Trump the best thing to happen to the GOP
Re “The elephant in the room” (Feb. 26): Steve Breen got it wrong. Donald Trump didn’t slay the GOP.
A more accurate rendering would have been Trump pulling an elephant out of the swamp.
Mike Wagner Ramona
COVID-19 has had a devastating, layered impact on California youth, their families and communities. Boys & Girls Clubs have always played a critical role in our area, collectively serving over 57,000 youth and teens annually across San Diego County. That role took on a whole new meaning as this crisis unfolded. As a trusted community leader, Boys & Girls Clubs provide critical services, support, and, above all, safety, to those who need it most. Those needs won’t go away anytime soon and neither will Boys & Girls Clubs’ commitment to serving our communities. Given the essential services our club professionals provide, decision makers must understand that healthy staff and continued operations are critical to our country’s social and economic recovery. Youth-serving frontline staff must be prioritized as essential workers in vaccine dissemination now.
With the suspension of schools and workplaces, the country, and especially kids and teens, are facing challenges unlike anything previously encountered. Boys & Girls Clubs staff had to get creative and innovative in the ways we addressed those challenges and how we could efficiently, effectively and safely serve kids in this “new normal.” Boys & Girls Clubs across San Diego County partnered with state and local officials to help meet the larger needs of communities by providing care for school-age children of health care professionals and other essential workers.
When the pandemic began, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) adapted and began virtual programming in March, using Google Hangouts, Zoom and YouTube. Despite their own fears and anxiety, our staff members were more worried and concerned for all of the children who were suddenly out of school, out of our clubs and without their normal support systems. BGCO reached out to club members to see if they needed additional community resources, and what we heard was heartbreaking. Children were hungry. So, on May 4, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside opened a curbside emergency food program, offering vital meal services — sometimes providing the only healthy meal a child could count on. Since then, BGCO has served over 45,000 free meals to youth under 18.
Clubs also have been providing on-site learning to fill the education gap. As restrictions eased, BGCO welcomed youth back for in-person summer camp on June 15 and we have remained open ever since. When the school year started on Aug. 17, BGCO began a “Back2School” program that provides the wrap-around support needed for club youth to succeed academically, under these very challenging circumstances. Youth in the program are provided with a quiet, supervised environment to focus on classwork, high-speed internet access, academic support, a nutritious breakfast and lunch, and daily fitness and recreation. This program has allowed parents to return to work, knowing their children are in a safe environment and have the support they need to access their virtual classrooms. Boys & Girls Clubs have done everything in their power to create a safe and healthy environment. Ultimately though, clubs are only able to offer their much-needed programs because of the dedicated staff, who were willing to return to physical club sites to provide them. Club staff know the risks involved and still show up every day to make sure club kids have the mentorship, support and encouragement that they need, now more than ever. They have been “boots on the ground” since May, and they need to be vaccinated expeditiously.
Clubs experienced a major sudden increase in demand for services as we dealt with revenue loss and staffing reductions. But this is who our club staff members are, who they have been and who they will need to continue being long after this crisis ends if we are to ensure our kids have the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed. The safety and health of our club staff are paramount to continue this consistent support for our state’s youth and in the restoration of our nation.
State leaders must include youth providers like Boys & Girls Clubs as essential frontline workers in our state’s vaccine rollout, sooner rather than later. Clubs will be needed even more to accelerate our nation’s efforts to rebuild and recover from the economic and social impacts of this pandemic. Their safety and inoculation against this virus will enable them to continue what they do best: provide our young people a safe place to learn and grow while giving parents and the community vital support and peace of mind.
Diamond