The Boys & Girls Clubs of America‘s mission to inspire, empower and serve young people, and it claims to be doing that for more than 3.6 million nationwide. But many of the organization’s 5000 facilities are in need of renovation and revitalization.
For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles.
Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide.
Now, on March 13, 2023, ahead of the Major League Baseball season, loanDepot, the Official Mortgage Provider of MLB, announced it will use funds raised during its 2021-2022 “Home Means Everything” RBI campaign to support revitalization projects at four local Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.
The funds will also support the national organization, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
With projects underway in Dallas, Texas, Scottsdale, Arizona, Sarasota, Florida, and Los Angeles, California, loanDepot hopes to leave a lasting impact on kids and families in the communities it serves.
This initiative is nicely timed, coinciding as it does with the upcoming launch of RISING PLACES, which will provide tools for youth-powered community revitalization nationwide.
In addition, the company is helping restore Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto County locations, which were caught in Hurricane Ian‘s path when it hit Florida last fall – leaving the clubs needing infrastructure repairs to continue serving the youth in their communities.
“loanDepot is a purpose-driven lender, and our commitment to making a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work is part of our DNA,” said loanDepot Chief Administrative Officer TJ Freeborn.
“Everyday Boys & Girls Clubs provide safe places, caring mentors and life-enhancing programs to kids and teens across the country, empowering them to do great things while ensuring every young person has a safe ‘home’ to learn and grow – which is what we’re all about. Their work is vital, and our team is so proud to directly serve kids across the country with MLB through the Home Means Everything campaign,” she added.
Supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming for the greater Southern Dallas community, loanDepot has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas to overhaul its Oak Cliff Club’s STEM lab.
The project includes the creation of a new “Whisper Room” for audio and video content creation, along with outfitting the space with modern technology and equipment needed for robotics programs, sound recordings, Esports, computer learning, and a host of other tech capabilities for the kids and teens it serves.
As the hub for all Boys & Girls Club STEM initiatives in the Dallas area, the Oak Cliff STEM lab will serve children across the region.
At the Virginia G. Piper Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, loanDepot is working with the club to cook up a complete kitchen renovation in its Sal Cosenza Teen Center – transforming the space with everything from new flooring and electrical work – to fixtures, appliances and supplies.
The kitchen is used daily, teaching teens how to be self-sufficient by learning about cooking and nutrition, and living a healthier life—financially and physically by preparing their own meals. The cooking program is a significant draw for teens, who can be harder to attract and keep at the clubs.
“From creating opportunities for kids to play sports and establish leadership skills to learning about nutrition and self-sufficiency to engaging in critical STEM activities, loanDepot and MLB are giving us the tools we need to inspire and empower our kids,” said Frank Sanchez, National Vice President of Business & Community Affairs, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
“We’re so grateful for their partnership and the difference they are helping us make in the lives of millions of youth and families across the country,” he concluded.
loanDepot will also continue to support the renovation of the fields and facilities at the 18-acre Wilmington Athletic Complex – as part of an established partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor – where they are putting the finishing touches on the project.
With loanDepot’s support, the outdoor space has received a new life and reinvigorated purpose, becoming a rallying point for the community that gives kids and families a fun and safe environment for the type of youth sports experience that teaches leadership, teamwork and effort.
loanDepot teamed up with Baseball Hall of Famer and World Series Champion David Ortiz to unveil the project during last season’s ALCS and NLCS, of which loanDepot is the presenting sponsor.
Photo courtesy of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.