Boys & Girls Clubs of America Announces Back-to-School Cause Marketing Campaign

Old Navy, Olive Garden, New Balance and others raise funds to help kids achieve great futures

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Aug 21, 2014, 10:00 ET

ATLANTA, Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) today announced its Back-to-School cause marketing campaign to raise awareness and funds for the organization and the important role they play in enabling kids to achieve great futures. Top brands have joined this year's campaign in support of BGCA, which provides after-school programs that help kids achieve academic success.

"As the nation prepares to go back to school, 'after school' must be part of the conversation," said Jim Clark, President and CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Every day, nearly 15 million kids leave school with no place to go, putting them at risk of being unsupervised, unguided and unsafe. When school is out, Boys & Girls Clubs open their doors to give kids a safe and enriching place to go."

Each year, more than 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide serve nearly 4 million kids, providing resources and support after school to help kids graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrate good character and citizenship, and lead a healthy lifestyle. To support this critical work, the following corporations have joined BGCA's Back-to-School cause marketing campaign to generate much-needed resources for Clubs:

CBL Properties
CITGO
CVS/pharmacy
Disney
Fiskars
Groupon
Kids Foot Locker Foundation
Lucky Supermarkets
New Balance
Old Navy
Olive Garden
Save Mart Supermarkets
Sony

Throughout the Back-to-School season these partners are supporting Club kids by donating school supplies, galvanizing their employees to volunteer with local Clubs and engaging the public to participate in the cause campaign. Also taking place during the back-to-school season is the Great Futures $1 Million Match Challenge, where every dollar donated at GreatFutures.org is being matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million by the Always Believing Foundation through Tim (Timbaland) & Monique Mosley, until Sept. 15, 2014.

"Today's generation is estimated to be worse off than their parents, so it is incredibly important to provide our kids with the tools they need to succeed during the school year," said Clark. "In addition to school supplies, kids also need quality out-of-school programming and positive mentors to help them stay on track. We're redefining the opportunity equation for kids by calling attention to out-of-school time programs as a key component to ensuring kids are on the path to success."

The Back-to-School cause marketing campaign follows BGCA's launch of the Great Futures Campaign on July 31, which calls attention to the crisis facing kids and elevates the role of out-of-school time in reversing negative trends in the areas of poor academic performance, obesity, drug use, and youth-related violence. The Great Futures Campaign for America's kids is mobilizing the nation in support of after-school and summer programs that tackle these issues to inspire and empower more youth toward success.

For more information about ways to support BGCA's Back-to-School cause marketing campaign, visit GreatFutures.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually 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, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America