Next up in our #GCFGrantStories series is Community Grant recipient Shelldale Family Gateway, which received funding for its youth Volleyball Program.
Shelldale Family Gateway is a non-profit, charitable organization that aims to enrich the quality of life for everyone it serves. Its respectful and multicultural approach strives to meet the needs of its diverse community, offering programs and support for children, youth, and their families.
The idea for a youth Volleyball Program came from the youth at Shelldale. After expressing their interest, the Child and Youth Supervisor made a point to observe games on several different afternoons and early evenings to ascertain potential. Satisfied with the observations, she made a specific request to the Executive Director for funding. The organization’s Children and Youth Programs are funded entirely through grants and fundraising, so the Shelldale team told us that being able to respond quickly to an expressed need was very exciting!
Once the team had the necessary indoor equipment, volleyball was scheduled thrice weekly. The youth were informed and made a real effort to get out and play. Teens attended regularly, enjoyed playing and significantly improved their skill levels. The team also leveraged the assistance they received and applied to Jumpstart charities, who helped provide additional volleyball equipment to make for a complete program.
It was such a big success that next year Shelldale plans to extend the program to offer volleyball games for whole families to enjoy!
