Oct 13, 2020   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Announces $60,000 Donation From Reliant

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County is excited to announce a $60,000 donation from Reliant to help power life-changing programs that will serve thousands of at-risk youth in the region. Helping youth vulnerable to poverty, gang violence, incarceration, and drug and alcohol use, the donation will support three programs: SMART Girls, Passport to Manhood and Building Industry Leaders.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County is committed to showing our most at-risk youth that their futures matter,” said Daphne Barlow Stigliano, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County. “Reliant’s generous donation will help us provide a physically and emotionally safe environment, as well as fund programs that will expand their personal opportunities and allow them to dream beyond what they already thought was possible. Support from a company like Reliant shows youth that they are worth investing in.”

“Reliant is excited to light the way for children across Tarrant County alongside the Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of Reliant. “By supporting these important developmental programs, Reliant is providing the tools kids need to build a better future for themselves and open doors to new possibilities.”

Reliant’s commitment, a donation of $30,000 annually for two years, will support the following programs:

  • SMART Girls: Provides health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement for girls ages eight to 17 years old. Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships with peers and adults.
  • Passport to Manhood: Teaches responsibility to boys ages 11 to 14 years old with sessions that focus on a specific aspect of character and manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant receives a “passport” to underscore that he is on a personal journey of maturation and growth.
  • Building Industry Leaders: Comprehensive workforce development program to help young people become first-job ready, develop a plan for the future, and develop skills that employers value the most.

The support from Reliant will cover the entire cost needed for the organization to participate in Building Industry Leaders, a program in partnership with the Urban Land Institute to introduce youth to careers in real estate development with real-time experience in a professional setting, including in finance, architecture, engineering and construction.

The $60,000 donation is part of Reliant and parent company NRG’s “Powering Change” initiative, which has committed $1 million toward organizations and initiatives that combat racial inequities, injustice and related violence. For additional information, visit reliant.com/community. For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County or ways to get involved, please visit bgcgtc.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County’s mission to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Its purpose is simple: to enable Club members to achieve substantially better outcomes in the areas of academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. BGCGTC serves more than 28,000 Tarrant County youth ages 4-24 with after-school and summer programs, substance abuse prevention programs, a progressive gang-intervention program, and targeted outreach and college preparation services in schools. Target neighborhoods are historically low income, with low educational attainment, high unemployment, and associated high rates of illegal activity, including gangs and substance abuse. The median household income in the areas the Club serves is under $35,000, and 78% of Club kids are on the free or reduced lunch program in their schools.

Doing the Right Thing for Kids, Always

The Club’s very existence harkens back to the 1920s when a group of compassionate and concerned citizens sought to effect positive change for youth. Since that time—through the many good times the nation has enjoyed and the challenging times it has endured—the Club has honored that legacy. The organization remains steadfast in its vision that success is within reach of every young person we serve, with all on track to graduate high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.

About Reliant

Reliant powers, protects and simplifies life by bringing electricity, security and related services to homes and businesses across Texas. Serving customers and the community is at the core of what we do, and the company is recognized nationally for outstanding customer experience. Reliant is part of NRG, a Fortune 500 company that creates value by generating electricity and providing energy solutions to more than 3.7 million residential, small business and commercial customers across the U.S. and Canada. NRG’s competitive residential electricity business, which includes Reliant, is one of the largest in the country. For more information about Reliant, visit reliant.com and connect with Reliant on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and Twitter or Instagram @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007.