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Boys and Girls Club of Bangor presents data on attendance, meals and family supports to school committee
Summary
The Boys and Girls Club of Bangor described free afterschool and summer programming, transport and meal provision, trauma-informed approaches, and a two-generation family program that reported measurable income gains for participants.
The Boys and Girls Club of Bangor presented to the school committee on May 13, describing free afterschool and summer programs that provide transportation, meals, homework support and trauma-informed services for children across the city.
Cat Ma, identified as CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Bangor, told the committee the club serves youth from kindergarten through grade 12, operates a full-day summer program emphasizing math and literacy interventions, and provided figures showing the club served 245 youth last year and delivered more than 12,000 meals. She said the organization keeps programs free because most families served live below 200% of the federal poverty level and that transportation is provided to ensure equitable access.
Ma described a two-generation program, "Moving Families Forward," run in partnership with Bangor Housing: over the past year it served 188 families, with 72 families increasing household income and an average household-income increase among graduates of $19,120. The program reported that 28 families graduated this year with an average savings of $9,927 among those graduates.
Committee members asked about funding and data collaboration. Member Cook asked whether federal funding supports the club (Ma said the club receives some federal funds) and whether the district could help the club match program participation to student attendance records to assess impact on chronic absenteeism (Superintendent Robinson said school-level tracking is possible). Members discussed grant opportunities (including a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant) and the club’s capacity constraints and data needs; the club said it plans to hire a part-time data specialist to strengthen grant applications.
The committee praised the club’s role in the community and invited further collaboration to evaluate attendance and academic impacts. Cat Ma invited committee members to tour the clubhouse.
