Brian Dennis gave a presentation on the Boys & Girls Club of Yellowstone County. The club serves 433 kids across five clubhouses. 27% of the members are middle/high schoolers, which is the largest such group in Montana. The club provides over 263,000 hours of youth programming annually. About 42% of the hids live in a single-parent home, and 69% receive free or reduced lunch assistance. The program provides over 73,000 snacks and meals yearly, including hot meals after school and full meals in the summer. The club operates 27-passenger buses, 15-passenger vans, and partnerships with Billings Public Schools to provide transportation. Currently, programs consist of individual mentoring, academic support, STEM, healthy lifestyles, gardening, workforce development, and career exploration. Field trips and community service are integral to the programs. Future initiatives include: Training staff to provide trauma-informed care; adding support staff to manage behavioral issues without disrupting programs; relocating administrative staff to free up space at Bear Family Clubhouse for a calm center and on-site therapists or CASA partners; and expanding services to support families directly, led by Nick Winslow, to avoid merely referring struggling families to external resources. The club is looking for volunteers, college students for summer jobs, advocates to represent the club and visit other clubs, and donations.
