Built on Real Connections

One of the coolest parts of this partnership is how real it is. Many Strike Force players grew up in Boys & Girls Clubs themselves. They know what it means to walk through these doors, to have a safe place after school, to be surrounded by mentors and teammates. So when they say they want to give back, it’s not just talk. They mean it. And you can feel that in everything they’re doing with us this season.

What This Means for Our Kids

This partnership opens the door to experiences that go way beyond the field.

Our kids will:

• Attend live games at Frontwave Arena
• See the Club recognized on the jumbotron and throughout the arena
• Participate in a free football clinic led by Strike Force players
• Connect with athletes who are role models both on and off the field
• It’s about more than football. It’s about exposure, confidence, and showing kids what’s possible.

What It Means for the Club

We’re also gaining visibility in ways that help us grow our impact:

• Our name and mission will be featured inside Frontwave Arena
• We’ll be highlighted across the Strike Force’s social media and website
• We’ll have a built-in fundraiser through ticket sales

It’s the kind of exposure that helps us reach more families, serve more kids, and strengthen our presence in the community.

What It Means for the Strike Force

For the Strike Force, this partnership is about staying connected to the Oceanside community in a real way.

They’ll be practicing right here at our Oceanside Clubhouse throughout the season—fully integrated into the rhythm of the Club. And as they’ve said themselves, being here just feels like home.

A True Win-Win

At the end of the day, this partnership is about connection.

Between athletes and kids.
Between past and future.
Between community and opportunity.

It’s a shared commitment to something bigger. We couldn’t be more excited to see where it goes next.

We’ve got some exciting news… giving to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego just got even more powerful.

We’ve officially launched Double the Donation, a brand-new feature on our website that helps you double (or even triple!) your gift—in just a few clicks.

Millions of dollars in matching gift funds go unclaimed every year. This tool helps make sure we don’t leave that impact on the table.

Wait… What Is a Matching Gift?

We’re glad you asked! Many companies offer matching gift programs, meaning they’ll match donations their employees make to nonprofits like ours.

That means:

• You give $50 → your employer matches $50 → we receive $100
• You give $100 → matched → $200 impact

It’s one of the easiest ways to make your generosity go further without giving more out of pocket.

Meet Double the Donation

Our new tool makes finding and submitting your company’s matching gift quick and seamless. No more digging through HR portals or guessing if your company participates.

Now, you can:

✔️ Search your employer instantly
✔️ See if they offer matching gifts
✔️ Get step-by-step instructions
✔️ Submit your request right away

All in real time.

How It Works (Takes Less Than 2 Minutes)

Here’s how to double your donation:

1. Make your gift: Head to our donation page and give as you normally would.
2. Search your company: During the donation process, you’ll be prompted to type your employer’s name in the search bar.
3. Get your match info instantly: If your company participates, you’ll see exactly what they match and how to request it.
4. Submit your request: Follow the simple steps provided—many take just a minute or two.

That’s it!

Why This Matters

Matching gifts help us:

• Serve more youth across Northwest San Diego
• Expand programs in academics, sports, and leadership
• Provide safe, supportive spaces for kids and teens every day

Try It Today

Next time you give, take an extra 60 seconds to check if your company will match your donation. It’s simple. It’s fast. And it can make a huge difference for the kids and families we serve.

Together, we can do more and now, we can double it.

Real Work. Real Impact.

We’re proud to share that Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego has been named Agency of the Month by the San Diego Food Bank.

It’s an honor, but more importantly, it’s a reflection of the everyday work happening inside our Culinary Arts Program.

3,000+ Meals—and Counting

Each month, teens in our culinary program, The Lunch Box,  prepare and serve more than 3,000 FREE, fresh, nutritious meals for youth at after-school programs across North County. For many kids, these meals are more than just food—they’re consistency, reliability, and one less thing to worry about.

What makes this program different is simple: our teens are the ones doing the work.

They’re in the kitchen prepping, cooking, and packaging meals that go out to other youth in the community. Along the way, they’re learning real skills—how to work as a team, show up with responsibility, and take pride in what they create.

