[New post] Creating a culture of belonging: Ukiah Daily Journal launches fund drive for Boys and Girls Club
gqlshare posted: "Every year, the Ukiah Daily Journal sponsors an annual fund drive to support the Boys and Girls Club of Ukiah. This year we are pleased to introduce the Club's new CEO, Kim Mercier, who with your support will bring more services, more youth and more commu" The Willits News
Every year, the Ukiah Daily Journal sponsors an annual fund drive to support the Boys and Girls Club of Ukiah. This year we are pleased to introduce the Club's new CEO, Kim Mercier, who with your support will bring more services, more youth and more community involvement to the Club. With a new CEO, new Kindergarten Program, a new van and a new Board President, the Club is already making big changes and caring for Ukiah's youth in many new ways.
Since Mercier's arrival last winter, the number of registered Club members has increased to 179, which staff anticipates will double come summer. Additionally, the Club began accepting 5-year-olds for the first time- a boon for families but a challenge for the non-profit organization which is maxing out their rental space at the Alex Rorabaugh Recreation Center and Gym.
Krystina Ruffin heads up the new kindergarten program. Attendance has already doubled since the Club began accepting kindergartners at the beginning of the school year, and another teacher will be needed to keep pace with the growing population. A former Club member, Ruffin's childhood mentor Edith Wise-Andrews is now her adult mentor and co-worker.
"As a Club pre-teen, I learned what it took to be a volunteer. I was a summertime volunteer and then hired as a junior staffer in high school, learning how to supervise activities and assist staff," Ruffin notes, adding she returned to the Club to develop the kindergarten program post-pandemic. She attends Mendocino College and is studying to become an elementary school teacher.
Ruffin observes changes in the children since her days as a youth volunteer.
"With kindergartners, isolated during the pandemic without preschool or Head Start experience, we're seeing wide ranges of differences- developmentally, in communication abilities and in academic skill levels. I need to dig deep to earn some children's trust. Others are naturally open. Initially, the kindergartners stayed within their age bubbles, but now they enjoy playing with older kids."
Mondays focus on "Power Hour" activities for the kindergartners, who have minimal homework. Many of the youngsters attend Grace Hudson Elementary School, so Ruffin uses Mondays for studying the alphabet in English and Spanish.
"For Tuesdays, I plan a math or number activity. Some kids are counting up to ten bilingually. Some can identify numbers. Others cannot. On Wednesdays, we focus on fine motor development. The kids love sorting colors and shapes. We do seasonal art, gardening and coloring projects. On Thursdays, we focus on sight words. We have Legos with words on them and magnetized letters to arrange. On 'Fun Fridays,' kids choose activities or games they enjoy. Right now, the Memory Alphabet game is a favorite. I was surprised how much they enjoy it and how competitive they are," she smiles.
Staff transformed the student lounge into a kindergarten room, but more needs to be done.
"We're struggling to create what I envision for the classroom. Our other classrooms were developed through years of donations. This classroom and program are brand-new, and the majority of our materials had to be purchased. We've borrowed some items from first grade, but we need more manipulatives, simple train sets and imaginative, age-appropriate toys. We have makeshift popup tables. Once we have funds, we'll purchase desks and make it into a cozy classroom. We have students who are speaking English for the first time at school, so we need basic bilingual reading books. Many of the kids have long days, so we need a nap area. They're quite a handful and are currently our fastest growing class," Ruffin smiles.
Kay Richards is the Club's new Board President. She has, along with her sister and board member Kathy Smith volunteered with the Club for many years. In 2016 she stepped away from the Board, returning this year. A licensed attorney and former Club "kid," Richards has worked with other youth programs and has a family committed to the Club.
"I have 5 siblings, so we're kind of a herd family," Richards laughs. "Our support began when my sister Kathy started working on the crab feed fundraiser. Now my entire family shows up." The family caters the food for the Club's golf tournament and one niece who started out as a Club Kid went on to become a Head Start instructor.
"I'm excited about Kay coming on as our president. She has that legal, government policy mind, and I'm all over the place, so we balance each other really well," Mercier smiles. "The board understands our post-Covid challenges, and after 29 years, it's time to grow. We're growing out of this building, and we need the community's help to nurture the enormous potential inside every young person."
Along with Richards, board members include Denise Gorny, Marshall Ahders, Kathy Smith and Julie Whalen.
"Kim has so many great ideas," says Richards. "There's been a sea change in our organization. A new energy, new direction, new ideas and new focus."
Mercier is about to conduct a Club Kid survey.
"We want a better perspective of how programs are working. We'll survey at the beginning and end of summer, at the beginning of the school year and 6 months out. Depending on the results, we'll continue as we are or revamp our programs to make them more appropriate for Club members. In order to expand, we need these performance measurements."
"Whatever it Takes" is the Club's mantra, says Mercier.
"We focus on six areas: creating safe places, providing caring mentorship, meeting youth mental health needs, bridging the workforce readiness gap, championing diversity, equity and inclusion and ensuring that our youth advocacy elevates issues impacting youth."
"The Boys and Girls Clubs are more than a daycare. We offer full afterschool programming. That's a huge distinction between childcare centers and the Club. We're still discovering that families don't know we're here." A new van purchased by the Club will enhance opportunities for local field trips and help connect with other youth-oriented activities. "This is the first time we've had an opportunity to transport our kids and interact with the community in this way," says Mercier.
As a parent and a grandmother, Mercier understands the difficulty in finding affordable, safe places for children.
"We partner with the Ukiah Unified School district, so that Club fees are paid for through afterschool funding. We have another fiscal partnership with NCO which helps pay Club fees for families that meet their generous income guidelines."
Mercier's next goals are growing the Club's teen population and establishing a mentorship program.
"We'd like people to come to the Club to share skills and expertise. If you love to cook, let's build a culinary program. Whatever it is- guitar lessons, gardening or varnishing our picnic tables- we need volunteers and would love mentors who can be an inspiration. Kids and teens deserve access to experiences and opportunities that change their lives for the better, regardless of their socioeconomic status, skin color or other factors that contribute to inequity or prejudice."
Mercier is creating a countywide youth round table. "We'd like youth to come from all organizations, so we can recognize gaps and fill them. I am a huge advocate of networking, community outreach and promoting partnerships. We are not in competition with any organization. Collaborative relationships are very important to us. We want to contribute as a Club to help your organization." To that end, Mercier opened up the Club's Halloween event to the community. "We're here to listen, learn and see how we can support you."
"Post-Covid, things are the same, but different. We have the same mission, the same goals- addressing the needs of our kids and the community. The need has grown. But children are suffering educationally, mentally and socially. Last November, when we opened our doors to the kindergartners, two siblings began to cry and wet their pants. They had never been away from home! Our job is to create a culture of belonging. It's the foundation for having fun, learning, growing and connecting with others."
Mercier envisions a time when the Club has a true home.
"The ARC building and gym is not ours. We're renting this facility, so that's a huge expense for us."
This year, the goal for the Fund Drive is $65,000.
"We need donor support to keep our costs low. If we don't have donations, then children who need us aren't able to attend. It's going to cost between $65,000 and $85,000 just to run our summer program from June 12 through Aug. 15. We have to have a full-time staff with strict adult-to-child ratios. Like many non-profits, our staff receives some of the lowest wages, but the community's expectations for them is the highest. We are blessed with a wonderful staff I can always depend on," says Mercier.
"With everything the same but different, we're thinking outside the box. Our true message and mission is reflected in the impacts we make, while fostering respect for others, creating a culture of belonging and creating positive change for a better tomorrow- for our kids and our community," she concludes.
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