Two leading youth service nonprofit organizations—the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim and Boys & Girls Club of Cypress—have agreed to merge their operations to serve the largest region in North Orange County. The new organization began operations under its new name of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress on July 1.
Both Clubs are of similar size and scope. Anaheim operates three locations in Anaheim including an innovative teen program in an affordable housing complex and numerous community-based activities in their Family-Resource Center in the highest-needs neighborhoods in Anaheim. Meanwhile, Cypress operates five locations in the City including the newly opened program on the Cypress College Campus and the newly constructed Teen Center which opened earlier this March. Combined the Club membership will include over 2,000 children and teens, with significant opportunities for growth into underserved communities in our cities.
“The needs in our communities are continuing to increase. Together we will connect with even more community stakeholders and funders to increase their engagement and investment in this important mission, and increase our impact on the members we currently serve and prepare to serve those that still need the Club experience,” stated John Machiaverna, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim.
“Together we are creating a bold vision for the future of youth development. We are combining our strengths to provide a world class Club experience across a broader service area and position the Club for additional strategic growth to serve the community members who don’t yet have a local Club,” stated Anne Hertz, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Cypress.
The impact and strength of these organizations is already substantial. This merger makes them even stronger and will allow them to combine resources to serve more youth with greater impact. Following six months of due diligence and collaboration with stakeholders, Boys & Girls Clubs of America leadership, and the Boards of Directors of both Clubs approved this bold move that will lead to greater sustainability.
Anaheim Club President, Jeff Morin, agreed, “Several years ago, our Board identified collaborative efforts and mergers as the key to success for sustainability and positive impact to the communities that we serve. When Anaheim and Cypress began our discussions last year, it was apparent that our missions were in complete alignment. Through our combined assets and shared vision, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress will not only meet the needs of today, but also equip us to better serve more youth throughout North Orange County.”
Cypress Club President Jon Peat stated, “We have a very unique opportunity to leverage the strengths of two strong Clubs to create an even stronger Club. This will allow us to serve more children with enhanced programs and more services.”
Thrilled with the potential, this new venture provides the opportunity to deliver high-caliber and high-impact programming; together these organizations are hitting a home run for their communities. A special Ribbon-Tying ceremony with representatives from each organization, city officials and stakeholders took place at Angel Stadium on July 1.