The series of natural disasters we’ve seen the past two months is like nothing I can recall. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria destroyed or damaged hundreds of communities, particularly in Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas. The devastation in each of these communities continues to affect many, many people. And that includes Club staff people, their families and the kids they serve.

We reached out to partners and supporters, asked them to help repair and rebuild damaged facilities and aid the recovery of our Club members and staff. And they stepped up, donating millions in cash and in-kind donations to recovery efforts.
Deerbrook Charitable Trust donated $1 million. Toyota donated 29 vehicles to affected Clubs in the Houston area. Many more – including Build-A-Bear Workshop, Charles Schwab, Choice Hotels, Finish Line Youth Foundation, Lenovo and Old Navy – answered the call, too. So did many of our national trustees and board members. BGCA is tremendously grateful for these generous contributions that have allowed Clubs to reopen and serve their communities.

Recovering and rebuilding from a natural disaster is a long-term endeavor. Our deepest thanks go out to everyone who is helping our affected Clubs to prepare for this journey.