Grant awarded to Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont, Abby Winthrop SMART Girl Program
The Foundation is pleased to announce a grant to the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont, Abby Winthrop SMART Girl Program.
Since 2009, the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances. The Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont has actively sought to enrich the lives of girls and boys whom other youth agencies have had difficulty in reaching. They are dedicated to ensuring that their community’s disadvantaged young people have greater access to quality programs and services that will enhance their lives and shape their futures.
The Abby Winthrop SMART Girls Program aims to enhance at-risk girls’ physical and emotional health. The program combines informational and experiential learning activities to help girls, grades 4 thru 12, develop the knowledge and skills necessary to practice healthy lifestyle choices. In addition to ensuring that their members gain knowledge with making healthy choices, they also ensure that they are introduced to academic success program as well as career exploration. Their members are able to take different colleges tours, attend day camps, and engage in job shadowing.
The Abby Winthrop SMART Girls Program and the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont is located in South Statesville Community of North Carolina. This area is home to approximately 1,800 children under the age of 18, with many of them lacking educational resources to reach their full potential. This area is also known for gang violence, generational poverty, crime, and high unemployment rates. Their membership demographic shows that 65% of Club members live with a single parent and 78% of their members receive free or reduced lunch. By collaborating with families, school and community partners, the Club provides their Clients with a safe place to learn and grow. The SMART Girls program also coordinates with the local school system, The United Way and many other community partners. The grant will be used to support the SMART programs 3 components. They are as follows: 1. It’s Your Body – physical and emotional growth, media influence and body image, female victimization, eating disorders, dating responsibility and more. 2. Take Care of your Body- Exercise and physical activity, the importance of regular exams, healthy eating and more. 3. Tangible Path to Success – Educational and College Field Trips, viable path to a college or vocational scholarship, mentor partnership with young women and parent advocates to help keep students on track.