2023  Special Project

Social and Emotional Learning throughout our Clubhouses

Growing up can be hard on a young person, but today kids and teens in our community face hardships many of us did not experience. It is no surprise that many of our young people are feeling stressed, especially when they face challenges that include:

  • lingering effects of the pandemic,
  • increased availability of drugs,
  • family poverty,
  • violence in their homes and neighborhoods,
  • food insecurity
  • a loss of social interactions,
  • uncertain housing situations,
  • online social pressures,
  • changing family dynamics,
  • limited access to support systems that remove barriers to success.

Today kids and teens are in crisis, and we need to do more to help them develop or rebuild the essential skills and tools to process and cope with the hardships they face.  For the kids who attend the Club, the challenges are exacerbated because

  • 57% qualify for the federal free & reduced lunch program,
  • 24% live with families whose annual income is at or below 100% poverty,
  • 44% live with a single parent,
  • 82 were homeless or lived in a foster/kinship care situation last year, and
  • Approximately 32% can be considered special needs.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County is proud to be at the forefront of this effort as we strive to equip young people with the necessary skills to manage their emotions and build resiliency so they can successfully embrace opportunities that come their way.  Social and emotional development has a significant impact on how youth grow and mature, including their readiness to learn, be self-confident, manage their behavior, and achieve academic success.  Simply put, kids and teens who are socially and emotionally competent are more likely to succeed in school and in life.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County have implemented programming to promote and empower social and emotional development and with your partnership and pledges towards our Special Project, we will continue to integrate, enhance and invest in our youth, teens and staff to incorporate social and emotional learning throughout our Clubhouses.

With help from our generous donors the Boys & Girls Club will:

  • Nurture young people’s social and emotional skills to prepare them to be positive contributing members of their community through role modeling and mentoring programs.
  • Build youth and teen’s soft skills as they face an increasing need for social and emotional skill development utilizing support tools like sensory paths, fidget toys, zones of regulation and comfort therapy animals.
  • Invest in training for our caring professional staff to establish trusting relationships and open dialog that helps staff and youth recognize changes in thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
  • Provide a safe, positive and stable environment where kids and teens can practice social and emotional skills on a consistent basis.
  • Offer a trauma-informed experience for all members that is unwavering and steadfast in meeting them were they are and helping them grow and thrive to the young person they want to be.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County is doing Whatever It Takes to provide Club members with consistency to help our local youth build the social and emotional wellness that are critical to their current and future success.  Essential skills that range from communicating and effectively working with others to developing coping mechanisms for life’s unplanned situations.  We can’t do it alone.  We are thankful for our generous donors who make it possible for the Club to do Whatever It Takes to meet the growing needs of our kids!

Thank You to our Kind and Generous
Special Project Donors

PRESIDENT CIRCLE: $25,000 & Above

DIRECTOR CIRCLE: $10,000 – $24,999

Dennis and Kathryn Whitmore

AMBASSADOR CIRCLE: $5,000 – $9,999

Billings West End Rotary
Jake and Heidi Brosovich
Scott and Deb Brown
Jim and Barb Grubbs
Steve and Cary Knudson
Kevin and Kelly McGovern
Greg and Eileen McDonald
John and Karen Shelhamer
Western Security Bank
Tom and Erin Zimmer

 

 

PARTNER CIRCLE: $2,500 – $4,999

Paul and Dona Hagen
Greg and Missie Matthews
Bob and Linda Schmaing
Dr. David and Sandy Shenton
Jonas Vachal and Jessica Drain
Lonney White

 

ADVOCATE CIRCLE: $1,000 – $2,499

Dan Allen and Powder Coating Plus NW, Inc.
Carl and Linda Baltrusch
Jack and Laurie Burke
Jim and Katie Day
Bob and Shari Dayton
Bonnie Denham
Jeremy Erving
Mac and Shannon Fogelsong
Mike and Jill Follett
Eric and Pam Hoffman
Stacey Jacobs
Reed and Kary Meschke
Jean McNally
Dr. James and Mary Anne Nichols
Frank and Nicole Nienaber
Dr. James and Janice Scott
Brad and Lori Tucker
US Bank Private Wealth Management

CLUB CIRCLE: $500 – $999

Jeff and Tonya Appelt
Greg and Bridget Benjamin
Troy and Amy Bruce
Paul and Rhoda Byorth
James Day
Jon and Mary Dyre
Brad and Stefeni Freese
Josh and Emily Gullickson
Tricia Harrison and Tim Hein
Randy and Leah Harvey
Karen Hayes
Tim and Jane Leuthold
Malcolm and Karen Long
Terry and Peggy Sukut
Trenton and Brittany Thelen

 

 

FRIENDS CIRCLE: $1.00 – $499

Sue Agnew and John Mueller
Ronald and Valerie Cole
Theresa Dickey
Nathan Hirsch
Aaron and Kellan Harris
Scott and Shawneal Krauszer
Rod Miller
Jerry Oakland
Philomina Bracy Padon