Stories of Impact

Meet the members behind our mission! At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South, we see the potential for great futures in each and every one of the boys and girls who walk through our doors. We know that all of our youth are full of promise and possibility, and we are determined to do whatever it takes to meet their needs, support their dreams, and set them on the path to success.

Read a few of the many stories of impact from our members by clicking on their pictures!

Khalia Butler

Khalia Butler is a former Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South member and staff. Young Khalia was lost, confused, and looking for a place of belonging. The then Boys & Girls Club of Taunton became that place. Throughout her childhood and adolescence, she faced adversity in many forms. Khalia was in and out of the foster care system, lost her mother in her teens, and eventually had been overcome by addiction.

Despite all the cards being stacked against her, Khalia has completely turned her life around. She is now three and a half years sober and has dedicated herself to helping kids who may have faced similar adversities. She recently published her first children’s book, Khalia’s Journey to Joy, aimed at helping youth better manage their mental health.

Khalia is also in the process of starting her own nonprofit centered around mental health and mindset specifically for youth. She attributes her inspiration for these goals to her years as a member at the BGCMS Taunton Clubhouse and the life-changing and life-saving impacts of those years.

Khalia is the perfect example of turning trauma into triumph, and she’s just getting started!

Mercedees Thompson

Mercedees was a Club member at our Taunton Clubhouse from 1995-2003. Mercedees participated in all the sports programs, the Art program, the Ja Shin Do Tae Kwon Do program, and completed swim lessons and levels with Coach Bob. As a 2007 Taunton High School graduate and AFJROTC alum, she moved on to attend Bridgewater State University where she graduated with a bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology in 2012.

From there she has had many jobs in the Mental Health & Youth Development field, such as a Residential Caseworker, Therapeutic Mentor, and even the Teen & Leadership Coordinator at the Taunton Boys & Girls Club. Since 2015, she has been at the Boys & Girls Club of Boston: Yawkey Club of Roxbury, beginning as a Teen Retention & Engagement Coordinator, and now serving as the Pre-Teen Program Manager. At the Club she has accomplished many things, such as being the advisor for Torch Club for 5 years and now a co-advisor for the Keystone Club.

So far at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Mercedees served as the Lead Advisor for the travel program called Explore India for 4 years (where she traveled to India with 10-12 different teens each year for 2 weeks in February). Mercedees facilitated the Girls group for the Teen members as well as the Pre-Teen into Teen transitional program. She has traveled on many HBCU College tours during April Vacation weeks with teens, created an innovative program and received funds for the Torch Club members to feed the homeless near Mass Ave in Boston.

Mercedees was also inducted into the 2022 Floor Hockey Hall of Fame at our Taunton Clubhouse.

Sarah

Makayla & Mariah

Zachary & Zoe

Janessa

Edmilson & Mikael