Local Boys & Girls Club awarded $50,000 to support tomorrow’s leaders

Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County (BGCSLC) has been named the Treasure Coast’s 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Champion for its work to create economic and social progress in underserved communities.

 

BGCSLC is receiving $50,000 in grant support to expand its “Into the Future” program providing teens with soft skills training, job exploration tours, apprenticeships and other workforce readiness initiatives. This funding will help hire additional staff and contribute to the creation of the Club’s new Fort Pierce Workforce Readiness Resource Center, that is planned to be the epicenter of the organization’s year-round workforce readiness activities.

 

As Neighborhood Champion, BGCSLC will also participate in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability and storytelling. 

 

“As communities continue to recover and navigate a changing landscape, nonprofits like the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie are helping ensure all residents can move forward from the pandemic by creating economic opportunities vital to low-and-moderate income neighborhoods,” said Doug Sherman, president, Bank of America Treasure Coast. “Bank of America is investing in the region’s future by working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie to bridge important gaps for the next generation and charting a path toward racial equality and inclusion in the communities we serve. Programs like Neighborhood Champions helps these organizations grow sustainably and strategically for a greater positive impact in the Treasure Coast.”

 

The Club’s “Into the Future” initiative also strives to help resolve the recent labor shortages many businesses are experiencing as they quickly scale their operations back to pre-pandemic levels. The skills and experiences participants gain from the program will help them enter and succeed in jobs critical to many of the Treasure Cost’s key industries.

 

“We are very thankful for this generous donation from Bank of America. This will have an immediate impact on our teens as we prepare them with the tools and knowledge they need to be successful in the next chapter in their lives,” said Will Armstead, CEO of BGCSLC.

 

Alongside the Treasure Coast, the bank will bring the program to over 42 additional communities across the U.S. this fall as part of its commitment to investing in the long-term health of communities. The Neighborhood Champions program is invitation-only for nonprofits who are poised to take their work to the next level. Leading members of the community participated in a collaborative selection process to identify this year’s awardee.

 

The Neighborhood Champions program is an extension of the bank’s signature philanthropic initiative, Neighborhood Builders®, the largest corporate philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership in the country. Since the program’s inception in 2019, Bank of America has invested $6.3 million in 126 organizations within 42 communities through the Neighborhood Champions program.

 

 

At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

 

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