| Name | Jim |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Morgan |
| Home Address | 1307 East Main Street Chattanooga, TN Tennessee 37403 United States |
| Organization Name | Boys and Girls Clubs of Chattanooga |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Chief Executive Officer |
| Organization Address | 1307 East Main Street Chattanooga, TN Tennessee 37403 United States |
| Website | https://www.bgccha.org/ |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4232666131 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 7733963851 |
| Email Address | JMorgan@bgccha.org |
| Alternate Email Address | rbarker@bgccha.org |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the importance of a sufficient household income generated by skilled and a stable career. Early in the pandemic many of our youth and their family members lost jobs and as result suffered financial hardship, often accompanied by loss of insurance, which further strained an already burdened family budget. On top of financial concerns, cultural inequities have become much more apparent for many of our families, who understandably feel anxiety about their future and career options. In response to these growing fears, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chattanooga (BGCC) commits to ensuring that every young Chattanooga resident has every chance possible to succeed and build a successful life for themselves and their families. We will use the American Rescue Plan funds to upgrade the Highland Park Clubhouse, creating a new state of the art Workforce Development Hub for Chattanooga’s neediest residents. This expansion will help the citizens of Avondale, Bushtown, Orchard Knob, Highland Park, East Lake and Alton Park move themselves out of poverty to make brighter futures for themselves by introducing them to a wide variety of career options via the BGCC. This Hub will expand on the workforce development work that is already offered at the Clubs and will include an entrepreneurship lab, industry credentialling, and resume and college essay workshops. Programming will be open to all BGC students and families, and busses will be purchased to allow for transportation between club sites and to outside workshops and site visits to local colleges and industries, as well as for job shadowing, paid apprenticeships, and internships. We will employ a college and career readiness coach, who will work with students on college applications, college prep courses, resumes, cover letters, job search, and interview skills. Additionally, a technician will be hired to maintain the technology and help with technical instruction. Beginning in middle school, Club Kids will be able to participate in an entrepreneurship club through the Workforce Development Hub. Entrepreneurship clubs are a great way for students to learn financial basics, collaborative thinking, design, marketing, and STEM concepts. To fuel ideas, the Hub will be stocked with a miniature fabrication lab, including laser cutters and 3D printers. These tools will teach important STEM concepts, while allowing students to create and market products that they have designed themselves. Students will leave the program with an understanding of coding, product design, marketing, and financial management that will aid them in their future careers, along with the soft skills gained such as working collaboratively, creative thinking, and communicating complicated ideas. Chattanooga has a well-earned reputation as a center of innovation and as one of the most startup-friendly cities in Tennessee, thanks to a culture of collaboration and access to technology. In order to make all people feel that they are a part of the innovative, collaborative future of the city, children from low-income backgrounds need to be exposed to this culture at a young age lest they feel that these opportunities are not for them. We plan to partner with local startups or business incubators to share with students the basics of starting their own business. Students in similar clubs have created Christmas ornaments to sell in their community. Older students with experience in the entrepreneurship club will have the opportunity to help Clubs staff lead activities, helping the older students develop communication and leadership skills. College coaches will provide lessons on conducting a successful college search, writing a college admissions essay, financial aid completion, and tips to succeed in college. We will partner with local institutions of higher learning to expose students to college options through tours, admissions tips, and admissions essay workshops. For colleges and universities outside of the Chattanooga area, students will be able to take virtual college tours and speak with admissions counselors directly from the Hub to find their best fit college. BGCC has a well-endowed Scholarship Fund that currently provides financial support to 25+ BGCC alumni and BGCC will expand the Scholarship program to support the secondary education of the program participants. The Workforce Development Hub will provide an excellent opportunity to partner with local employers such as Unum, Blue Cross, or local government agencies to provide job shadowing, paid internships, soft skills training, and professional-led workshops. Through the Workforce Development Hub, older students, opportunity youth and unemployed family members will have the unique opportunity to gain industry certifications before leaving high school. Students will be able to earn popular certifications such as Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, or Facebook Marketing through Coursera or Kahn Academy. Students will also be able to speak with local experts and learn what other technical certifications will be beneficial in careers that interest them. In order to have a larger impact on our entire community, we will also hold quarterly workshops for parents and guardians of Clubs Kids. Workshops will enlist local experts to cover topics such as resume development, job search tips, Microsoft Office lessons, financial basics, and how to help their students apply to college. This will build family engagement in our clubs, while helping parents build a brighter future for themselves and their children. All of the above will supplement Boys and Girls Clubs’ existing career development tools. Our Workforce Readiness Initiative offers activities to pique students’ interest and knowledge of potential careers, with ages 13-18 benefiting from the research-based career ready curriculum from our national affiliate, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. These standards-based, hands-on lesson plans with online features build awareness of careers and suggestions for real-world experiences for our local Club members that also extend beyond career opportunities available to students. These programs include soft skills to succeed beyond academia, and practical skills for maturity for all ages of Club members. Benefits of each standardized curriculum include the following: • Junior Staff is a career readiness program, designed to develop youths’ interest in future career paths and nurture each child into qualified, competent, and committed workers. This is typically held in small groups for students interested in exploring a career in youth development or human services. Students develop interpersonal skills, work ethic, and a sense of community responsibility during their work and learning hours. • CareerLaunch encourages participant youth to assess their skills and interests, explore careers, and make sound educational decisions that prepare them to join our nation’s workforce. Staff and volunteers help teens build their job-search skills and job readiness by using the CareerLaunch Facilitator Guide. They are also provided access to the CareerLaunch online platform which contains job search information, career exploration, and interactive activities. Moreover, mentoring, job shadowing, and job training opportunities are provided. • Diplomas to Degrees positions youth to become college-ready and college-bound by assisting them in a one-on-one setting to develop short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals, while demystifying the steps to becoming college-ready. Additionally, students will be provided college tours, assistance with financial aid, and connected with long-term mentors who can offer ongoing support throughout the college experience. