Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo recognized
with Excellence in Strategic Action Award
MAUMEE – The Greater Toledo Community Foundation, The Blade and the Center for Nonprofit Resources recognized Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo for Excellence in Strategic Action during the annual Northwest Ohio Nonprofit Excellence Award breakfast Wednesday at The Pinnacle in Maumee.
The Excellence in Strategic Action Award showcases organizations that have strategically expanded programming or pivoted to a new service delivery model to better meet a community need.
“It’s awesome to receive this recognition,” said Jim Ravas, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo. “Anytime you get something like this, it’s wonderful because it’s a recognition of the hard work the staff does every day. It’s all about the kids.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
The award recognizes the Clubs’ strategic actions, working with local school districts, to provide safe, supervised places for children to socialize with their peers and offer nationally recognized Boys & Girls Clubs of America programming.
Several years ago, the Clubs identified a desire to have sites in all Toledo Public Schools’ learning districts. In 2023, Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo achieved that goal when it opened shared-space Clubs at McTigue and Ottawa River elementary schools and Ohio’s first The Club Teen Center at Rogers High Schools.
The Clubs also strengthened a partnership with Washington Local Schools last month by opening a Club at Hiawatha Elementary.
Of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo’s nine locations, the Carson Family Club, East Toledo Club, McTigue Club, Ottawa River Club, David Wehrmeister Club and The Club, James A. Huber Teen Center are in Toledo Public Schools buildings. The Schoenrock Family Club is a joint facility with First Tee-Lake Erie.
The Clubs joined First Tee-Lake Erie (Collaborative Programming) and the 577 Foundation (Organizational Operations) as honorees Wednesday.
In addition to being recognized as leaders among local nonprofits, the recognized organizations received an engraved glass art award; unrestricted grants from the Greater Toledo Community Foundation and The Andersons; and a half-page ad in The Blade.
A Greater Toledo Community Foundation committee comprised of past winners and community members knowledgeable about the local nonprofit landscape chose the winners in each category.