Binghamton University students and faculty members will work with the Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton at an event Monday to spread awareness for underprivileged youth.
The program is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. in Mountainview College’s Appalachian Collegiate Center, room 111, and is open to all staff and students.
The Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton is a nonprofit organization that takes pride in offering a “positive place for kids” after school, during the summer and on vacations, according to the organization’s Web site.
Moshe Roberts, a junior majoring in biology, has worked with the organization for two years.
“The main objective for running this program is to raise awareness, so we are offering various opportunities to get involved,” he said.
Danielle Butchko, the school-age childcare director of the Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton, said the group helps an average of 367 children in the local area.
“We provide recreational and educational programs and services in underprivileged communities,” Marybeth Smith, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton, said.
According to Smith, millions of children are left home alone or on the street with no supervision every day.
“We have been in operation for over 106 years, and there has always been a need to provide a safe place for children to go,” she added.
Butchko said that the Boys and Girls Club is especially interested in motivating staff and students who enjoy working with children. Attendees can find out about opportunities to volunteer, intern and apply for part-time positions. Free refreshments will be served.
The programs encourage diversity and help students and community members from different backgrounds come together and learn from each other, Butchko said.
Butchko emphasized the benefits of working with the club and the flexibility it offers.
“Our internships are especially beneficial to BU students that are from out of town, because it gives them a sense of community pride outside of campus,” she said.
What sets the club apart from an academic setting is that staff members try to instill “a sense of education that is not provided in schools.”
A number of other student organizations at BU also volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club, especially fraternities and sororities.
“We are really privileged to have a connection to the students of Binghamton University,” Butchko said, adding that through the different workshops and events students act as positive role models for younger, underprivileged children.
“I can honestly say that working with these kids has been the most rewarding experience of my college career,” Roberts said.