DuPont contributes $1 million to $10 million Boys & Girls Club campaign

The Capital Campaign will benefit clubs located in 14 different communities across the state and will involve more than 150 board members at the state and local board levels.

The organization feels that a joint campaign, rather than 14 separate campaigns, will be more cost effective, build stronger working relationships among the 15 state and local board members in the various communities, and achieve a more successful end result.

“Our clubs currently serve over 20,000 youth each year. The demand for Boys & Girls Club services; however, greatly exceeds our ability to provide them. This capital campaign will enable us to reach more youth and provide additional programs and services. We’ll be able to decrease the digital divide and provide youth with the foundations needed to build great futures,” said George Krupanski, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware.

The Boys & Girls Clubs plans to step up its efforts in the area of educational attainment for disadvantaged youth across the state. This will be done through three major initiatives.

1. Creation of a special needs fund will allow:
   1. Educational program expansion ($1 million) focused on teens in the areas of education, college preparedness, and violence prevention.
   2. Financial assistance for low income children to participate in education based programming including the arts and sciences ($1 million).
   3. Building maintenance ($1 million).
2. Renovation of current facilities at a cost of $2.5 million. The emphasis here is for education, technology, and mentoring centers at several Club sites focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), an area which our organization has long held of particular interest.
3. A new Dover Club facility. The lease on the present location expires this year. The Boys & Girls Clubs have formed a unique public/private partnership with Kent County government to build a 30,000 square foot multi-use building with the potential to serve 10,000 additional local kids each year. The cost to be raised by the Boys & Girls Clubs is about $4.5 million, of which $2 million has already been secured by the Dover Club.

“This investment will do more than provide a safe and nurturing place for youth across our state. Over time, it also will help reduce crime in our communities. It will enable thousands of young people to develop their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and other areas. Most importantly, it will prepare them for productive lives, for careers in a digital economy, and to be positive role models to others both now and later in life,” said Martha Carper, chairman of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware.

The Capital Campaign Committee is being chaired by Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont. Other Campaign Committee members include Mark Turner, Bill Willis, Rick Downs, John Hollis, Ed Dulin, Jennings Hastings, Charles Gummey, Robert Carpenter, Martha Carper, Don Kirtley, Gregg Bacchieri, Bob Byrd, Lewis Lazarus, Peter Stone, and Mike DiLeo.

“DuPont is proud to contribute and provide leadership to the Capital Campaign,” said Kullman. “This Capital Campaign will give Boys & Girls Clubs’ youth greater access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. The future of DuPont relies on building a strong pipeline of scientists, engineers and business leaders, and the Boys & Girls Clubs can be a feeder for our company and many others if we do this right.”