The Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove is more than you might think. They work with over 8,500 families each year, with programs that span all ages, from “diapers to diplomas.” Their reach extends throughout central Orange County, serving the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Stanton, Cypress and Orange.
Building on the trust that the Boys & Girls Club has established in the community, the Children & Families Commission funds several club programs focused on health and school readiness for children ages 0 – 5.
ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children’s Health, Education, and Support)
The ARCHES program offers a comprehensive range of services for families with young children, from health and developmental screenings to early learning classes for children to health education and parenting classes for caregivers. Through ARCHES, families are connected to Healthy Families insurance, pediatric vision care, pediatric dental care, CHOC services, and behavioral and child and family counseling. ARCHES also has an economic opportunity component that helps families find and keep jobs, increase earnings, build savings and establish credit.
Anyone in the community may call to find out more information about resources or community services for which they are looking (714-532-7940). ARCHES Staff will research and refer families or individuals to qualifying programs.
Readiness on the Road
This free school readiness program takes its show on the road, literally. Readiness on the Road is a mobile preschool program that rotates between Boys & Girls Club sites with meaningful learning activities that build skills needed to successfully start school while educating caretakers about how to create an on-going, at-home learning environment. Readiness on the Road also provides health interventions through initial check-ups, health education and resource referrals to health service networks throughout Orange County.
Through Readiness on the Road, School Readiness Nurses conduct health screenings such as hearing, vision, and dental to identify health problems that can interfere with a child’s ability to learn. Parents also receive information and referrals from community partners, as well as the Readiness on the Road staff, for any additional health, educational, and/or social services needed.
LEAN Start
Given the growing trends of obesity and lack of physical fitness in Orange County and nationwide, the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds is a continuing passion for the Boys & Girls Clubs. LEAN Start offers a special curriculum tailored to preschoolers, helping them learn through developmentally appropriate activities about physical fitness and healthy life-style choices.
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