Boys & Girls Clubs of America Celebrates Childhood with Day for Kids Event

ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) kicked-off its Day for Kids season with a fun-filled field day in Atlanta, where corporate partners and community members were invited to act  like kids to support youth in need. The event in Atlanta's historic Grant Park took place Saturday, Sept. 6. Teams from corporate sponsors around the city participated in relay races and games, including dodgeball and tug-of-war, alongside Olympic Gold Medalist Gail Devers and former Atlanta Falcon and NFL Hall of Famer Chris Doleman.

Generously supported nationally by University of Phoenix, and by Burr & Forman, Cartoon Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Buffalo Wild Wings, DPR Hardin, Genentech, Greenberg Traurig, Ozone Billiards, Northside Athletes Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company, Day for Kids highlights critical issues that face America's youth and invites the community to get involved and support Clubs around the country. Other corporate teams participating in the event include Turner Broadcasting, UPS, Cox Enterprises, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch.

Each day, 15 million kids are left unsupervised after school. During this time, without adult supervision or a safe place to go, kids can find themselves in dangerous situations or an environment that does not support positive development. For nearly 4 million kids around the country, Boys & Girls Clubs are positive places that provide academic success programs, homework help, technology education, and fitness and social recreation opportunities they may not receive anywhere else.

Through BGCA's Great Futures Campaign, the organization is mobilizing the country to support kids that urgently need these resources. BGCA's vision is for all Club members to stay on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and leading a healthy lifestyle.

"At Boys & Girls Clubs, we know that one day can change a child's future, that even just one positive interaction with a mentor can be a life changing moment," says Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. "Today's generation is estimated to be worse off than their parents, so there has never been a more important time to rally around our nation's kids. Every young person deserves the opportunity for a great future so it is essential to support programs and resources that are changing the opportunity equation for kids today in Boys & Girls Clubs. You can help advocate for America's kids by supporting Day for Kids and kids at the Boys & Girls Club in your community."

Following the Atlanta kick-off event, Boys & Girls Clubs around the country will host local Day for Kids events on Sept. 20 and throughout the month. Day for Kids is a national initiative that invites the community to join Boys & Girls Clubs in making a difference for kids. For more than a decade, adults have participated in Day for Kids events to advocate for youth and celebrate the life-changing work taking place at Boys & Girls Clubs. For more information or to locate a Club event near you, please visit DayForKids.org. For more information on the Great Futures Campaign, go to 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 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.

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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America