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Richard King Mellon Foundation awards $250K to Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania

Richard King Mellon Foundation awards $250K to Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania

Gift supports critical preschool, after school and workforce development programs

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (May 16, 2022) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania (BGCWPA) has been awarded a grant in the amount of a quarter million dollars by the Richard King Mellon Foundation in support of programming for youth such as preschool, afterschool and workforce development. 

“At Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, we believe in the power that comes from unlocking opportunities for all children, we value the voices of the diverse youth and families we serve, and we recognize the critical work that our staff does everyday to place children on a path toward a successful future,” said Dr. Lisa Palmieri, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are humbled by this generous investment by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and energized by their commitment to advancing an equitable future for the children of our region.”

The global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges facing youth, including learning loss, trauma, social emotional deficits, and mental health crises. Programs like those offered by BGCWPA that provide mentorship, social emotional learning support, academic enrichment, career readiness, and hope for a better future are particularly critical now. The support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation positions BGCWPA to be able to uplift the lives of more youth.

BGCWPA provides licensed, high quality programs to thousands of youth in the region, from their earliest days of learning to beginning their careers, seeking to expose youth to fields where they can, with guidance from caring, highly trained staff, map out a path to a career with a living wage, meaningful work and opportunities for growth.  As the region evolves, BGCWPA is committed to building the workforce of tomorrow so today’s youth are prepared to lead.  

 

“One of the Foundation’s key program areas is called Economic Mobility,” said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. “The goal of our Economic Mobility program is to help to give all young people in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties the opportunity to achieve their potential and realize their dreams. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania shares that goal, and will use this grant to advance that important work.”

BGCWPA serves more than 15 school districts and partners with 10 community-based organizations across 50 zip codes. Funding will support the continued growth and improvement of the Great Futures preschool program for youth ages 3-5, out-of-school-time programs for youth in grades K-12, and Career Works programming for high school students.

Find our more about BGCWPA programs at bgcwpa.org and learn more about the initiatives supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation at rkmf.org

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