$11.25M Boosts New Rochelle Boys & Girls Club After-School Programs

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The best students are always learning, both in and out of the classroom. Now, thanks in part to a state grant, more young students in new Rochelle will have more opportunities to do just that.

The Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle (BGCNR) has just been awarded a $11.25 million NYS Learning and Enrichment After-School Program Supports (LEAPS) grant to expand their critical after-school programs. The funds will be distributed to the organization in payments of $2.25 million annually through 2028 to help provide programs designed to help local schoolchildren excel academically, become good citizens, and lead healthy, productive lives.

The first payment, which is expected this fall, will fund programs serving students ages 12 and under in Columbus Elementary School and Jefferson Elementary School, and members at the club's Remington Clubhouse.

"Boys & Girls Club is extremely grateful to be able to provide more youth in our schools and clubhouses with opportunities for academic, emotional/social, career, and community enrichment," Becky Mazzanobile, BGCNR's CEO, said. "Now more than ever, there's great demand for quality after-school programming, especially for children in need. This award recognizes the importance of our work in the community, strengthens our ability to offer safe spaces for youth to learn and grow, and expands our strong partnership with the City School District of New Rochelle. We’re proud to join district leaders in creating meaningful initiatives that support positive youth development and offer families an active role in supporting their children’s education."

"We’d also like to extend a special thanks to our local legislators — New York State Senators Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Shelley Mayer, and Westchester County Executive George Latimer — for supporting our application for this important grant and their unwavering commitment to helping BGCNR increase its positive impact," she added.

BGCNR and the New Rochelle school district have a long-established history of working together to ensure the success of local students. From partnering on a 21st Century Learning Program in 2021 for middle and high school students, to working together at school sites and in developing other initiatives, the school-community partnership has a "strong vision, commitment to equity, effective communication, and processes required to successfully nurture tomorrow’s leaders."

"The City School District of New Rochelle is delighted to offer our students more quality after-school opportunities through our partnership with Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle and the LEAPS grant. This funding will support our students in continuing their learning after school in a safe environment that is conducive to academic, social, and emotional growth," New Rochelle School District Superintendent Corey W. Reynolds said. "BGCNR’s Remington Clubhouse and sites at Columbus and Jefferson Elementary Schools will allow students to use after-school time to explore new areas of interest, engage in physical activities, and spend time with friends. In addition to being fun for students, this gives parents peace of mind, knowing that their children are safe and well-cared-for after school and before they get home from work."

BGCNR expects that 900 students will benefit from the LEAPS award, designed to support effective community-based after-school programs that:

1. provide academic support/enrichment opportunities to help students meet current goals & fuel future learning;
2. prioritize social/emotional wellness & increase access to emotional support services;
3. expand students' community & family engagement, as well as programs supporting mentorship, employment, and life skills training.

With a mission to "engage, inspire, and empower both youth and their families," BGCNR also plans to use some of the LEAPS funding to grow its "Saturday Deep Dive" program for local students and parents, which was launched earlier this year in partnership with the school district. Through the new initiative, parents will be able to access workshops and programs focusing on English as a second language, paths to citizenship, and financial and digital literacy, while their children participate in various enrichment activities.

NYS’s Office of Family and Child Services (OCFS) awarded the LEAPS grant through a competitive, peer-reviewed process that supports nonprofit organizations in developing and/or continuing quality after-school programs in partnership with local schools/school districts where at least 50 percent of students are economically disadvantaged.

Find out more about BGCNR on their website.