Denver Boys & Girls Clubs offer safe space to pursue dreams

CBS Colorado hosts it's annual Together for Colorado Toy Drive to make sure that children in underserved neighborhoods get a toy during the holidays. Boys & Girls Clubs serve the Metro Areas neighborhoods with the lowest resources, so the toys collected during the Toy Drive go to the clubs. 

"The holidays at Boys & Girls Clubs are a place where we can ensure that every kid gets to be a kid and participate in the joy of the season," said Erin Porteous, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. 

The clubs serve children from kindergarten through high school graduation. In some cases, members get their first job at the club. 

"I love it here," Znayah, a 17-year-old club member. 

Znayah is new to the Boys & Girls Club. She became a member last summer. Now she is a work-based learner, which makes her a part-time employee. 

"It's nice. It makes me feel good. I feel like the kids can talk to me and a lot of them have called me their favorite and stuff," she told CBS News Colorado. 

Her duties include checking in members who want dinner, while her mother serves up the meals. Every one of the Boys & Girls Clubs serve a hot meal in the afternoon. They want to make sure each member has the chance to eat before they go home.

 Znayah also organizes the members for tournaments and games. 

"I think I've learned how to better communication and to have more patience with children, you know and learn their likes," she explained. 

The high school senior is soaking up all the experience she can because she hopes to go to college and get a doctoral degree in psychology. 

"I just feel like I'm a really good person to talk to. I feel like I can hold a good conversation, you know, make people smile, make their day better," Znayah said. 

8-year-old Zipporah is not afraid to dream big when it comes to her future plans. 

"I want to be a singer, hairstylist, and design and sew dresses when I'm older," she told CBS News Colorado. "I also want to be a vet because I love animals."

"Like Barbie," she said with a laugh. "Barbie has all the jobs, like 300 some jobs."

Zipporah is a top reader at her Boys & Girls Club. 

"I love reading because I could always learn new words from the book with help from a grown-up," she explained. 

The 3rd grader meets all of her reading goals, and she even helps some of the younger members reach their goals. 

"I do like making people happy inside and outside...having people get a smile on their face," she said. 

Everyone could use a friend like that. A lot of the Boys & Girls Club members say that making new friends is one of the benefits of being a member. But they also like the wide variety of activities that they have access to when they're at the club. 

"A few weeks ago, I was on the Boys & Girls Club football team...tackle...we won some few games," said Makai, a 10-year-old member. 

"People can just chill here and be apart of the community," said 12-year-old Adrian. "They teach us how to be respectful to our club members."

LINK: Together for Colorado Toy Drive

The Together for Colorado Toy Collection Day is Thursday, December 12, 2024. Michelle Griego, Brian Flores, Karen Leigh, and Michael Spencer will be collecting toys at the King Soopers at Colorado & Yale from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Your Reporter in Aurora, Tori Mason, will be at the Smoky Hill Marketplace King Soopers from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Your Reporter in Douglas County, Olivia Young, will be at the store on S. University Blvd. in Highlands Ranch from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Your Reporter in Jefferson County, Andrew Haubner and Karen Morfitt, will be at the King Soopers at Bel Mar from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Your Reporter in Adams County, Gabriela Vidal, will be at the new King Soopers in Thornton from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.