Dear Parents & Guardians –
I hope you and your families are doing well! I am writing to share details with you about a few changes that are coming down the pike at our Boys & Girls Clubs.
At the start of the 2017/2018 school year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta is instituting an increase to our membership fees, as well as changing the process in how they are calculated.
Currently every family pays $50 per child, but we are now moving to a sliding scale based on income. Base memberships will start at $60 per child and range to $135 per child. For those families that currently receive a free membership through Amerigroup, you will continue to see this benefit. For those kids and teens who ride a Boys & Girls Clubs bus from their school to the Club, there will be an additional $15 transportation fee. Check out the attached Membership Fee Guide to estimate the new cost for you and your family.
We understand how difficult it can be to shoulder an increase in your annual expenses and would like to take a moment to explain why our fees are going up. Over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in cost to keep our buildings and vehicles running and in good repair. We’ve also made sizable investments in our staff, programs, and facilities to make sure your kids and teens are getting a quality experience at our Clubs. In fact, the cost to serve one kid at our Clubs has gone up by more than 20% during this timeframe.
It is our highest priority to make sure that the families who need us most can get access to our services. While it costs nearly $5,700 to serve each child at our Club annually, we are able to charge $60 – $135 due to the support of generous individuals and partners that believe in the work we do. No child is turned away due to inability to pay. We can work with families as needed on a case-by-case basis.
In addition to changes to our fee structure, we have also made shifts to our Club calendar to best meet the needs of parents, schools, and staff. Access a copy of your Club schedule at your local Club for a detailed listing of dates we will be open and closed and plan with your family accordingly.
Thanks for your understanding and flexibility. We appreciate you entrusting us with your kids and have enjoyed getting to know your families! We look forward to many more years working with you to help kids succeed in school, live healthy, and become leaders.
Sincerely,
Missy Dugan
President & CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta