Thomas Bryant shares his WNY Boys & Girls Clubs Experience

January 31st, 2024
Buffalo, NY

The Boys & Girls Clubs Collaborative of WNY (BGCCWNY) is seeking individuals who are looking to make a difference. The collaboration represents clubhouses from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, south as far as Jamestown, and eastern to Rochester. Despite a staffing shortage in WNY, we are determined to find those special individuals called to make a difference with their careers. On any given day in a WNY Boys & Girls Club, a young person may get help with their math homework, eat a nutritious dinner, play 3:3 basketball, create a galaxy in a jar, hang with friends, use virtual reality to practice changing a tire, or lead the planning of a winter coat drive.  Kids who attend Boys & Girls Clubs are positively impacted by our programs and take part in opportunities they may not have been afforded otherwise. One of the most rewarding things about working on our team is witnessing a Club member go on to do great things.

A shining example of this is NBA Champion Thomas Bryant of the Miami Heat. Last year, he was fortunate to win his first championship as a part of the Denver Nuggets. As a child, Thomas attended Boys & Girls Club after-school programs in Rochester, where he was born. Recently, he made a stop “home” to visit the Clubhouse he grew up in and spoke about his experiences.

“No matter who you were, no matter where you were from…you were always given genuine love. They wanted to see me prosper, see everyone prosper. And it helped me grow so much, not only on the basketball court but just in life.”

Thomas will be the face of the WNY Boys & Girls Clubs recruitment campaign launched to find the next generation of staff to make a positive difference in the lives of children who need it most.  Find the video and link to apply on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wnyboysandgirlsclubs.

The BGCCWNY consists of twelve separate 501(c)(3) Boys & Girls Clubs located in urban, suburban, and rural areas, forming the largest youth development services provider in WNY. With 35 club sites, we serve over 17,000 youth, offering out-of-school programs that focus on improving education, leadership skills, and workforce readiness. Our partnership ensures regional efforts to provide safe and secure environments for youth to learn and grow emotionally and physically.