Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale Receives Major Grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation
Supports Fine Art, High-Impact Youth Development Programs for 17,500 Youth
By Alison Bailin
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale has been given a $75,000 grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The grant will support the Fine Arts program set to take place throughout the year at the organization’s nine Clubs and multiple outreach sites, including Desert Ridge’s own Vestar Branch.
“Fine Art programming is crucial to youth development for many reasons,” says Steve Davidson, President and CEO at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. “These competencies instill a sense of pride and appreciation for the arts, and regular opportunities for youth to express themselves in new, thoughtful and positive ways.”
The Fine Arts program is provided throughout the year with approximately 450 youth and teens, ages 6-18, participating each week. The Program is led by experienced Club professionals with arts education backgrounds. Members are exposed to a broad range of competencies and mediums and are continually encouraged to develop new skills and talents, express themselves, and expand individual creativity. Fine Art projects can range from the more simple, to longer term and more complex endeavors using mediums such as monochromatic drawing, watercolor, mixed media, sculpture and more.
“Art has the ability to transform how children think and learn,” says Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “The Fine Arts program helps build self-esteem and self-confidence and foster creative expression, all critical life and social skills. We are delighted for the opportunity to be involved.”
In addition to the Fine Arts program, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is also a major sponsor at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale’s fall taste event – Live & Local. The event will not only celebrate the best in Arizona food, music and live entertainment but also kick-off the Club’s Fine Art Exhibit which is set to travel to various Valley locations during the fall and holiday season. Locations to be released soon. For more information about the event please visit www.liveandlocal.bgcs.org.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale provides a positive, safe and fun environment to help 17,500 youth of all ages and backgrounds develop the qualities needed to reach their full potential. The Club offers more than 100 youth development programs at the organization’s nine branches and multiple outreach sites located in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Mesa, Fountain Hills and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa and Hualapai Indian Communities. For more information, visit www.bgcs.org.
