Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag Award Seven 'Dependable Leaders' with $140,000 in Grants

The Maytag Dependable Leader program honors extraordinary individuals for their commitment to kids and teens.

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May 20, 2020, 09:54 ET

ATLANTA, May 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag brand have selected seven new recipients of the annual Maytag Dependable Leader Award, a program that recognizes Boys & Girls Club employees and volunteers who have dedicated their lives to serving young people. In addition to the award, each recipient earned a $20,000 grant to their local Boys & Girls Club.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn are among seven new recipients of the Maytag Dependable Leader Award, an annual award program through a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag brand.

The 2020 Maytag Dependable Leaders join a distinguished group of more than 110 winners from over the past 20 years. Each individual is nominated by peers at their local Boys & Girls Club and following a comprehensive review of the nomination forms, Maytag selects the winners.

This year's class includes a U.S. president and first lady. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn have been serving youth for more than 40 years, especially in their hometown of Plains, Ga. The Carters have been very active in advocating for youth both locally, nationally and globally. In 1999, the Carters built the Jimmy & Rosalynn Boys & Girls Club, becoming the only living former president and first lady to have a Boys & Girls Club named after them.

Another award recipient, Hilda Gathright, has worked for her Boys & Girls Club for more than 38 years and won a trip to the world series because of her dependability. Gathright serves at a Club that is located in a public housing unit where gang and drug activity is heavy. She has impacted hundreds of children, including homeless teens who come from dysfunctional homes. Recently, one teen went from struggling in school to a straight A student and planning for her future. The Carters and Gathright are just two extraordinary examples from this year's class.

The 2020 Maytag Dependable Leaders are:

Former President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany (Albany, GA)
Darlene Dixon, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake (Salt Lake City, UT)
Elisa Avila, Boys & Girls Club of Whittier (Whittier, CA)
Hilda Gathright, Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen (Harlingen, TX)
Jeff Long, Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield (Springfield, MO)
Lisa Barron, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (Agoura Hills, CA)
Lyle "Phelan" Story, Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County (Greeneville, TN)

"During this time of crisis, our young people need dependable and caring mentors now more than ever," said Jim Clark, president & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "It's because of our dedicated employees and volunteers, our kids and teens have the resources they need to feel safe and navigate through this pandemic. I'm so thankful to Maytag brand for providing grants to our local Clubs and shining the light on these incredible community leaders."

Over the past two decades, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag have presented more than 110 Boys & Girls Club youth development professionals with a Maytag Dependable Leader Award and $20,000 grant. Maytag plays an intricate part in making sure Boys & Girls Club members have opportunities to explore their passions. Throughout the partnership, Maytag has provided nearly $9.5 million to help deserving youth reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

"With the help of these exceptional, dependable leaders, Boys & Girls Clubs strive each day to assist youth to become productive, caring, and responsible citizens," said Allison Gillespie, Senior Brand Manager, Maytag. "The strong partnership between Maytag and Boys & Girls Clubs of America with the Maytag Dependable Leader Award program has created an opportunity to showcase professionals and volunteers supporting our shared mission of dependability, and we are honored to recognize them and their efforts with this award."

Together Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag celebrate dependability – a quality that is at the core of what the Clubs do every day and is central to Maytag brand.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag partnership, click here.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,700 Clubs serve over 4.7 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.

About Maytag Brand
For more than a century, Maytag® appliances have been synonymous with dependability and durability. For over 100 years- Maytag has an enduring tradition of quality production and powerful performance. Durable, commercial-grade components are found in many Maytag® appliances – including Maytag® front-load and top-load washers and dryers. Maytag also offers a full range of kitchen appliances - Maytag® dishwashers with the PowerBlast® cycle, Maytag® refrigerators with the PowerCold® option, as well as Maytag® ranges, cooktops and ovens with Power™ burner and Power™ element options. In January 2014, Maytag introduced America to the Maytag Man – a dependable machine and the human embodiment of the durability, reliability and power inside all Maytag® appliances. In addition to creating durable appliances, Maytag also is a dependable partner to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in their effort to support communities across America and help young people achieve great futures. For more information about Maytag, please visit Maytag.com, or find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Maytag, Twitter at @TheMaytagMan, Instagram at instagram.com/Maytag or Pinterest at pinterest.com/Maytag.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America