Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities Honoring and Inspiring Changemakers

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities’ (BGCTC) annual gala, Reimagining the Future – For the Kids! , provided an opportunity for over 600 community members to come together to support BGCTC Club youth at The Depot Minneapolis on April 26. All proceeds from the event will directly support BGCTC’s holistic academic and youth development programming for K-12 youth across 13 Twin Cities Club locations.

This year’s incredible For the Kids! event highlighted BGCTC’s new Changemaker Challenge, a project that encouraged Club teens to develop innovative solutions or ideas that address specific social, environmental, or community issues. Within the framework of TLC (Think, Learn, Create), participants were asked to propose and develop an advocacy project that would have a meaningful impact on the social issue they identified. Teens from the Little Earth Club are creating a documentary to raise awareness around mental health challenges in the Little Earth community. Mt. Airy Club teens are creating a “superheroes” comic mural and traveling art piece that creates awareness of wellness choices to promote healthy lifestyles in their Club and community.

For the Kids! also honored long-time BGCTC employee John W. Hardeman III, for whom BGCTC will name their 13th Club location at the new V3 Sports Center . John has dedicated his life and career to the well-being and success of young people and families in the Twin Cities—an incredible 47 years with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities! His vision and dedication have not only enriched the lives of countless youth but have also strengthened the bonds that unite our communities. At the gala, BGCTC Alumni joined us on stage to share the impact that John has had on their lives.

Event attendees also heard remarks from BGCTC’s Youth of the Year Kalvin Vang of the East Side Boys & Girls Club and experienced two unforgettable musical performances from Club youth.

For the Kids! 2024 would not have been the success it was without our spectacular emcee Miss Shannan Paul, long-standing auctioneer and BGCTC family member Kurt Johnson, BGCTC’s 50-plus corporate and event partners, board members, associate board members, community members, and of course BGCTC Club youth and staff!

We hope to see you all next year at For the Kids! 2025! Save the date: April 25, 2025!

To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities holistic academic and youth development programming and For the Kids!, visit boysandgirls.org .

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