Fall Impact Magazine '22

young people,

To inspire and enable all

especially those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

From the Executive Director,

Normalcy. This school year we watched as kids and parents navigated the general and unfiltered return of students to classrooms across the valley. In many ways, this feels like the first normal start to a school year since the fall of 2019. And the intensity with which parents are signing their children up for the Club is staggering. Enrollment at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley is up by 15% over the 2021 school year and we expect that number will continue to increase as we expand our enrollment based on average daily attendance. The vibe among staff is overwhelmingly positive. This is often one of the hardest parts of the year to staff, but this year not only are we fully staffed, we have the RIGHT people in staff shirts. They’re intentional, purposeful, and passionate about doing more for their kids and the Napa Valley community.

Since our return to school this August over 2,200 kids have come through our doors and those kids are actively attending programs throughout Napa and American Canyon. The opening of our new sites at Unidos Middle School, Redwood Middle School and Browns Valley Elementary have been incredibly smooth, which is also true of the expansion of our existing programs both at the Clubhouses and at 6 other school campus location in Napa and American Canyon. You can feel as you step onto campuses that there’s a hum and bustle as kids engage with staff in fun and interesting activities picture Kindergarteners meditating at McPherson, 6th graders making album covers at Unidos, 5th graders launching Marshmallows from handmade catapults at the AC Clubhouse, and Napa Clubhouse kids painting forest landscapes on canvases with none other than Bob Ross playing in the

background. These activities reflect the best of what we try to achieve afterschool, by taking universally fun experiences and using them as a vehicle for academic, social and emotional growth.

As you know, none of this would be possible with you and your continued support. There isn’t a person in the valley who does not directly or indirectly benefit by the work of the Club. You might be a parent who relies on our services or you might rely on people who rely on us for care. You might have attended our programs as a child or you might attend them now as a volunteer. I am thrilled that of the many worthy causes you support, the Napa Valley Community continues to say “YES” to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley. Thank you for continuing to help us as we inject joy, authenticity, and engagement into the lives of Napa and American Canyon youth!

Greg Bouillerce Executive Director

American Canyon Clubhouse Napa Clubhouse

Rear Admiral Butch Dollaga grew up in American Canyon and so while visiting the bay area in his official capacity he and his staff arranged to spend some time with our AC Clubhouse kids! We learned all about the great work our military does!

NVLA Kindergarteners have been working on their Fine Arts skills. Members worked on these Bubblegum Selfies using a variety of materials and followed along with their staff Judith.

Canyon Oaks Members participating in Spanish Club for Power Hour. The first weeks of Spanish Club are about understanding the basics of Spanish. Members engage in pronunciation, vocabulary, and conversational Spanish with their friends and staff members. “Nos encanta el Club de Ninos y Ninas!”

Every Thursday the teens of Club 1515 volunteer to help the Napa Clubhouse Elementary school program members with homework during Power Hour! They also run a soccer skills club, a Performing Arts Club and help guide our weekly Game Room Clinic. Teens are giving back by building positive relationships and becoming models and mentors for the next generation!

American Canyon Clubhouse 243

Browns Valley Elementary 147 Canyon Oaks Elementary 175 McPherson Elementary 161 Napa Clubhouse 194 Napa Junction 130 NVLA 285

Pueblo Vista Elementary 228

Redwood Middle School 100

UNIDOS Middle School 148

Willow Elementary 165

Who we Serve: If we were to consider all of the youth attending the Club, their age, household, economic status, and time spent in our programs and condense it into ONE story here is how that would read: The typical member at the Boys & Girls Club lives and attends school in Napa. They live in a family of four with a sibling who likely also attends the Club and parents who work full-time. Collectively their household earns less than $80,000/year. They live in a home that is rented jointly by family or friends. Despite shared resources, money is tight and this often disrupts basic needs like nutrition & housing. As a result, their parents often work multiple jobs and rely on the Club for care when school isn’t in session. The average household income

If you were to summarize the average Club member’s entire year (after school, Spring, Summer, and Winter breaks into one 24 hour period here is how that time would be allotted.

Club School Home Sleep

If you were to take all the children attending afterschool programs in the county of Napa and combine them into a village of 100… 67 of them attend the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley. 18 of them attend programs run by Napa County. 15 of them attend other programs.

