Boys & Girls Clubs Reduce Juvenile Crime

Most youth offenses occur during hours Clubs are open

In an August 2nd Clarion Ledger article (Miss. Youth Jail Population Expanding, Aging), it was noted that the population at one juvenile detention center has doubled in the last ten years. Of course, the reality of juvenile crime in the Jackson area is well documented nearly every night on the local television news, too.

Here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, we are making an enormous impact on the reduction of youth crime. 

More than 3,200 youth spend nearly 750,000 hours each year at our 6 Jackson-area Clubs and Hazlehurst camp facility, learning life-changing lessons and values that help to keep them on the right track. We've been helping youth in Jackson since 1936. One of our early mottos was "It's easier to mend boys than men." That still holds true today. 

Kathy Pittman, director of the division of youth services for the State Department of Human Services, confirms this tenet in the Clarion Ledger article: "‘We need to have early intervention to turn these lives around,’" Pittman said.

Our youth development programs are designed to help young people become successful adults. We stay involved with youth from age 6 until age 18, providing consistent instruction and guidance throughout their adolescence. Most of our members come from disadvantaged circumstances, and if not for their Boys & Girls Club, many would be left at home unsupervised, often in dangerous neighborhoods.

Just as our success depends on long-term, sustained involvement in the lives of youth, we depend on long-term, sustained support from the community. An investment in our organization and the kids we serve will have both an immediate and long-term impact for our youth and our community. Click HERE to help.
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"We need the community's support to continue to help these youth. If we don't, we can be relatively assured I will have some contact with them in the future...If we don't care, it's going to come back to us in considerable fashion. We have the responsibility to look after these kids...We are their answer."

- Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, Board of Directors - Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi

Birdies for A Charity a Fun Way to Help Kids
Viking Classic Runs from October 26 - November 1

Birdies For Charity raises money for participating charities by collecting tax-deductible pledges based on the number of birdies made during the Viking Classic.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi will receive 100% of collected pledges if you choose us as your charity of choice, and donors can expect between 1400 and 1800 birdies will be made by the PGA TOUR pros during the 2009 Viking Classic.

The Viking Classic has raised more than $5.1 million for Mississippi charities. Visit http://www.vikingclassic.com/ to learn more about the tournament.