$150,000 grant to fund targeted programs for teen Club members
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) announces a $150,000 gift from Reliant to support the nonprofit’s workforce development program focusing on high school-age Club members, including the Building Industry Leaders and Digital Pathways programs. Reliant has committed more than $1 million in donations to Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth area nonprofits to combat racial inequities, injustice and related violence as part of its “Powering Change” initiative launched in 2020.
“Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is grateful to Reliant for this generous gift which will be crucial in better preparing our teens to compete in a changing and challenging workplace,” says Kevin Hattery, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. “Focusing on social and racial inequality includes efforts to address upward mobility in the job market and financial sustainability. On behalf of the thousands of youth that will be impacted, I am thankful that Reliant is working to build a better community by proactively confronting the issue of inequality.”
Reliant has identified local nonprofits with programs that foster lasting positive impacts for underserved communities, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. In addition to the workforce readiness program already in place, BGCGH implemented a teen social justice initiative this past summer, which included town halls and service learning.
“At Reliant, we are working to power change – not just now, but for years to come – in the places where we live and work. We can achieve that by supporting programs and organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston that create a meaningful impact,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of Reliant. “Their dedicated team is actively addressing issues of longstanding inequality and injustice starting with teens, and we’re committed to working with them to build a more inclusive and equitable place for everyone.”
Workforce readiness programming is a priority with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, as well as at the local level. The BGCGH Workforce Development framework is based on four building blocks:
- Career Exploration
- Essential Skill Development
- Work-Based Learning
- Planning for the Future
An array of learning opportunities is available to Club members through BGCGH programs and partnerships with community businesses. Member experiences (pre-COVID) have included Club visits by local business professionals, trips to local businesses and tours of colleges and technical schools. The grant from Reliant will help to significantly expand opportunities for BGCGH youth.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, please visit www.bgcgh.org.
Photo Caption: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is the recipient of a $150,000 donation from Reliant to be used for the nonprofit’s workforce development program focusing on high school age Club members. Photo credit: Mari Bosker, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston.
(Photo Left) L-R: Kevin Hattery, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston President & CEO; Mike Kuznar, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Board Member; Will Leven, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Board Member; Leanne Schneider, Executive Director of Reliant Foundation and Director of Community Marketing; Sidney Evans, Sr. Advisor, Business Affairs, for Reliant. In the background are teens from the Allen Parkway Club and Houston Texan Teen Club, along with the mascot, “Blue.”
(Photo Right) L-R: Sidney Evans, Sr. Advisor, Business Affairs, for Reliant; Leanne Schneider, Executive Director of Reliant Foundation and Director of Community Marketing; Kevin Hattery, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston President & CEO; Mike Kuznar, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Board Member; Will Leven, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Board Member.
