The coronavirus continues to impact the physical, mental and financial health of those in our community–particularly our younger generations who continue to adapt to in-home learning and a lack of organized sport and activities.

That’s where the Boys & Girls Club comes in, providing local kids and families with critical services such as educational and recreational support, meal distribution, household supplies, mental health care, winter accessories, gifts for the holidays, COVID-19 testing, flu shots, and in-person programming at its clubs for small groups. It exists to fill any need and is successfully equipping kids and families with healthy habits that will prepare them for positive futures.

Mandy Tsang, Development Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan, recently explained to us what the kids and families they serve are going through: “While everyone is enduring the effects of the pandemic, those we serve have experienced some of the most challenging times as they face job loss, food and housing insecurity, and a lack of access to childcare. Kids also experience anxiety and stress as they continue to stay home away from friends, peers and teammates. These trends are alarming for us because some of our kids already experience adverse childhood experiences.”

As a financial partner to our members and communities, we have also seen the firsthand impacts of the pandemic, and that’s why we believe so strongly in the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs. We are proud to build on its critical mission, on our members’ behalf, with a $40,000 donation, a result of our fifth Refer a Friend Campaign benefiting a local nonprofit. During the Refer a Friend campaign, we donated $50 to local nonprofits for every friend, family or business associate who joined OnPoint from Aug-Oct 2020. The referring and new members also both received $50 from OnPoint. Thus far, our Refer a Friend campaigns have generated $183,700 for local nonprofits.

Our referring and new members who joined this year will allow Boys & Girls Clubs across Oregon and Southwest Washington to continue adapting to the ever-changing safety guidelines and continue their mission at this critical time. A breakdown of the funds raised by the campaign is listed below. Funds allocated were based on where new members joined:

• $29,100 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area
• $3,250 for Boys & Girls Club of SW Washington
• $3,650 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend
• $2,000 for Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties
• $2,000 for Boys & Girls Club of Emerald Valley

Mandy from Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan also shared with us the impact our members–existing and new–have had on those they serve: “There is a critical need in our community that only continues to grow, and it can only be met with partnerships like the one we have with OnPoint,” she said. “Our missions of serving the community and supporting students are closely aligned, and we look forward to continuing to explore new ways to grow our partnership.”

We couldn’t agree more and look forward to growing our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs. To learn more about the Boys and Girls Clubs and how you can make a difference in the lives of the kids and families in your local community, please visit the websites listed above.