By Anne White
This September, the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich will shift several of its after-school programs to the Arch Street Teen Center, ensuring continuity of service while its primary facility undergoes substantial renovations.
In an act of neighborly goodwill, Arch Street Teen Center offered to host the Boys & Girls Club after its leadership reached out last fall. “The services that the Boys & Girls Club offers our community are vital, and we are pleased to collaborate to allow the Club to continue their after-school program,” Arch Street Executive Director, Kyle Silver, stated.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich is renowned for delivering affordable, high-quality after-school and summer programs to young people from diverse backgrounds. “BGCG prepares our Club kids to become future leaders, responsible citizens, and engaged community members,” noted CEO Cristina Vittoria.
The club will occupy the Arch Street Teen Center every weekday afternoon during the school year, allowing Arch Street to maintain its regular events schedule over the weekend. Importantly, The Recording Studio, a generous gift from the Andrew Rinaldi Memorial Fund, will maintain its regular hours and continue to operate by appointment on weekends.
For more than a century, the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich has acted as a catalyst for academic achievement, personal growth, and healthy living for young people aged 6-18. The Club’s diverse offering of activities includes supervised games, sports, tutoring, homework help, arts & crafts, swim lessons, soccer, financial literacy instruction, computer programming, and STEM classes.
On the other hand, the Arch Street Teen Center holds the distinction of being the longest-running teen center in the country. It focuses on fostering leadership skills while ensuring safe social events for all community teens. Arch Street’s history of collaboration with various organizations is a testament to its community engagement. Notably, it housed Neighbor to Neighbor during the COVID pandemic, ensuring that essential services continued during a time of crisis.
“Hosting the Boys & Girls Club from Monday to Friday will impact our regular weekday programming. However, the Arch Street Board firmly believes that this is a necessary sacrifice, given the critical need that the Boys & Girls Club addresses and the importance of community solidarity,” explained Arch Street Board Chair, Icy Frantz.
Cristina Vittoria expressed gratitude towards the Arch Street Teen Center for its cooperation and commitment to Greenwich’s youth. “This partnership will ensure that our kids continue to receive the same quality programs and support to help them realize bright futures,” she said.