With representation from every major ethnic group the Club is more diverse than the whole of Napa County 52% of which is populated by individuals of Caucasian descent and 38% by individuals of Hispanic descent. US Census

If we apply the median Household income in Napa to the typical family we serve, of their $7,000 monthly income, $6,500 goes to basic needs like Housing, Transportation, Utilities, Groceries; leaving just $500 to spend on other essentials like child care. 70% of the households we serve live below this income threshold and receive full scholarships to attend the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley.

New sites, New Faces, New memories! We love all the great activities happening afterschool at the 12 locations we’re operating between Napa and American Canyon. Here’s a great montage from all of our sites over the first few weeks of school. Spot anyone you know?

Want to learn more about the 12 locations operated by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley? Dive into our “our locations” section of our website to get site specific information and a map of all the sites we operate! Just follow the QR Code to the right or click: !

As my brothers and I walk down Pueblo Avenue in Napa, the street we grew up on, I see a beautiful community full of culture, loyalty, hardworking people, and family. At the same time, my community is surrounded by gangs, violence, and a lot of opportunity to make bad decisions. That’s why I found myself at the Club, the place that gives kids like me a safe space to exist, a place for friendship, a place that became my second home. My name is Jazmin Valdovinos, and I’m a teen member at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Napa Valley’s Club 1515.

I have been attending The Boys and Girls Clubs for 10 years and to this day I still make that walk down Pueblo every day to the Club. On my best days, my worst days, in the rain and through everything, I always find myself back here. I can remember that first walk and seeing the Club from a distance. It’s the biggest building in my on the block and you can't help but notice those blue hands peeking over everything. My mother sent us that day because she needed a place for us to go while she worked to provide for our family. It was a hard decision for her but she trusted the Club. They’d take care of us, we’d get to eat, and we would be safe.

My first two weeks at The Club was a challenging time. It was hard to open up and make friends. That was until I met Jimena. She helped get me out of my comfort zone and showed me so many activities that I would go on to love; games like “Ship's Captain” in the gym, or the “Smart Girls” program with Crystal where I learned about self esteem and healthy relationships, and “Power Hour” where I got the help I needed to complete my homework every day. Those days went by so fast and everyday was something new to look forward to. In these walls it was all about just being a kid and I thank but the Club also shielded me from everything that was going on around me outside.

My father passed away and his passing hit me hard, and everything just stopped. I stopped going to the Club. I stopped working at school. I stopped everything. It felt like those years just being a kid were over. I lost myself, I put myself in harmful situations and chose to make bad decisions. I surrounded myself with people who were active in the local gangs and was constantly in fights at school because of it. I was angry and if there was a fight, I was in it.

As years passed, I found my way back to The Boys and Girls Club. I didn't tell anyone at the time, but I knew I needed help and I knew I’d find that help here, but I still struggled with how to ask for that help. I was attending the Club’s teen center every day, but no one new what was going on with me until I made a deep connection with one of the other teens. Azhley was someone I could look up to and one day I decided to open to her. She gave me the motivation to finally seek help. She told me “Jazmin you are not the only person that is dealing with this, many of us here have been through it too, you are not alone.” So, she connected me to Josh, one of the Club’s staff.

That realization that I wasn't alone was a spark and before I knew it, I was telling josh every thing. I told him about my history. I told him the things that were going on. I expressed how I was feeling and instead of talking back at me he listened and gave me great motivation. This is why I

knew the Club was a safe space. I knew that I would find people who had my best interest at heart and staff who I could trust. In that trust, I found safety. And through that safety I was able to work through my feelings and build new relationships. I found myself here and keep coming back because of the people and the joy they bring. I lost myself, but my heart was always here. After all those years of pain and bad decisions I was so close to giving up, but this place made a difference for me. They were always by my side.

At the Club I got back to doing the things I love. I started exercising daily, I took up boxing as a way to express myself, I started communicating with my family better and started taking more opportunities to participate at the Club. I was able to be a part of Napa Valley Youth Leadership Academy where over eight weeks I was able to come together with other middle school students to build leadership skills, go on field trips to a variety of local businesses, learn about teamwork on the zipline and ropes course and meet different successful leaders from our community. This experience showed me my unique leadership strength is in using my voice. I always knew I was someone who was outspoken but now I realized the impact my voice has if I use it wisely.

