Kinsmen Club Donates $25,000 to BGC South East for Youth Programs

On August 28, 2023, the Kinsmen Club of Kingston made a significant contribution to the BGC South East by donating $25,000. This funding will support the club’s new programming aimed at assisting local youth as they return to school this fall. This donation follows an earlier contribution of $100,000 from the Kinsmen earlier in the year, highlighting their ongoing commitment to youth development in the community.

New Mentoring Programs to Launch

Amanda Guarino, the director of resource development and communications at BGC South East, explained that this financial support aligns perfectly with the club’s upcoming initiatives. “This is a request that came from us because we are launching a new mentoring program this fall. Knowing that Kinsmen does a lot for youth in our community and that mentorship is a great part of what they look to support, we thought this would be a great fit for them,” she stated.

The new programming will be implemented in 10 local schools, expanding the existing afterschool mentorship programs to include additional classes throughout the school day and in the evenings. Guarino elaborated, “We bring a mentorship team, and they bring healthy developmental living workshops to the kids in the schools.”

Focus on Healthy Relationships and Literacy

These workshops aim to educate youth on the importance of healthy relationships. “It’s building empathy, conflict resolution, communication, helping the kids through body image issues and social pressures,” Guarino described. The program will specifically target children aged eight to twelve, a critical development stage where many face challenges transitioning from childhood to adolescence. Guarino noted, “Those middle years really need that additional support and that additional sense of belonging. They are usually the age groups with the lowest developmental outcomes across the childhood spectrum.”

In addition to relationship education, the Kinsmen Club plans to introduce a literacy and STEM program in the classrooms. Collectively, these new initiatives are expected to positively impact the lives of approximately 500 students. The Kinsmen Club’s contributions exemplify a strong commitment to fostering youth development and ensuring that children in the Kingston area have access to essential resources and support.