CCF grant equips Boys & Girls Club’s Mobile Clubhouse with STEM kits

Hardship breeds creativity and ingenuity and perhaps there’s no greater example of that than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most organizations and businesses, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County closed its facilities in 2020, per CDC guidelines.

It was a difficult choice because with most schools closed, children no longer had access to activities or free and reduced lunches.

John Rosales, a Regional Vice President for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County, said many of the children they serve were quickly falling behind because of the challenges associated with remote learning.

They had to find a way to reach these children— and fast.

Initially, the Boys & Girls Club would bring food to low-income areas, providing a boost at a time when many parents were losing their jobs or had reduced income.

“[We thought] if we can take food to them, can we take our program to them? So that idea grew,” John said.

It started with a van that delivered fun games like Jenga and Connect 4 as well as educational content to an apartment complex in southeast Fort Worth. In early 2021, the Boys & Girls Club bought a recreational vehicle, gutted it and then renovated it into the first Mobile Clubhouse.

“The Mobile Clubhouse became a beacon for the children we want to reach,” John said.

It’s equipped with educational activities that reinforce age-appropriate curriculum, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). This year, the Boys & Girls Club purchased their third Mobile Clubhouse that is specifically assigned to Denton County. Having a presence in Denton County is crucial because the Boys & Girls Club doesn’t have a brick and mortar presence in the county.

But they needed more STEM kits so they can serve all the children who show up, sometimes more than 100 per visit. So, they applied for a grant to the CoServ Charitable Foundation (CCF). The focus on STEM piqued CCF’s interest, especially because so many jobs at CoServ require that kind of background.

Earlier this year, CCF awarded a grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County to buy STEM kits that are being used by children across Denton County each week.

“These STEM kits are the perfect supplement for what these children are doing in school and will lead them to do great things,” said Jennifer Ebert, CCF and Outreach Coordinator. “This Operation Roundup (ORU) grant wouldn’t be possible without the generous donations from Members and Customers who round their bill up to the nearest dollar. You’re a part of something bigger than yourself and the impact will be bigger than you could ever know.”

John said he’s inspired and hopeful about the future when he sees the children interacting with the STEM kits.

“Among us are the young people who are going to solve an engineering dilemma and improve our lives,” John said.