Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota is excited to announce the opening of a new Boys & Girls Club location at Discovery Community School in Waite Park for the 2023-24 school year. Discovery Boys & Girls Club is now open after school from school dismissal until 7 p.m. for youth in grades K-12.
Discovery Boys & Girls Club will not be open on non-school days; however, families may send their child(ren) to another Club or register for KIDSTOP on non-school days. Snacks and meals will be provided daily in partnership with the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Annual membership to the Boys & Girls Club is FREE. Families must complete a registration form for each child before they can attend our programs, which is available online: https://www.bgcmn.org/clubs/boys-and-girls-club-registration/
Discovery Boys & Girls Club programming will include:
- Power Hour homework help & other academic success programming
- SMART Moves violence prevention programs
- CareerSTART workforce readiness
- Character & leadership development
- Arts programming
- Snack and meal program
This project is a result of the Waite Park Community Collaborative, which is a partnership between the City of Waite Park, Waite Park Police Department, Waite Park Senior Citizen Community, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation, St. Cloud Area School District and many additional program partners.
The ultimate mission of the Waite Park Community Collaborative is to build or purchase and renovate an approximately 30,000 sq. ft. facility to serve youth, seniors and the greater Waite Park community that is designed to enhance community engagement and prevent crime through a philosophy of collaboration in a multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational environment.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota received a funding allocation from the State of Minnesota to support operations of the new Discovery Boys & Girls Club for the 2023-24 school year, along with financial support for construction plans for a permanent facility.
“We are thrilled to expand Boys & Girls Club services to the Waite Park community for the 2023-24 school year,” said President/CEO Mary Swingle. “Waite Park is a very diverse community with some unique challenges. About a quarter of the population is youth under age 18 who do not have access to positive after-school experiences. Boys & Girls Club wants to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for these youth.”
For more information about the Discovery Boys & Girls Club, please visit Boys & Girls Club’s website: www.bgcmn.org or contact the Club at 320-252-7616.