Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County Receives $500,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County has received a $500,000 matching grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support its $4.75 million capital campaign aimed at expanding its services toward youth in the Snohomish County region. 
 
The Boys & Girls Clubs has $500,000 left to raise with the recent dollar-to-dollar match provided by the Gates Foundation.

“This is a generous gift from the Gates Foundation and we are excited to be this close to our goal only ten months into the campaign,” said Bill Tsoukalas, executive director for the organization.

The campaign will allow the organization to have two new Boys & Girls Clubs in the county -- one in the town of Snohomish and one in the town of Lake Stevens. The campaign will also provide renovations at the existing Granite Falls Club, Arlington Club, Mukilteo Club, Edmonds Club, Sultan Club, and Casino Road Club as well as Teen Centers at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Alderwood, Everett and Monroe.

The new and renovated Boys & Girls Club facilities will be provide:

• A safe place, positive adult role models and fun activities;
• Teen centers with state of the art technology, separate entrances and multi-media equipment to attract and retain more teens;
• Affordable memberships at only $20 per year;
• Accessibility from neighborhoods, school and public transportation;
• Arts and crafts, sports and recreation, homework help, computer time, games room and summer camps.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County promote the health, social, educational, vocational and character development of boys and girls.  They aim to help young people improve their lives by building self-esteem, developing values, and teaching skills during critical periods of growth.
 
On the Internet:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, www.gatesfoundation.org
Boys and Girls Clubs Snohomish County, http://www.bgcsc.org/