each year across seven club sites in the des moines community and offers hands-on educational and experiential enrichment every day after school, as well as all-day programming during the summer and other breaks when school is closed. A safe setting is provided where youth can participate in both supervised and self-directed activities designed to give them the developmental assets necessary in becoming successful adults. Homework help, leadership opportunities, computer access, and a variety of age-appropriate activities are offered every day. The organization's youth development strategy is to instill a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and influence in the young people served. In addition, research-based programming, implemented by youth development professionals, consistently focuses on five core areas: character and leadership development; education and career development; health and life skills; the arts; and sports, fitness and recreation.