Executive Director Newsletter
I have two little boys that I love with all my heart. But long before they came along, there was an idealist living within me--one who knew that the true measure of success wasn’t in the number of houses or cars you could buy but in your ability to catalyze change and make a significant difference in the world.
You see, in my younger days, I was in many ways a dreamer and I wanted to change the world. The only problem was, I didn’t know how. So I made my way through college seeking ways that I could positively change the lives of others. It wasn’t until after my sophomore year in College that I did my first internship at a human services agency. That summer, I dedicated my time to the agency’s homeless shelter for males ages 16-75. It was a non-secure detention center and a home for troubled youth. It was at this organization that I came to understand the vital importance of positive engagement. It was there that I heard the heartbreaking stories of the homeless and where I had the satisfaction of helping to steer kids who were headed in the wrong direction back unto the right path. It was this experience--the hurt and the triumph that convinced me that I could change the world.
Some time over the course of that summer I’d made a decision--my personal mission was to help children in need. My experiences that summer convinced me that in changing their lives for the better I could make a great impact on generations to come. I decided that I would do so not single handedly but by finding an organization whose mission was aligned with my own. After a few years of searching, I stumbled across the Boys & Girls Clubs. I was participating with AmeriCorp at a Boys & Girls Club in a small town named, Rocky Ford, Colorado. The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs across the country is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. To this end the Clubs provide:
- A safe place to learn and grow.
- Ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals.
- Life-enhancing programs and character development experiences.
- Hope and opportunity.
I was hooked. The Boys & Girls Club is more than an organization, it’s a movement. Unfortunately, Rocky Ford was way too far from my family for me so my stay with the Club was fairly short lived. Another three years went by and I was given an opportunity to lead the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County’s new Club in Plainfield. The opportunity to rejoin the movement was handed to me and I have been involved since. I consider myself tremendously lucky to be part of a movement that shares my own personal mission. It’s what makes my job as satisfying as it is.
Now in Garfield, I have taken up the task of impacting our youth once again. Garfield’s young people need our help. Too many children and teens are not receiving the guidance they need to graduate from high school, to avoid the effects of violence, gangs and drugs or to become responsible adults. The national statistics on high school dropout rates, obesity and violence among youth are staggering. In Garfield the economic statistics are especially disconcerting with 49.8% of the children in Garfield Public Schools eligible to receive free or reduced lunch. Drop-out rates in Garfield are troubling with a 4.8% drop out rate compared to the New Jersey state average of 1.7%.
The Boys & Girls Club of Garfield is dedicated to changing these statistics. Slowly but surely, we believe we can make a difference in the lives of Garfield youth. Our outstanding programs and world class staff allows us to identify and meet the needs that each child that walks through our doors. We develop personal relationships with those we serve and it’s these personal relationships that greaten the impact of our programming on academic success, healthy living, and character & leadership development.
So, what does the Boys & Girls Club mean to me? We ask the kids that question all of the time and they always have great answers, but my answer is simple: it means the power to change the world. The Club is saving lives, it is ensuring academic success, it strengthens healthy lifestyles, it is creating the leaders of tomorrow.
So I’ve got one question: have you done your part? If you aren’t already involved with us, let me extend a personal invitation. Get on the bus, we are moving forward and we are changing the world. Whether as a mentor with our teen initiative; a coach in one of our sports programs; a donor who ensures that we continue to impact the community; or a trustee who provides organizational leadership, governance and fundraising, the opportunities to get involved are endless. No one person can do this alone, I invite you to join me in a mission that benefits us all...enhancing the lives of our future--our children. Each of us can play a vital role in helping young people overcome their obstacles and achieve their dreams no matter what their circumstance. Help me and the rest of the Boys & Girls Club staff empower our children with the skills and support they need to BE GREAT. .
Best wishes,
Paul J. Casey
Paul J. Casey
Chief Executive Officer
|
