The Impact Of The Boys & Girls Club Of Greater Scottsdale

Since 1954, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale has provided more than 100,000 Northeast Valley youth with a positive, supervised environment to explore the power of their potential. Today we serve 16,000 children and teens through the organization’s nine branches and 12 outreach sites located in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Hualapai Indian Community and other Northeast Valley neighborhoods.

The Boy & Girls Club offers more than 100 youth development programs emphasizing five core areas: the arts; character and leadership development; education and career development; health and life skills; and sports, fitness and recreation.

We are thrilled that Scottsdale Living magazine has been kind enough to partner with our organization to help tell the stories of our branches and the people in the greater Scottsdale community who have had a hand in our success — as well as demonstrate the true impact our organization has on our community-at-large.

Most people know about the indisputable positive impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the nation. It is generally understood that these clubs provide a positive place for youth to develop healthy habits, improve their academic performance, learn conflict resolutions skills, experience the joy of volunteerism, stay away from violence and be safe while they are away from their home and school.

However, until a few years ago there was not any serious attempt to take a close look at the economic impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs around the country.

Together with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, we recently commissioned an economic impact study, funded through the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, to examine the collective impact of the 31 Boys & Girls Clubs locations in the Valley on youth served, their families and the larger community. The study is among the first that has recently been carried out with a clear intention of measuring the economic impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs in various parts of the country

The study shows that the Clubs provide millions of dollars of benefit to communities across the greater Phoenix area. In fact, every $1 spent by the Clubs generates $13.14 in earnings for Club parents. The study also showed that, every $1 spent by the Clubs generates $19.33 in positive economic impact for the community.

Additional findings include:

• Higher graduation rates and improved lifetime earnings among Club members. Every $1 invested in Club programming generates $1.36 in increased earnings.

• Total employment and income impact of the Clubs through operational and capital expenditures and use of volunteers — every $1 spent by the Clubs generates $1.67 in regional output.

• Lower teen pregnancy and motherhood rates among Club members create economic savings — for every $1 spent by the Clubs $0.64 is saved by society.

• Reduction in youth crime rates and savings to community — every $1 invested in the Clubs saves taxpayers $1.18 on expenditures for the criminal justice system.

• Lowering of tendency to abuse substances and costs associated with underage drinking, tobacco use, and drug abuse — for every $1 spent by the Clubs, the economy benefits $1.34 in the reduction of costs associated with juvenile drinking.

We sincerely thank the community for helping us to continue to raise funds that are making a difference Valley-wide.

Rick Baker is Chairman of the Board at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. He has been involved with the organization since 2001 and is currently working with the team on
“Angels for Kids, Mentors for Life,” the annual giving campaign for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. Mentoring helps youth in their personal and educational development as well as prepares them to be productive future citizens.