The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta received a significant donation on Thursday, Dec. 7, from BrandsMart U.S.A. to boost the community’s new teen center.
To help jumpstart a building makeover for a much needed teen center, separate from the nonprofit’s headquarters near downtown Augusta, BrandsMart U.S.A.’s donated a total of $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta to help expand their teen vision and outreach.
“This is our new teen Annex Center, because we outgrew our other teen center … our teens moved into here in August, and we needed a makeover,” said President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta Kim Evans.
While $5,000 was donated in cash to the community organization, the remaining $5,000 was utilized in brand-new BrandsMart U.S.A. appliances and furniture, which were delivered and assembled at the teen center.
“Having BrandsMart donate all of this furniture and give us money to help us redo this building is incredible for our organization,” said Evans. “We’re working hard on our workforce program and we want to retrofit this facility to help kids have better opportunities in those spaces.”
The donated supplies included a Samsung refrigerator, a GE freestanding ice machine, 10 upholstered armchairs and a 21-piece patio bar furniture set.
“BrandsMart has a long history of giving back to the communities that we’re privileged to serve; one of the ways [we do that] is by partnering with organizations that are on the ground, at the frontlines doing the hard work,” said Senior Director of Corporate Affairs Keith Hancock, a BrandsMart U.S.A. representative. “We let the club go online to the BrandsMart website and pick out what they wanted.”
With hopes of continuing the business’ philanthropic goal, Hancock said BrandsMart U.S.A. is planning on revamping eight Boys & Girls Club across the nation over the next two years.
“Our goal is to help programs that support teens, especially youth that are in crisis,” he said. “The Boys & Girls Club just serves a wonderful purpose, and so – from our perspective – this is the least we can do, and hopefully this is the beginning of a long partnership.”
As BrandsMart delivery personnel unloaded the supplies, volunteers and representatives from the Boys & Girls Club cheered them on and bursted with excitement at the shiny new items.
Growing to fit the ever-increasing community need for adolescent and young adult programs along with workforce training, Evans said the space will allow more businesses to partner and outreach with teen members for career exploration, while decreasing their waitlist for those interested.
“This gives us more space for teens and more program areas – the space down the street was just too small for the number of those who would like access to that service,” she said.
By offering various apprenticeships and work opportunities to local teens, Evans said businesses like BrandsMart are helping propel the Boys & Girls Club mission to inspire minors and assist them in finding their gifts.
“The Boys & Girls Club has done a lot for me. I’ve gotten to do so many career exploration activities and that’s where I really found my passion to be a nurse practitioner,” said Antoniyah Rolland, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta’s 2023 Youth of the Year.
Rolland said she was thrilled to have a standalone teen center that truly looked more like a clubhouse, which would allow young adults to feel more at home to be themselves.
Inviting BrandsMart workers to come and speak with teens in the near future about working with appliances and furniture, Evans said such connections and in-person advice is crucial to the nonprofit’s goals.
“We are part of the community and we look for opportunities where our team can go out and volunteer,” said Hancock. “Our folks are proud of their communities and proud of where they live, and they like to see things like this happen because it’s making a positive improvement.”
To donate, volunteer or find out more about the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta and their new teen center, visit: https://bgcgreateraugusta.org/.
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education, lifestyle and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
