MacKenzie Scott Gifts Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson as Part of $281 Million Donation
Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson announced a substantial gift from MacKenzie Scott. This support is part of a larger collective gift of $281 million to 62 local Boys & Girls Clubs and Boys & Girls Clubs of America – one of the largest individual donations in the organization’s 160-year history.
As one of the nation’s largest youth-serving organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs play a significant role in the lives of more than 4 million young people each year. More than 4,700 locations anchored in communities across the country create life-enhancing opportunities for kids and teens to thrive – providing safe places, caring mentors and essential skill-building after school and during the summer.
Boys & Girls Clubs are built with a foundation of inclusion and a sense of belonging, offering ways for youth to achieve their full potential in a safe environment while having fun. Clubs offer academic supports and post-secondary preparation, STEM learning, career exploration, the arts, sports and recreation, leadership development opportunities, and so much more.
For more than six decades, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson has empowered thousands of young people on their path to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams. Our six Clubhouses, strategically located in under-resourced communities throughout Tucson and on Pascua Yaqui Tribal land, fill the gaps between school and home and equip youth with the tools and skills to achieve long-term success. We offer welcoming, positive environments where youth can have fun, participate in life-changing programs, and build supportive relationships with peers and mentors.
“Being awarded this incredibly significant gift has humbled our team and Board of Directors,” said Denise Watters, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. “We are all filled with motivation and excitement as we reflect on ways to leverage this tremendous opportunity to enhance, extend and sustain the important work of equipping children across Tucson to achieve great futures. Thanks to this amazingly generous gift, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson can create an even greater impact in this community.”
“Receiving a gift of this magnitude is a testament to how important the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson is for this community,” shared Julie Butcher, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson’s Board President. “The belief and faith in our work from local Tucsonans has sustained our efforts for over sixty years, and we will need that same support as we look forward to the future. There are multiple critical priorities under consideration that this funding will help us address. The Board of Directors remains committed to partnering with our CEO to ensure that we responsibly steward every investment made to this organization.”
Today, young people face an unprecedented number of obstacles to their success and wellbeing. Studies show that limited connections with positive mentors and guidance, a lack of access to technology, food insecurity and other critical factors can cause long-term setbacks and trauma for millions of young people.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson is committed to doing whatever it takes to help kids and families close the opportunity gap, by ensuring that young people have access to experiences and opportunities that change their lives for the better.
