Boys & Girls Club Brightens Afternoons at Crescent Court
When Crescent Court Apartments opened earlier this year, one of the most exciting elements of the 138-unit complex was the on-site Boys & Girls Clubhouse, the first BGC clubhouse co-located within an affordable housing development in Oregon. This fall, programming got underway for the children living at Crescent Court, with afterschool sessions for kids grades 1-5.
Children arrive from school each day around 4 pm, and start off with a snack, recess at the jungle-gym outside, and a club meeting where they get to decide together what activities they'll enjoy that day. Activities may include indoor games, paper crafts, "wacky science," or food creations. The afternoon concludes with Power Hour, when youth can get help with homework, or just relax until their parents get home from work.
The families at Crescent Court are grateful that BGC is providing a safe space for their kids, says Club Director Michelle McPherson. The organization was also able to provide all of their registered families $200 gift cards before Thanksgiving. The kids love it too - one group of girls regularly stays until 6:30, saying "We just wanna be here."
This spring, McPherson hopes to partner with science organizations like OMSI and Day One Tech to bring in new programming, and take field trips to nearby clubhouses where they can enjoy gym space. Thank you to the Boys & Girls Club for this innovative partnership!
