Reading / Pennsylvania / United States
Olivet Boys & Girls Club has been serving the youth of Reading and Berks County since 1898 when William McCormick started the first club in the former Olivet Presbyterian Church. The social issues that McCormick saw back then-namely, the need to provide safe, supervised activities for youth, are still relevant today. Our Club was one of the original 50 organizations that banded together to form what became Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Olivet Boys & Girls Club is a chartered member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and incorporates many of the national organizations tested youth development programs into our own program lineup. For most of the clubs history, we had two units in two neighborhoods, Clinton Street and Mulberry Street. During the 1990s the Club expanded into several new areas of the city. The Club currently operates 12 units in neighborhood-based facilities, public housing, Reading School District buildings, a former synagogue, and the former West Reading Firehouse. We also operate after-school programs in Pottstown. Each member of Olivet Boys & Girls Club is a shareholder in the organization, giving the kids a sense of ownership. Olivet Boys & Girls Club has grown to serve thousands of boys and girls throughout Reading, including a summer day camp in Hamburg, the PAL club and PAL Center for the Arts on Walnut Street. Overall, our services target at-risk youth from diverse communities: 46% of our members are Hispanic, 26% are African American, 20% are multi-racial and 8% are Caucasian, 56% are male and 44% are female, and 84% of the youth we serve live at or below the national poverty level. Today the Club provides diversified activities that meet the interests of all young people. Core programs encourage activities with adults, peers, and family members that enable kids to enhance their self-esteem and fulfill their potential. Based on the physical, emotional, cultural and social needs and interests of boys and girls, and recognizing developmental principles, the Clubs programs fall into five areas: Character and Leadership Development; Education and Career Development; Health and Life Skills; The Arts; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation.