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | This project directly addresses the disproportionate educational disparities that have worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. School closures and remote learning have impeded learning for many of those we serve, whose families lack the resource to fully participate in remote learning throughout the pandemic. We now know that while most students experienced learning loss between March 2020 and June 2021, students of color in general experienced almost double the learning loss of white children. One way we can help students that have fallen behind is by giving them an extra leg up in college or career readiness. 90% of our students identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and 98% qualify for free or reduced school meals. The transitions to and from remote education throughout the past two years has been particularly challenging for the students we serve. This program will not only address the current academic needs of students but will impact their future career and college prospects. |
| Where would your project take place? | This project will take place at our Highland Park Clubhouse, 2312 Duncan, Chattanooga, TN 37404. The students that attend this site come from some of the most underserved neighborhoods in our community. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 1750000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | All remaining expenses (approximately $650,000) will be raised through our endowment and on-going fundraising, utilizing individual donors, special events, and local and national grants. |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | $1,100,000 |
| If funded, when would your project start? | December 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | We anticipate construction to be completed within 15-18 months. |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | The first milestone will be finalizing design and specifications of the building extension. The second milestone will be receiving all applicable permits. The third milestone will be breaking grown on the project. The fourth milestone, taking place as construction nears completion, will be the recruiting and hiring of staff, and procuring technology, furnishings, and tools will bring the project to opening day, when students begin to benefit from the program. Once started, we hope to see increased computer literacy and financial skills in our younger students, and an increased understanding of college and career options for older students. Our goal is that each child leaves Boys and Girls Club with knowledge of what they want to do after high school and the tools to help them reach that goal. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | We will ensure accountability and transparency through three tiers of oversight at the organizational level, followed by an annual, standardized survey that helps track youth outcomes. The daily administration and compliance of this program will be supported by our Accounting Director, Cheryl Emerson, who monitors all expenses and assures any grant-related expenses are appropriate and that invoices are compiled and remitted to the funder as required. Russ Barker, our Chief Operations Officer, is also an integral part of ensuring grant compliance throughout the organization. Ms. Emerson and Mr. Barker report to the CEO, James Morgan. Together, Ms. Emerson, Mr. Barker, and Mr. Morgan will jointly review expenditures and programming for appropriateness and compliance. The second level of oversight is provided by the Club’s Internal Affairs Committee, which is responsible for accounting, finance, and grant compliance. The third level of oversight is provided by the Club’s Board of Directors, for all grant compliance is reviewed and approved at all Board of Directors meetings. Board members ensure that expert advisement is available for all financial management and compliance policies and procedures. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | The pandemic caused learning loss for most students. A recent study from the McKinsey Institute found that students on average lost about four moths of learning during the 2020-2021 school year. However, that learning loss was much higher for Black and Hispanic students and those from low-income neighborhoods, who lost on average six months of learning. Incorporating this interactive Workforce Development Hub will give these students a much-needed boost to give them a chance of an equal opportunity in college or in the workforce. The program will also provide a benefit to the community in mitigating the academic, mental, and emotional toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on some of Chattanooga’s most underserved youth. Students will leave BGCC with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to create a bright future for themselves. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Since 1955, BGCC has had a strong history of working collaboratively with community partners whose related missions, guidance, and devotion mutually benefit our work for youth in Chattanooga’s underserved communities. Some current partners include Hamilton County Schools, The City of Chattanooga’s Department of Youth and Family Development, The Public Education Foundation, The United Way of Greater Chattanooga, The Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Chattanooga State Community College, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and the Juvenile Court of Hamilton County. We strive to solicit community support for all programs through volunteer opportunities, which will help build connections between community members and the youth in our programs. We hope that these connections will follow our students throughout their lives and careers and will help them make a meaningful difference in their lives and communities. This once in a lifetime capital project will also be accompanied by a fundraising campaign to raise private funds. |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | BGCC is Chattanooga’s largest social service agency supporting the underserved, low-income African American population. Because of our experience with these families, we became one of the biggest providers of additional resources throughout the pandemic. While providing a safe space for learning, healthy activities, and feeding / distribution of food to approximately 2,000 youth, we consistently met the basic and educational needs of the families in and around our community. Throughout the pandemic months, we provided over 130,000 meals and club members and families through a mixture of at-home delivery and curbside pickup. We provided these meals due to the number of layoffs and cut hours faced by many of the parents of Club youth. We became a neighborhood resource for a quality meal. We also continued to provide meals and snacks to the children who attended at club sites, when in-person attendance was deemed safe. We also collaborated with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga to provide direct relief payments of $750 to struggling families. These one-time payments were to assist with bills and other emergency expenses that occurred while many struggled with employment. Overall, we provided over $200,000 in one-time relief grants. To assist with remote learning, the TN Tutoring Corps paired college students with students in rising K-6th grades to prevent the “summer slide,” learning loss that occurs during a typical summer break. We coordinated the deployment of over 125 tutors with over 650 Hamilton County School students to receive individualized tutoring through Literacy and Math. Based on the knowledge we gained from these and other pandemic response, we realize that one of the greatest deficiencies is that children are simply behind—whether it be grades, assessments, socialization, or social-emotional growth, the pandemic has strangled so much growth, and we believe that additional out-of-school opportunities for college and career advancement are key to combating these challenges. |