You’ll always find me at Family night Fridays at the Club. Everything from movie nights, game nights, challenge relays in the gym, to teen night outs where we go on field trips. These nights might seem all fun and games but the impact they have had on me is so meaningful. Friday nights at The Club gave me a chance to be off the streets and choose to do something positive, allowed me and my friends to put our problems aside and let us just be big kids for the night.

The opportunities and the impact The Club has had on my life continue as the teen center has become my second home and the people inside have become my family. This is where I have been able to find my why in life, where I continue to stand up and fight for something bigger than myself. Starting high school during a pandemic was an experience that shook not only myself but our entire community. Again though, The Club was there by my side. While schools were shut down, The Club was open, and it allowed me a safe place to do virtual learning. Having the Club during that time also provided me structure with a schedule I could follow every day and gave me the sense of familiarity I needed. I saw my grades improve and I was able to get the academic and personal help I needed. It was a tough time, but we got through it together and I like to think we are coming out of it stronger than before.

This year with the encouragement of our Keystone President, Dareydy, I joined Keystone for the first time and have started to serve and make an impact on my community. As a leader in Keystone over the next few years I plan to use everything the Club has shown me and find ways to use my voice to bring more cultural and ethnic specific programs to our Club and to advocate for more empowering spaces and programs to be funded in schools.

The Boys and Girls Club of Napa Valley through everything has found a way to stand by, stand with, and stand up for my family, my community and me. They have shown me how to open, shown me the power of my voice and how to fight for something way bigger than myself. The Club let me be a kid again and not only provided me a space to safely exist but a space where my future is now empowered. I’m still here and I know that no matter what comes and no matter how many times I get knocked down I'll continue to get back up because at The Club I found my fight.

Giving Tuesday is happening on November 29 and it’s a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to share their values around philanthropy and to get kids involved in doing good right where you live. Giving back makes kids feel empowered and instilling the value of generosity can have lifelong benefits, including enhancing their mood, fostering optimism, reducing depression, and creating healthy relationships. Generosity has even been linked to higher rates of happiness. If we want our kids to be generous, we have to talk to our kids about generosity.

Start by asking your kids what causes and issues matter most to them or what aspects of their local community they’d most like to help. If your kids love being outdoors: clean up a neighborhood playground, park or beach. If they want to help create a society that’s more kind: make a generosity wall in a public space and encourage others to write kind messages, or paint kindness rocks and hide them throughout the neighborhood. If they are worried about the homeless in your community: prepare care kits and deliver them to homeless shelters. If they love animals: set up a pet supply donation drive to support animals in need or volunteer at the local shelter. If they want to support our servicemen and women: write thank you messages to first responders. If they want to address cyberbullying: ask your school if you can help create an anti bullying campaign and help plan a virtual rally about it. If they are concerned with food inequities: create bagged lunches and give them to anyone who might be hungry or donate canned goods to the local food bank.

Three Things You Can Do Right Now

Connect:

Follow #BEGREATNV, #GivingTuesday, and #GivingTuesdaySpark on Instagram and connect with other kids who are committed to doing good.

Share:

If your kids use social media, encourage them to join the #GivingTuesday challenge and post their act of generosity on TikTok or Instagram and join celebrities and influencers from all over the world on the global day of giving on November 29.

Join:

Become a Boys & Girls Club Volunteer, start your own fundraiser, and amplify our message of generosity this season by sharing our content with people you think might be interested.

But most of all find a cause and support it, because above all things, kids learn from what we do not what we say.

Thank you Yountville Community for all of your support! On the evening of November 20th, several hundred guests attended the Yountville Tree Lighting Ceremony and, with a special visit from Santa Claus, donated hundreds of unwrapped toys to be distributed to deserving Boys & Girls Club kids. Hint: every kid deserves a toy at Christmas!

John Dunbar, Mayor and Whitney Diver McEvoy, Yountville Chamber of Commerce CEO, have been incredibly supportive of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley. We are always struck by how friendly the Yountville team is and more so how engaged they are in making Yountville a better, stronger, and more inclusive community. Thanks for ALL YOU DO!

