The Business Spotlight is on Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley!

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley was established in 1995 as a call to action from concerned community members who saw a need for the young people of Chico. In 1998, the Chico Clubs merged with the Boys & Girls Club of Paradise to form the North Valley organization. In 2007, the Club opened in Butte County’s Juvenile Hall in Oroville in response to the continuing problem of recidivism, and in 2008 opened a teen center in Oroville to support youth in this community.  Since opening, youth that have been served by the Club have reduced their recidivism from 75% to 29%.

Today, the Club operates nine sites located within Butte County, including three Teen Centers (Chico, Paradise, & Oroville), the Chico Clubhouse, Juvenile Hall, and five school sites in Paradise and Magalia.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley provides direct services to more than 2,000 youth of Butte County; offering wrap around services to many of its youth and their families, fostering positive friendships and adult relationships, and providing a safe place for children to go every day after school.

Their mission is “to inspire and enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, responsible & caring citizens.” They utilize tested, proven, and nationally recognized programs in five core areas: Character & Leadership, Academic & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, the Arts, and Sports, Fitness & Recreation. They also offer use of computer labs, summer camps, field trips, college tours, credit recovery, job mentoring, tutoring, a healthy snack and supper daily, service learning, youth led initiatives, re-entry to the population in Juvenile Hall, targeted case management, community service, teen programs, family nights, and more.

Here are some of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley’s successes:

·        100% of members who participate in College Bound were admitted into a college in 2011 & 2012.

·        Members who participate in the SAT Preparation Class had at least a 200 point increase on their final score.

·        Members who participate in Power Hour improve their grade point average by a minimum of one letter grade.

·        In 2010 65% of participating seniors graduated without a plan for college; by 2012 100% of our seniors graduated with 98% going to college.

In 2012 the BGCNV served 2099 youth members and more than 2,500 other youth through special events, dances, and activities in the community and on school campuses.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley have a total impact of $4.0 million a year on our local economy and support 119 people including direct and indirect jobs and households.   Our community and local businesses provide a quarter of the Boys & Girls Clubs' funding.

Many thanks to Rashell Brobst, CEO of BGCNV, Valerie Reddemann, Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors, and Audrey Taylor of Chabin Concepts for helping us spotlight the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley at the Chico City Council meeting on April 2, 2013.

~ Katie