Game Changers Giving Society
Game Changers for Boys & Girls Club of Metro South are part of a unique group of community leaders dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the youth who need us most by ensuring that the resources they need are available today and in the future. By making a three-year plan to support our critical work, Game Changers provide long-term financial stability for our organization and allow us to create and implement innovative operating models that ensure our Clubs will be able to serve youth for generations to come.
As a Game Changer, you have the flexibility to designate your gift – should you so choose – to support an aspect of our mission that means the most to you and your family! You can, of course, continue to give to our Great Futures Annual Campaign and allow us the greatest flexibility to direct your investment to where it’s needed most, but we also invite you to allocate your gift towards any of three areas of critical need and impact for our Clubs:
- Basic Needs: Nutrition & Dignity for All – Kids Café, family food pantry, hygiene products, etc.
- Social Services: Mental & Emotional Well-Being – behavioral health and development programs
- Future Readiness: Preparing for Great Futures – teen life and workforce development programs
Help Us Change the Game by Supporting...
AMBASSADORS OF IMPACT
Stories from Those Who Have Changed the Game
Dr. Hiren N. Patel
BGCMS Game Changer
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South has had over a decades-long relationship with my parents and now with my brother and me, from financial support to involvement with the Board of Directors. Over the past decade, I have witnessed the direct impact of investments in the Club. As the chairman of an international nonprofit organization, I place a heavy emphasis on financial stewardship and responsibility. There are literally thousands of nonprofits to support, but I became a lifetime BGCMS Game Changer because of the Club’s integrity and transparency.
My decision was predicated on direct impact and tangible results. The Club provides a safe space to learn, grow, and succeed beyond high school into college and careers. I was inspired to organize an annual healthcare career fair with live mock medical emergencies so members can see themselves in healthcare roles. Recently, I learned that a member of my neurosurgery team at Newton-Wellesley Hospital was a product of BGCMS! College became an obtainable dream for him because the Club kept him focused and prepared him for the professional world. As a direct result of the Club, Deion was able to achieve his dreams and help save and change lives.
“Without the Boys & Girls Club I have no idea where I would have ended up, but it definitely would not have been in this operating room.” - Deion
Deion was able to purchase a home, and rapidly climb the socioeconomic ladder. This was possible because of the opportunities that BGCMS provided. I highly recommend making BGCMS your patron charitable beneficiary, and the Game Changers program is a perfect place to start!
Louis M. Riccardi
Game Changer & President's Council Member
I was inspired to join the inaugural effort in 2014 to become a BGCMS Game Changers donor when asked to do so by long-time Club supporter Gary Enos. At the time, it was an effort to provide funds at the start of the year to keep our Club open and vital programs going during the slower part of the fundraising year, and it was an honor to be a member of that first group - and to continue to be a member every year since then.
Ultimately, being a leader-level Game Changer is about making a direct investment in our youth and, under Derek Heim’s and his staff’s guidance, seeing the positive results every day, every year. Donations are efficiently employed, and our members’ lives are significantly impacted.
There is a perfect combination of accountability, camaraderie, and raising expectations for our Club, for our staff, and for our members - exactly what attracts donors at all levels. It is indeed about impact, and the BGCMS culture is such that given the opportunity to lead, they use it to actively guide our youth to be leaders among their peers and in our communities.
It has been a blessing to be a board member, through the whole journey these last 25 years, and I am honored to continue to support our Club’s vital role in the lives of its members