Scarborough club offers numerous programs for youths
It may not be in his job requirements, but the executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of East Scarborough can’t stop coming to work on Saturdays.
“We have an incredible Saturday morning academic-enhancement program called Roots,” said Ron Rock, chuckling.
“We are getting strong feedback from families and schools that the kids attending the program are doing much better (academically). That for us has been really huge.”
In operation for nearly 60 years, the club offers a wide range of programs and services to support the development of children and youth in east Scarborough. More than 7,000 children are served from 20 program locations each year.
“Our main objective is to provide strong community services for children, youth and adolescents, and their families,” said Rock, noting that programs are often subsidized for lower-income families. “Many kids come to our programs from 3:30 p.m. to when we are closing at 9:30 at night.”
Specific services include after-school programming, nutritious snacks and meals, homework help, mentoring, transportation services to keep people who are leaving club sites at night safe, sports and recreation opportunities, summer camps and programs designed to develop leadership skills in young men and women. “We have so many programs — oh my goodness!” said Rock, with a laugh. “And they’re all geared toward the engagement of children and youth.
“That’s our bottom line: that children and youth benefit from our programs. That’s really what we’re trying to do,” he explained.