Since 1888, Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania has provided our region’s children with safe spaces to learn and grow. Today, youth who walk through our doors have access to innovative programs, including our Artificial Intelligence Pathways Institute that is unlocking opportunities to explore this growing industry, our Career Works program that is creating a path toward careers with family-sustaining wages, and our Teen Outreach Program that is helping teenagers find their voice.
Youth are receiving academic support, playing sports and cultivating a passion for the arts. As we grapple with the impact of covid-19 and violence in our communities, the work of out-of-school-time providers has become increasingly important. Still, Pennsylvania remains one of a few states without a budget line item for after-school and summer enrichment programs.
Introduced with bipartisan support, House Bill 2429 would create a Building Opportunity through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) grant to invest in these programs that offer youth the experiences and mentors needed to advance their full potential and realize their dreams and that build safer and healthier communities. We respectfully urge our legislators to pass this bill and place youth on a path toward a great future.
Jessi Marsh
South Side