Boys & Girls Club of Stamford Wins National Awards

The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford received an Honor Award for Program Excellence in the Arts for its “Expressions” program at Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 113th National Conference held recently in Houston. The organization received a $5,000 award from MetLife Foundation, sponsor of the annual recognition program, which honors local Clubs for innovative, effective programming leading youth to great futures.

The Honor Award for Program Excellence in the Arts is presented for an exceptional program that helps young people develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts and creative writing. The Expressions program focuses on the Arts in the areas of dance, beat making, singing, piano lessons, step and drill and fine arts. All these programs culminate in a final Expressions showcase at the end of the year.

“In communities nationwide, Boys & Girls Clubs play a vital role in providing young people with safe places to learn and grow,” said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation.

“We are pleased to recognize Boys & Girls Club of Stamford for providing exemplary programs and making a positive difference in the lives of local young people.”

In addition to the Honor Award, Boys & Girls Club of Stamford also received a Merit Award for Program Excellence in Character and Leadership Development for its “5th Quarter” Program, along with a $2,500 award from MetLife Foundation. The Merit Award for Program Excellence in Character and Leadership Development recognizes the programs that effectively empower youth to support and influence their Club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, participate in the democratic process, and respect their own and others’ cultural identities. The 5th Quarter Program is a middle school / high school mentoring program which initially engages teens through sports and then begins to focus on life skills and personal growth.

About Boys & Girls Club of Stamford

The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford has been serving the children of Stamford since 1927, providing youth development programs, after-school and evening activities and summer camp for the boys and girls of Stamford grades K – 12. We run over 50 programs during the course of the year in our two Clubhouses, the Mary C. Rich Clubhouse on Stillwater Avenue and the Yerwood Center on Fairfield Avenue.

The Club’s mission is to enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The Club provides young people with a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn, grow and develop positive relationships with peers and caring adults. We serve over 1,600 at-risk youth each year, and over 450 boys and girls each day through our after school programs or our summer camp. We provide innovative programs in five core areas: Character and Leadership, Education & Career Development, Arts, Health & Life Skills, and Sports & Recreation.

To learn more about its youth programs and how to get involved, visit www.bgcastamford.org.

About MetLife Foundation: MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since it was established, MetLife Foundation has provided more than $570 million in grants to nonprofit organizations addressing issues that have a positive impact in their communities. For more information visit www.metlife.org.