William A. Hammond, III’s Napa Live and Celebrity Golf Classic which supported the Boys & Girls Club and a number of other local non profits was held in July at one of our favorite places, Meritage Resort & Spa. We were so happy to be involved with this star studded inaugural event featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Julius Irving, and Robin Thicke! We also got a chance to hang out with Anthony Anderson who aside from being hilarious and kind is also a former Club Kid and Boys & Girls Clubs of America Hall of Famer! Thank you Bill Hammond for including us and of course for the generous $20,000 check which was presented to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley this October. What a way to join the Napa Family! We’ll see you next year!

Over 1000 families visited the Napa and American Canyon Clubhouses for free Halloween carnivals. This was our first time back to this Spooky Staple of Halloween since the pandemic and WOW what a great time these carnivals are!

Guests were able to enjoy amazing Halloween decorations, carnival games, and activities along We even rolled out a CANDY CANNON for this event. Over a thousand pounds of candy was distributed. Don’t worry parents! We going to talk about the importance of oral hygiene to keep these smiles bright all year long!

Are you ready to learn about or support events like the this one? Check out “Our Events” at BeGreatNV.org to see all of our Public, Private, and Fundraising events. Just use the QR code or click: !

We believe in the value of reshaping what it means to be successful by normalizing career paths that don’t necessarily include a college degree. We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Kaiser Permanente to launch the Club’s new workforce development program Ready. Set. Work. The program approaches workforce development by...

1: Presenting teens with local story driven career paths and opportunities.

2: Stoking teen interest through story driven career counselling.

3: Leveraging Virtual Reality certification and experiences that help familiarize them with industry best practices.

Are you ready to learn more about Ready. Set. Work. by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley?! Learn more about the it and other Teen programs offered by the Boys & Girls Club of Napa Valley by visiting our website, www.BeGreatNV.org: !

Every year the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley participates in the National Youth Outcomes Survey (NYOI). This anonymous independent survey helps the Club assess our work, identify areas of improvement, and gather basic information about our members. Below are some of the results of that survey.

Do you love data? Do you want to know more about the kids who attend our clubs or how they feel about their experience here? Check out the “Our Impact” section of our website to learn more! Just follow the QR Code to the right or click: !

Diego walked into the Club today ready to play dodgeball, instead, he’s making a scarecrow puppet in the art room. Sabrina was excited to hang out with her friends in the gamesroom when she got to the Club, but she’s helping the Halloween Carnival Planning Committee choose games and activities for the big event on the 31st. Dana had just finished her homework and was ready to go check out the new cooking activity in the Kitchen when the site director asked her to give a new member and their parent a tour. These moments are important, but it’s easy to miss why Diego, Sabrina, and Dana are being pushed into new activities. There’s a deeper and more important lesson at work for those who take the time to look a little more closely.

At the Club we believe in the value of discomfort. The discomfort of saying “yes,” to new challenges and opportunities is really a mask for personal growth. Diego wasn't interested in art, but that art activity might change his life and when he sees his art on display at the Club, or featured in a local art show, it changes his whole perspective on the value of that activity and his capabilities in that sphere. Sabrina wanted to hang out in the gamesroom with her friends but now she’s building new relationships, giving her perspective on a project, and helping to make that project a reality with her peers. That kind of teambuilding experience might be vital to her as an adult. Dana was content to get in on the cooking activity that afternoon, but now she’s giving a tour to a peer and an adult. She’s building a relationship in a whole new context. She’s developing public speaking skills and, more, she’s speaking with authority on a subject she knows about. We feel its important to push kids every day to experiment; to step beyond themselves and their comfort zones. So much of their potential is completely unexplored and that only remains true if we allow them to keep doing the same old thing.

There’s a lot of power in this approach. Saying “Yes” helps youth explore themselves through new challenges and opportunities. Look at the alumni list of Boys & Girls Clubs and you’ll find former presidents, world class athletes and performers, high performance executives and leaders. But, behind each of these alumni, was a kid who came to the Club because they knew it was going to be fun. Erroll, now retired Rear Admiral Erroll Brown, just wanted to play basketball, “I had made an art of doing the bare minimum at school and it wasn't until the staff at the Club figured out what I was up to that things started to change. They made sure I had finished my work before I could go play basketball and, aside from academics, that taught me self discipline. That made all the difference for me.”