This isn’t just a program. It’s hands-on experience with purpose.

This recognition also speaks to the consistency behind the scenes. Our staff and teams show up every day with a commitment to doing things the right way—meeting high standards, staying accountable, and making sure every meal gets where it needs to go.

At the end of the day, this is about more than numbers or recognition.

It’s about teens stepping up.
It’s about kids getting the food they need.
It’s about a community showing up for each other.

A Commitment to Excellence

This recognition from the San Diego Food Bank also reflects the strength of our operations and our commitment to quality, accountability, and consistency. Our team works hard to meet the highest standards while delivering meaningful impact every single day.

Grateful for Our Partners

We’re grateful to the San Diego Food Bank for recognizing this work—and even more grateful for the young people who make it happen every day.

About Youth of the Year

Every year, we host our Youth of the Year Celebration, which acknowledges teens for their achievements in leadership, service, and academic excellence. They exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people.

Teen Program Highlights

The New Year is off to a strong start in our Teen Program! Our teens jumped into January with energy, creativity, and a shared commitment to making this year their best yet.

Setting Goals Together

To kick things off, teens came together to set two group resolutions:

• Spend more time outdoors
• Keep grades above a C

By setting these goals as a team, they’re holding one another accountable and building a culture of encouragement and support. It’s not just about resolutions—it’s about growing together.

Back to Basics in the Kitchen

In cooking class, we returned to foundational skills. Teens focused on chopping, slicing, mincing, and kitchen safety—core techniques that build confidence in the kitchen.

The best part? They practiced using fresh produce harvested straight from our garden. Learning practical skills while connecting to where food comes from makes the experience even more meaningful.

Creativity as Stress Relief

Our teen girls took time to unwind with a favorite hands-on activity: slime making. While it may sound simple, the sensory experience and creative process sparked laughter, connection, and conversation. The group shared that it was a great way to relieve stress and take a break from academic pressures.

Trending Together: Chip Salad Potluck

We hosted our first “chip salad” potluck, inspired by TikTok trends. Each teen brought their favorite chips, and together they created one giant, shareable salad. It was messy, creative, and full of fun.

The next theme is already in the works: candy salad! These lighthearted moments give teens something to look forward to and create opportunities to build friendships in a relaxed setting.

Slow-Motion Race: A New Favorite Game

To round out the month, we introduced a new group game called the Slow-Motion Race. The goal? Move as slowly as possible toward a trophy placed in the courtyard. If someone moved too quickly, a headband would buzz—forcing them to freeze and slowing their progress.

The result was laughter, strategy, and plenty of friendly competition. It’s become a favorite way for teens to take a break from homework while still staying active and engaged.

Learn more about our Teen Centers

Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego Named 2025 “Hero for Youth” by Boys & Girls Clubs of America

We are proud to share that Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego has been recognized as a 2025 Hero for Youth through the Club Advocacy Recognition Program by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

This national recognition is awarded annually to Clubs that rank in the top 50% nationwide for advocacy engagement — demonstrating a strong commitment to elevating the voices of young people and championing policies that support youth development.

What This Recognition Means

Being named a Hero for Youth reflects our active efforts to ensure that local, state, and federal leaders understand the vital role our Clubs play in strengthening families and building brighter futures.

Throughout the year, our team has:

• Met with local, state, and federal elected officials
• Hosted Club tours for community leaders
• Engaged in coordinated social media advocacy
• Participated in media outreach efforts
• Utilized national advocacy tools to amplify the needs of youth and families

Advocacy is more than a conversation, it’s action. And in 2025, collective advocacy efforts across the Boys & Girls Club Movement helped secure over $400 million in public funding to support Clubs and the young people they serve nationwide.

We are honored to be part of that impact.

Why Advocacy Matters

Every day, we see firsthand how critical access to safe spaces, mentorship, meals, academic support, and character-building programs is for the youth in our communities. When we advocate, we are not just speaking for our organization — we are amplifying the voices, dreams, and potential of the young people we serve.

