The Boys and Girls Club of North Georgia is merging, but most people won’t notice.
The club serving Gilmer and Pickens counties has combined with The Boys and Girls Clubs serving Chattooga, Gordon, Murray and Whitfield counties.
The merged organization retains the title of The Boys and Girls Club of North Georgia, effective as of the start of the year.
With the expansion of the club’s footprint, leaders say the organization will serve more than 800 kids daily across six counties and become a larger presence in the state.
“As a bigger organization, we can have a bigger voice,” says Robbie Slocumb, the CEO of The Boys and Girls Clubs serving Chattooga, Gordon, Murray and Whitfield counties.
Slocumb will be leading the merged group. Jessica Wells, former CEO of the local entity, is taking on the role of director of development.
“I will work on fundraising in Gilmer and Pickens County,” Wells says. “I am excited to spend more time getting to know our donors and communities on a deeper level.”
Slocumb says that as costs are increasing, so is the need for the club’s services.
“How can we offer more to more kids, because kids need us now more than ever,” Slocumb added.
Youth programming and services provided will remain the same, with more changes happening behind the scenes, he said. One example is the merger helps with saving on insurance costs, where grouping employees together from the two clubs lowers rates.
“Those savings can be used for more programming,” Slocumb says.
Slocumb stressed to donors who support a local club that their donations will continue to support that local club, and any money raised in one county will not be allocated elsewhere.
“Our clubs need you more than ever,” added Wells.