Matt Pfaltzgraph, Club alumni and CEO and Founder of the startup Fintech was never one of those kids who ever got great grades, but the ability to talk to peers and mentors was refined right here at the Boys & Girls Club even if those skills were often used to talk himself out of trouble. As an adult those lessons translate into how he builds and manages teams today and those skills have been vital in the development and success of his many ventures. Saying “Yes” helps youth build new relationships and refine skill sets that build incredible teams.

Saying “Yes” helps youth experiment with failure as a tool for personal growth. That was something that really separated Michael Collins, ESPN Golf Analyst and comedian from his peers. His relationship with failure was very different from his friends and colleagues who were often terrified of or deeply discouraged by failure. “At the Club we were always failing, but that’s the thing. If you’re not failing, you’re not really pushing your boundaries. It’s how you plan for and use failure. That’s the key. That approach also taught me to laugh at myself and that helped ease the burden of being my own worst critic.”

As former Club kids, their relationship to the power of saying “Yes” evolves. This is, after all, a lesson woven into the fabric of the Club experience. It’s natural to think of this as a way to supercharge your personal and professional development, but at the same time it’s very self absorbed in that we often begin by saying “yes” to things that directly benefit us as individuals. As adults, you reach a point where the power of yes evolves into saying “yes” to and for others. Setting others up for success, setting others up for personal exploration, doing good work for others. It’s often very easy to identify people who come from or have benefitted from environments like this as they’re often the first to volunteer their time, their experience, or their wealth if that investment means lifting others up.

Dana might grow up to be president one day. Diego, might be the next Banksy. Sabrina might be responsible for the development and launch of a new world changing start up. These experiences and achievements are exactly what we mean when we talk about connecting kids to great futures. But those achievements pale, by comparison to, how these children will give back to their communities as adults; how they will say “yes” to and for others. That’s the deeper lesson at work for those who take the time to look closely. That’s how the power of yes changes the world.

Gathering around the thanksgiving table with people you love is an obvious staple of the holiday but the people we love often includes friends, mentors, and peers who have changed us in some way. The Napa Clubhouse’s 1515 Teen Center fosters these deep and impactful connections every day after school and during breaks. The teen staff show up to sports games, graduations, celebrations to make sure our teens know how much they are valued. We’re proud that when given the option, our teens return that investment of time and care by showing up for us. Happy thanks giving to our extended Boys & Girls Club family!

Want to learn more about our Teen Programs? Check out more on our website at ww.BeGREATnv.org/teen-programs

Every fundraiser in Napa is going to feature wine and so it’s understandable when wineries have to say “no” as a donor. When we reached out to St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery about the crab feed in 2020 they said, “yes, we can donate a couple cases for your auction but how about we also donate a bunch more for dinner?” That spirit of giving continues to manifest in any number of ways. “Of course, we will partner with you on this initiative.” “absolutely, we’ll host that party.” “Yes! We will help make lives better for Napa Valley kids.” That relationship continues to grow and we’re so blessed to be surrounded and supported by such a magnificent group of people. Thank you St. Supéry for hosting our small group of supporters at the winery this past September and of course for all the wonderful ways you support us and our work!

300 Club kids and their families will take a ride on the Santa Train this December. Families will be hosted to a full evening trip, complete with hot cocoa, treats, and a visit from Santa for absolutely no cost. That’s a Napa Valley Holiday we can ALL celebrate! This Santa Train experience is offered exclusively to Boys & Girls Club kids and is sponsored with the support through the Club’s Community Campaign. Interested in signing up? Contact the Program Director of your child’s Boys & Girls Cub Site for more information.

In 2020 the Club created an opportunity for local businesses to support our efforts and raised over $100,000 through the Business Campaign. As we exit the pandemic, we’re proud to transition this incredibly successful initiative to the Community Campaign. The Community Campaign allows local businesses to support and elevate specific community events offered by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley. The events are exciting with offerings like a Santa Train experience, our Halloween Carnivals, and specialized program events like our Iron Chef Jr. and March Madness programs. Check out the new Community Campaign website to see who has joined or even better participate yourself and keep these events free for kids!

