Empowering Futures: Our Initiative to Ensure Every Child in the Corridor Thrives!
Unlocking the Future is a Capital Campaign to build a stand-alone Boys & Girls Club on the Southeast side of Cedar Rapids on Washington Ave. We are grateful to First Congregational United Church of Christ for housing our South Unit for nearly 20 years and look forward to continuing our partnership with them through community outreach.
We've got progress at the site of our new Busse Unit! After COVID, supply chain snags, and a shortage of skilled workers threw some curveballs our way, causing delays and pushing our timeline back a ways, we are thrilled to share that we broke ground at the end of September. Construction crews are now finishing putting in the footings and foundation. Next spring, brick laying will begin and the major construction phase will officially kick off! We're now estimating that we’ll be ready to open the doors to the Busse Unit and begin serving kids in early 2025.
Once our Busse Unit opens, Club membership and programming will expand significantly by providing the following:
- A safe haven for an additional 300 Cedar Rapids children and teens not currently served, doubling the number of youth we serve organization-wide
- Dedicated rooms for our six core program areas
- Specialized programming for teens in a Teen Center
- Increased number of free healthy meals served annually
- Additional Club time for our members
- Rental space for sports leagues & community gatherings
Unlocking the Future Addresses Key Club Challenges
A Dedicated Space for Each of Our Six Core Program Areas
Once complete, our new Busse Unit will provide modern, dedicated spaces for each of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridors' six core initiatives: Education & Technology, Workforce Readiness, Character & Leadership, The Arts, Health & Wellness, and Sports & Recreation. These thoughtfully designed programs will serve as vibrant hubs for learning and personal development, fostering an environment where young people can thrive.
The new spaces will not only empower Corridor youth to engage in a variety of enriching experiences, but they will also facilitate the acquisition of valuable skills essential to ensuring their future success. By participating in these programs, young individuals will cultivate a stronger sense of self and community, preparing them to navigate challenges and seize opportunities as they move forward in life.
Gymnasium Designed to Keep Club Kids Engaged in Fun, Physical Activities
Kids and teens join the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor to play and have fun. The newly built gymnasium will host a diverse range of programs focused on enhancing physical fitness, encouraging constructive leisure activities, and teaching effective stress management techniques.
The Busse Unit gymnasium provides Club members with the opportunity to embrace their playful nature and engage in various activities such as basketball, dodgeball, running, and more. It’s genuinely a space where kids can simply be kids!
STEAM Lab, Music Studio, Career Academy & More
Providing Opportunities for Kids to Learn New Skills
Our Education & Technology initiative is specifically designed to ensure that all Club kids graduate from high school on time. We are committed not only to their academic success but also to equipping them with the skills necessary for a post-secondary education.
Furthermore, our program actively prepares them for a 21st-century career, encompassing essential competencies such as critical thinking, digital literacy, and adaptability. By integrating technology into our curriculum and providing mentorship opportunities, we strive to empower our youth to thrive in an ever-evolving workforce and contribute positively to their communities.
A Specialized Area & Programs Designed for Teens
Our goal is to create a welcoming and safe environment where teens can step away from the pressures of school and daily routines. Here, they can destress, engage with one-another, make new friends, and truly be themselves, fostering both social connections and personal growth in a supportive atmosphere.
The new Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridors' Busse Unit will include a space specifically designed for teens to unwind and have fun.
Teaching Kitchen Empowering Kids With Cooking Skills & Healthy Habits
The Busse Unit includes a dedicated teaching kitchen which will promote and support our Chef's Club activities where kids learn to cook healthy meals and learn healthy food habits. All kids should have the opportunity to learn to cook a basic healthy meal. Club staff and volunteers lead Chef's Club activities that enable kids to make simple recipes using healthy ingredients.
Our Health & Wellness program supports mental well-being, inspires positive behaviors, promotes goal-setting, and helps develop self-sufficiency in Club kids.
Two Game Rooms to Allow Kids to Unwind & Enjoy Themselves
In line with our commitment to encouraging children to make positive use of their leisure time and equip them with strategies to manage life's stresses, the new game rooms will showcase an array of thrilling recreational activities, including pool, foosball, video gaming, and an assortment of board games.
These game rooms will provide a fun and engaging atmosphere for all Club members, functioning as a valuable resource for teaching and fostering essential social and interpersonal skills.
Acknowledging Our Lead Donors for Backing Our Capital Campaign Fundraising Endeavors
Lavern T. & Audrey Busse Foundation
Hall-Perrine Foundation
Linn County
City of Cedar Rapids
John & Cindy Bloomhall
Chris & Suzy De Wolf
Wayne & Nan Kocourek
John & Dyan Smith
Jared & Carol Hills
Kings Material/Charlie Rohde
MidAmerican Energy
New Leader Manufacturing
Brimmer Foundation
Transamerica Foundation
Terry & Marjorie Bjornsen
Optimist Club of Cedar Rapids,
Tuesday Noon
TrueNorth/Duane Smith
GreenState Credit Union
Gary & Cathy Rosek
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
Patrick & Malora Cosgrove
ITC Midwest
United Fire Group
World Class Industries
Bill & Rocki Shepard
Crescent Janko Foundation
F & M Bank
ImOn Communications
Don & Bobbi Kaas
Tim & Ann Kortemeyer
Mcleod Charitable Foundation
Dawn Orr
Schimberg Co.
Variety - the Children's Charity
Campaign Committee Members
A huge thank you to our campaign executive committee for their work to secure over $10 million in support of our campaign.
Charlie Rohde (Campaign Chair)
Patrick Cosgrove
Mike Foley
Tim Kortemeyer
Doug Neumann
Kenn Nye
Dale Todd
Rev. Melanie Van Weelden
Discover More Ways You Can Help the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor
Membership Inquiries: abrown@inmyclub.org
Marketing Inquiries: shoeger@inmyclub.org
420 6th St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
