Dignitaries and special guests, along with key funding supporters cut the ribbon last week to celebrate the opening of six (6) new Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) after school program sites at three (3) Trenton schools and three (3) Ewing schools.
The ribbon cutting took place at BGC’s after school program at the Grant Elementary School, on North Clinton in Trenton, and included BGC Mercer Executive VP Reginald J. Coleman, President & CEO David Anderson, and Board Chair Bill Straughn of Munich Re. Among the key supporters who spoke were Colin Newman of Amazon and Steve Albers of Novo Nordisk.
BGC Mercer offered special thanks for the support from NextGen Ministry and the Sunnyglen Foundation. Together, along with dignitaries from state and local government, everyone celebrated the BGCM Moving Forward Campaign to reach more children and support recovery from the effects of the pandemic. The financial support of critical funders made this expansion of serving more youth a growing reality. This event marks the Club’s expansion to support local children in educational achievement, healthy living, and social-emotional learning.
BGC Mercer CEO Dave Anderson commented, “With the return in the number of students in our after school programs to almost pre-pandemic levels and the exponentially increased need, we are so pleased to offer an opportunity for a safe, healthy and enriching program experience. After over a year of restrictions, limited opportunity, social and emotional adversity and even personal and family challenges, we can better serve youth who need us now more than ever with these new after school sites.”
Amazon Director of Public Policy for NJ, Colin Newman said, “We are so proud to be a key funding partner in providing Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County an opportunity to offer working parents a safe and enriching place for their children after school. At these programs, it’s a place to grow and to come together as a community.”
Novo Nordisk, Sr VP of Market Access & Public Policy, Steve Albers noted that ‘BGC Mercer’s after school programs provide invaluable experiences for youth in acquiring the skills and knowledge for healthy living. The curriculum embraces nutrition and outdoor education, social-emotional learning, and physical education. These after school programs build a stronger and healthier community.”
In attendance at the ceremony included: Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora; Trenton Asst. Superintendent Dr. Channing Conway; Grant School Principal, Mike Pettola; NJ Senator Shirley Turner; Representative from the office of Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes; Amazon Director of Public Policy for NJ, Colin Newman; Novo Nordisk, Sr VP of Market Access & Public Policy, Steve Albers; NextGen Ministry Dr. Mia Chang; Steven Ku from Sunnyglen Foundation; BGC Mercer’s Executive VP of Operations Reginald Coleman; and BGC Mercer Board Chair Bill Straughn of Munich Re, and BGC Mercer CEO David Anderson.
