Light the Way Home for Kids in Jefferson City
The building we called home was located at 727 East Elm Street which ran parallel to Hwy 50/63, also known as the Whitton Expressway. The State of Missouri approved the construction of a new interchange at Lafayette Street. The new interchange is a wonderful enhancement to Jefferson City and will improve access to the Federal Courthouse, Jefferson City High School and Lincoln University. Unfortunately, this project required that the Boys & Girls Club be demolished.
The Boys & Girls Club entered into negotiations with the Missouri Department of Transportation to sell the building so they could begin the interchange. With the help of several supporters, the Club received and accepted an offer of $425,000 and agreed to vacate the building in August of 2014.
The Jefferson City Public Schools (JCPS) generously offered facilities for our Club to use. Currently, the Club is operating out of 7 different facilities, 4 of which are temporary. Because of the generosity of JCPS, the Club has been able to serve its community during this interim phase.
Architects Alliance has worked with the staff and volunteers to design a new facility that will meet the needs of the current operation and allow room for future growth.
OUR OLD BUILDING
In December of 1995, the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital City was founded by a devoted group of parents and community leaders as an independent, not-for-profit agency. In 1996, Bill Wallis of Wallis Oil Company generously donated land for the Club's original building. The Club was elected to full membership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1999.
The original building and our new addition became fully operational in September 2003. In May 2004, the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital City was accepted as a United Way member agency. In 2013, the Boys & Girls Club opened the Teen Center at 1306 Edmonds Street. Open to all middle and high school students of Jefferson City, the Teen Center is open Monday through Friday from 3:00pm – 7:00pm.
Today, we are a strong, debt-free organization with five operational sites. We serve 350 kids every day between the ages of 5 and 18. Located two miles west of our main office, our Teen Center has an enrollment of 89 teenagers. We are a proud member of the United Way of Central Missouri and receive $75,000 in program funding annually .
In 2011, the Board of Directors hired Stephanie Johnson as the new executive director. Under her leadership, the club has seen its membership skyrocket from 164 to 561. She has also helped to remove all fees to create an open club, implemented several new programs for the children including serving dinners to the youth in order that they are well-nourished. Mrs. Johnson has been able to fund these efforts by creating a second signature fundraising event. Over the past three years this event has raised $235,000 to support the club’s operations.
WHO WE SERVE
Every child deserves a great future. However, youth across the United States are in crisis. Consider these alarming facts: the U.S. ranks 22nd in high school completion among 28 countries; three out of 10 kids are obese or overweight; and one in five youth lives in poverty. An essential component to transforming children's lives is what they do immediately after school. Every day, 1 out of 4 kids leave school with no place to go, unsupervised, unguided and unsafe.
For every hour a child spends in school, they spend two hours outside of school. How a child spends their hours after school and during the summer significantly impacts their ability to succeed. The Boys & Girls Club of the Capital City has been serving the Jefferson City community by providing after-school and summer programs for 20 years. During that time, we have seen a multitude of children's lives changed as a result of positive adult mentors and life-enriching programs. We want today’s generation to be successful in school, healthy and active, and to develop the strong character skills they need in order to become future leaders of our country.
Our outcome-driven programs are designed to enhance children's performance in the classroom and in their character development. Research shows that when kids attend the Club more frequently, their academics improve and their life skills increase. Therefore, the Boys & Girls Club strives to create a fun and engaging environment that ensures our youth's success.
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