The Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi has kicked off its annual campaign for 2022 and BGC is looking for the community’s help in serving its youth.

The campaign was kicked off through two live Zoom sessions Tuesday afternoon in an effort to notify the public of their fundraising season.

BGCNM’s campaign goal this year is to raise $225,000, which counts for 21% of their yearly budget. BGCNM will be campaigning for donations for six weeks, lasting until mid-April. The funds raised from their campaign will help BGCNM serve all five of their locations: Tupelo (2), Oxford, Ripley and New Albany. Donors will be able to give money to any of the BGC clubhouses of their choosing.

However, the community won’t have to do much heavy lifting. Director of Marketing & Special Events Evie Storey was happy to announce that BGCNM raised over $100,000 from internal campaigning.

“They were working hard during the months of December and January getting their funds in,” said Storey. ” … We’ve about wrapped up 100% of all board members giving to that campaign.”

BGC restricted the number of members during the COVID-19 pandemic in the past couple of years. In one branch, BGC could see 145-50 members in their summer program, but that was reduced to 60 members only in Oxford. Now that restrictions have relaxed, the goal for BGCNM is to reach those numbers once again, said Long.

“Every month we have an operations committee and we get to hear the average daily attendance at those clubs,” she said. “Every club is growing in numbers every month.”

LOU Barksdale BGC currently serves 239 youths and staffs 7 adults and 14 community board members in Oxford. Of those members, 32% are teens and 68% are 12 years old and younger. Over 95% of the children who attend BGC of Oxford are minorities and 54% live in single-parent households.

The organization is able to provide 97% of its members free or reduced lunch with over 19,195 meals and snacks served in 2021.

Through local, state and federal grants, as well as private donations from individuals and businesses, and other nonprofit programs like the United Way, BGCNM is able to keep providing support, food services and homework help to the youths in their community.

“Thank you for your generous support,” said Zell Long, CEO of BGCNM. “Because of what you do, we’re able to provide a safe place for young people at all five clubs, making sure they reach their full potential as caring, productive and responsible citizens. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you so very much.”

To donate to the Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi, visit bgcnmspayments.com/product/annual-campaign.