Want to learn more about the community campaign? Visit the “our community sponsors” section of our website to learn more! Just follow the QR Code to the right or click: !

300 Club kids and their families joined us at Meritage Resort and Spa this November for a full evening of ice skating at absolutely no cost! There’s a local perception that Napa Valley is too externally focused and it’s easy to forget that there are kids growing up among the vines and that this is first and foremost their home. That’s why events like this are so important and why we work hard with, and celebrate, companies like Meritage who draw focus back to the communities who make Napa Valley, as a home, authentic, captivating, and heartfelt.

PARENTS: This event was by invitation only with space allotted to children based on need, frequency of attendance, and behavior. Please check with your site’s program director for information on upcoming events. Families will be contacted as space becomes available. Happy Holidays!

www.begreatnv.org/events/merry-meritage

Accendo Cellars

Adam Hersly

Aileen Hom

Alfredo Pedroza

Anne Moses

Bank of America, Napa Bank of Marin

Benjamin Martinez

Bernie Narvaez

Betty Jane Butler

Brandon deLeuze

Brandt Mori

Brendon Freeman

Brennan Family Charitable Fund

Bruce Barge

Bryan Lipa

Carlos Aguilera

Charities Aid Foundation America

Chris Crosby

Chris Nicola Chris Walden

Christine Matulich

Christy Pestoni

Cindy Nicola Comcast Cory Wagner Curtis Wilhelm David Spangenberg

Derek Wong

Don & Sally Clark Foundation

Donate For Charity Inc.

Donna Hall Mertz

Douglas Tomson

Dutch Bros. Coffee

E M Downer Foundation

Ed Berruezo

Eduardo Dingler

Emma Swain

Erin Wolf

Evelyn Manigault

First American Title Company of Napa

Francis Connelly

Frontstream

Gail Orme

Gasser Foundation

George Schisler Jr.

Grant Gumm

Grant Long

Greg Araujo

Greg Bennett

Hammond Blessed 25th

Heidi Paul Horne Services

Hugh Linn

Jacob Langfelder Jacquelyn Pio Roda

Jane Inch Jay Ryder

Jeni Kandel

Jeri Hansen John Cordeiro John Dunbar John Moser

Jonah Beer

Jonathan Karpuk

Jonathan Slater

Joshua Slater

Judy Thomas Kaiser Permanente Katie Griffin Ken DeJarnette Kevin Corley

Lauren Ackerman

Lena Pollastro

Leo Flores

Linda Price

Linsey Gallagher

Lise Tarner

Lon Gallagher

Lux Productions

Maché Indelicato

Marcia Hadeler

Margaret Valenzuela

Melanie Merriam

Melissa Walden

Michael Depatie

Michael Glover

Michael Murray

Micki Alise Hambro

Miguel Luna

MUFG Union Bank Foundation

Napa Sunrise Rotary Club

Napa Valley Wine Train Natalie deLeuze

Oscar Ortiz Peter Read

Peter Stoppello

Rachel Stern

Redwood Credit Union

Rene Pedroza

Rhonda Walker

Ricardo Dominguez Rich Dubiel Robert Torres

Ryan Stiefvater

Ryder Homes of California, Inc. Sandy Hinds

Sharon Parda Sharon Pittman Shawn Guttersen Shawna Terry St. Johns Lutheran Church Stacy Soberalski Hersly Steve Walker

Suchi Dasika Sue Farrell Susan Johnson Suzanne Truchard Tai DiMaio Tammy Smith Tara Smith

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

The Doctors Management Company

The Leary Family Trust Tiffany Iverson, LMF Todd Walker

Tom Durante

Troy Gittings

United Way California Capital Region United Way of the Bay Area

United Way of the Wine Country

Vincent Fath

Whole Foods Market Willa McManmon William Phelps YourCause, LLC

There are many organizations that deserve your support and like them we are rich in stories and data. Here are snapshots of what we’ve been up to over the last year.

Read Now: https://beGREATnv.org/ourimpact/