In partnership with Boeing, the Seattle Sounders established “Change Champions,” an initiative that highlights local organizations and the impact they have in their communities.
Prior to the May 3rd match against St. Louis CITY SC, the club honored the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, a non-profit organization that serves as a support system for the youth and their families in the Pierce, Kitsap, and Mason counties.
“Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive and caring and responsible citizens,” said Regional Manager Mackenzie White. “And not only our youth, but their families as well, making sure that we are supporting them as much as we can in any way possible.”
Spread across nine locations, the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound has a wide range of programs for those between the ages of 6-18. From serving elementary age members to kids in middle school and high school, the programs are centered around helping them with their future goals as well as navigating their current circumstances.
“We have programming that's around healthy lifestyles. We have programming that's around STEM, arts. And then we also really focus in with our teens on a lot of leadership support,” said White. “We have a lot of programs that help them with their futures, where maybe diplomas to degrees is one of them. So, helping them with that post-secondary education, whether it be a trade, or a four-year university.”
A lot of the club’s leadership and core work opportunities come through participating in volunteering. Similar to an Associated Student Body in schools, the organization has torch clubs and keystones for youth centered around service leadership in their communities through gardening or cleanups, to name a few.
As for the younger members in the non-profit, White said the clubs provide a lot of homework support to help the parents.
“With our hours being after school hours, a lot of parents need the youth to be there, so we just kind of do whatever we can to help lighten that load once they get home, once they get their kids from school [through] tutors and academic support,” she said.
The staff make sure every youth member associated with the clubs are able to find an area of comfort or interest within the programs provided.
“There's always a program that fits one of our youth,” said White. “And a lot of our staff bring a lot of staff passion programs. We just have a lot of youth voice in our programs, and a lot of staff voice.”
White emphasized their mentorship initiative being a huge beneficiary in the development of the club’s members.
“Sometimes, some of these youths don't have that stability at home, where they have a mentor to look up to,” said White. “Just saying, ‘How is your day,’ and talking to them about school, really makes a difference. So having that one adult in their life really helps them through different scenarios.”
Along with the programs and mentorship provided within South Puget Sound, the clubs support the communities’ families with nutritious meals and snacks for the youth. After school, snacks and dinner are available for them while in the summertime, breakfast and lunch are accessible as well.
As someone who grew up in the South Puget Sound area, giving back to the youth and families in these communities means the world to White. While the different programs, the non-profit mentorship initiatives and providing meals for youth drive her to pursue a career as a regional manager, it is the little things that remind her of her passion and her “why” of being associated with the Boys & Girls Clubs.
“Sometimes it's just the little interactions that we have with the kids. I have my office right in the middle of the club, and sometimes when you're having a stressful day or you're having a bad day, you can just go out on the floor and play with the kids,” said White. “You can play in the gym, or maybe we're tying someone's shoe, or we're helping them with a band aid. it's just all of the little things that make you remember why this work is so important.”
“Those moments just make it real for you,” she continued. “You remember this is exactly where I'm supposed to be doing, exactly what I love to do.”
To support the organization’s mission in advocating for the youth and families of the South Puget Sound, Sounders fans can donate online or sign-up to volunteer.
“We have so many different ways people can volunteer during programming, being a coach through athletics, donating to our organization to help us with optimal programming for our youth to give them different opportunities, and even just partnering us with a program,” said White. “There's no one way to get involved.”
For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, click HERE.
