As a member of the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, I have found true satisfaction in being a part of one of the best nonprofit organizations in Ventura County. Each day the Clubs are doing everything they can to provide mentors and give new opportunities to play, learn and grow to thousands of vulnerable children locally. I am proud to be a part of a solution that produces results for not only our children, but our community as a whole.

Boys & Girls Club memberships impact young people and communities in a number of ways. "Economic Impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme on the Community: A Study of the Return in Investing in Our Children," authored by Jamshid Damooei, PhD, chair of economics at CLU, concludes that the Club plays a key role in reducing delinquency, increasing academic achievement among youth, preventing teen pregnancy, in addition to a variety of other positive outcomes. The report estimates that for every dollar spent on providing programming for youth at the Club, the Club saves the community $4 in social service costs that would be spent addressing a variety of issues, including low graduation rates, crime prevention and teen pregnancy.

Did you know???

Raising Graduation Rates:

* Nationally: 80%
* California: 75%
* Oxnard/Port Hueneme: 62%
* BGCOP youth: 96%

Savings to the community: $2,500,000 annually

Eliminating Teen Pregnancy:

* Nationally: 4%
* Oxnard: 14%
* BGCOP youth: 0%

Savings to the community: $2,500,000 annually

Boys & Girls Club membership is available to children ages 6-18 for only $15 per child for an entire year. Scholarships are provided for participants who cannot afford the membership cost. Actual cost to the Club is approximately $500 per year per child. Still, no child is ever turned away due to economic hardship.

That's why we have created the "It Just Takes One" campaign, a local effort to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

Investing in the Boys & Girls Clubs is an investment in our community. Boys & Girls Clubs is a proven delinquency-prevention program and one of the best bargains when you consider that it saves taxpayers an average of $4 for every $1 spent on services at the Club.

I can't think of a better way to invest in your community. I ask you to please consider sponsoring a child for $500 - that works out to less than $50 a month, and less than $1.40 a day. You can set up monthly payment options by credit card, if you choose, or make a more modest contribution that fits in your budget. But please don't delay - these kids need you now more than ever before.

Thank you for your consideration,

Lorenzo Castillo

Volunteer Board Member