Ten years ago, I jumped at the opportunity to return to my home state of Arkansas to help start the Boys & Girls Club of Phillips County because I saw the need. And I saw a community committed to make a difference.
Teens in the Helena-West Helena area of the Arkansas Delta desperately needed a place to call their own. High school graduation rates were low, and obesity and teen pregnancy rates were on the rise. With support from the community, organizations like the Walton Family Foundation and more, we committed to provide the opportunities – and hope – teens were so clearly searching for.
What began in an empty church building equipped to serve 100 area youth, quickly evolved into a $1.2 million renovation of a vacant lumber yard into a Boys & Girls Club facility that now serves 750 members. However, we recognized a significant percentage of the population was still underserved, so the Boys & Girls Club of Phillips County recently collaborated with the city, philanthropic organizations and others to extend our reach. We completed the renovation of a 1940s armory building into a new Boys & Girls Club location on the north side of town – a site specifically selected because it offers kids in a high-density, public housing part of the community a facility within walking distance.
From volunteerism and servant leadership programs, to summer reading groups, basketball teams, field trips and more, we’re recognized as a safe place where Phillips County teens can learn and grow. In this second location, I envision being able to serve more than 75 kids per day, with a membership of more than 200 within a year.
In the decade since we opened our doors, high school graduation rates in Helena-West Helena have climbed from 50% to more than 70%. I wholeheartedly believe the Boys & Girls Club of Phillips County, along with others, have contributed to this positive trend.
What I’ve seen happen here is nothing short of amazing. One individual came to us at the start of his senior year of high school. He was sleeping on the floor at home and normally didn’t have a change of clean clothes, let alone a clear vision for his future. College was nowhere on his radar. Within months, he’d earned the scholarships and grants necessary to get into the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. His story serves as inspiration for others today.
We’ve had kids like him go on to Johns Hopkins University, Vanderbilt and elsewhere. That was virtually unheard of 10 years ago, but it’s not that kids in this community didn't have the potential. These are high-quality kids. They just needed hope, and that’s why we’re here.
I’m excited to expand our reach even further in Phillips County, because I truly believe we're just getting started.