Public funding ensures that:

• Kids have safe places to go after school and during the summer
• Families have affordable access to high-quality programs
• Teens have mentorship and leadership development opportunities
• No child is turned away due to inability to pay

“Our mission is to ensure that every young person in Northwest San Diego has the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Marineke Vandervort, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego. “Being named a 2025 Hero for Youth reflects our commitment to standing up for the kids and families we serve, not just within our Club walls, but in the rooms where decisions are made. Advocacy ensures their voices are heard and their futures are prioritized.”

We are deeply grateful to our staff, board members, partners, and supporters who continue to stand with us in championing youth. Together, we will keep advocating, keep serving, and keep building Great Futures.

Dear Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego Family,

As we reflect on 2025, one word rises above all others: gratitude.

This past year tested us in ways both visible and unseen. We navigated uncertainty around government funding, adapted to shifting resources, and continued to show up for young people facing growing social and emotional challenges. None of this was easy. And yet—behind the blue doors of our Clubs—something powerful continued to happen every single day.

Because of you, our Clubs remained places of safety, belonging, and possibility.
To our staff: thank you for your grit, compassion, and unwavering commitment to meeting kids exactly where they are. You lead with heart, even on the hardest days. You listen, you adapt, you care deeply—and you inspire one another to keep learning, growing, and striving to do better for the youth and families we serve. Your work changes lives, often in quiet moments that never make headlines but mean everything to a child who needs to be seen.

It started with leadership and grew with community.

Dear Friends of the Club,

We did it! Thanks to the generosity of more than 145 donors, our Meet the Match campaign raised $436,000—an incredible show of belief in the kids and families we serve.

We are deeply grateful for the seven dedicated donors who believed in our mission and recognized the meaningful impact we have on the lives of the youth we serve with a collectively pledged $425,000 matching gift. Their leadership and generosity helped set the tone for a truly inspiring campaign.

And they weren’t alone.

Gifts ranged from $25 to more than $50,000, each one a powerful reminder that people care about our kids, our Clubs, and the future we’re building together.

Every contribution, no matter the size, reflected a shared belief in what’s possible when a community stands behind its young people.

Because of this collective generosity:

• Our food insecurity program continued to provide reliable, nutritious meals to youth who depend on us.
• Our social and emotional wellness efforts offered safe spaces, trusted mentors, and the support kids need to grow with confidence and resilience.
• Our academic support programs were strengthened, helping youth stay on track, make progress, and reach their full potential.

This campaign wasn’t just about dollars raised, it was about people showing up, standing with us, and demonstrating that our youth matter. We are honored by the trust and care that our community continues to show.

A special thank you to the 7 match starters:

• The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation
• The J. Douglas & Marian R. Pardee Foundation
• Keith & Pamela Fox Foundation
• Tracy Family
• Wild Wisdom Foundation
• Barbara Ann Steel Charitable Foundation
• David and Tina Thomas

 

With heartfelt thanks,

Thank you for your support of our 11th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego Cornhole Tournament!

With more than 60 teams, delicious food, great music, and community support from over 30 businesses, it was a day to remember.

Dedicated to youth development, proceeds from this event directly benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego’s 8 Clubhouses and 8 specialty programs that impact our 6,000+ youth members and families throughout the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Encinitas, Oceanside, and Solana Beach.

Thank you to our event sponsors and volunteers for making this all possible! With your support, our vision of an iconic beach event that unites San Diego’s professionals and residents in the spirit of community has become a reality.

Shout out to our Jr. Board Members who host and set up this tournament, as well as the myriad of volunteer groups that come together each year to help ensure our tournament runs efficiently and remains a financial and logistical success.

Have ideas/connections to improve this event? Join our 2026 Volunteer Committee and help us grow! Contact Julia Brown-Farley at jbrownfarley@bgcgreatertogether.org

The Victors

After the round-robin wins, a slew of single elimination playoff games, and a final game for the ages, EY teammates Travis Gilley and Keith Kaneko (Tossed and Sauced) were declared the victors of our 2025 tournament.