Boys & Girls Clubs Of America To Host Racial Equity & Social Justice Virtual Town Hall Tuesday

ATLANTA, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America will host a virtual kick-off town hall meeting with National Football League (NFL) Teams and Boys & Girls Clubs across 32 markets on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at 5 p.m. ET. The town hall will launch a listening session so that players, staff, and Club members can discuss common issues across their communities and discuss strategies for action. The virtual event and social justice initiative is funded by a grant from the NFL Foundation.  Alexia Gallagher, Vice President of Philanthropy for the NFL & Executive Director of the NFL Foundation, will kick off the event and Jason Wright, President of the Washington Football Team, will moderate.

"We are proud to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America on this effort to advance social justice in their communities," said Alexia Gallagher.  "The town hall serves as an example of the collaborative efforts taking place each day through NFL players and clubs who aim to make positive change and help reduce barriers to opportunity for underserved youngsters nationwide.  We are excited for the conversations that will take place and the resulting plans of action, led by Boys & Girls Club youth."

During this hour-long event, three Boys & Girls Club teens will join Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons and Houston Texans safety Justin Reid to engage in conversation in hopes to inspire teens to take action.

Participants will learn more about the three phases of direct action to encourage collaboration between Clubs and Teams to create change: host listening sessions to identify key social justice issues in their local communities, create a joint action plan to address these community issues and host at least one community event to raise awareness and affect change in their community.

"Boys & Girls Clubs provide programs that help young people build the essential social-emotional skills they need to live and lead in a diverse, ever-changing world," said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Skills like self-awareness, communication and goal-setting will help foster a new generation of leaders and advocates. Thanks to the support from the NFL Foundation, this town hall will enable us to build upon our existing youth-led work in social justice for all young people."

Boys & Girls Clubs of America is doing whatever it takes to ensure every young person has equal access to opportunities and experiences that give them every opportunity to be successful in life. To learn more, visit www.bgca.org. To watch the town hall, visit https://myfuture.net/live.

The NFL engages in social justice efforts through Inspire Change, a comprehensive initiative highlighting how NFL players, clubs, owners, and the league work together to create positive change and reduce barriers to opportunity in communities across the country with focus on education, economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform. For more information, please visit www.nfl.com/inspirechange.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,700 Clubs serve over 4.6 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.

About the NFL Foundation

The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country.  The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game.  For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit www.NFLFoundation.org.

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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America