History

The St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club (The Club), initially “The Boy’s Club”, was started to provide the youth of EPA a safe place to go after school in 2003 when Fr. Lawrence Goode became pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church. During Fr. Goode’s first six months at the parish, more than 50 shootings took place on the streets of East Palo Alto (EPA) between July and December of ‘03. Pastor Hartley, along with other community pastors and Council Woman Pat Foster, invited Fr. Goode to start a boys club similar to the Girls Club of the Mid- Peninsula.

Through the generous donation of two portables, ten computers and Fr. Goode’s vision and commitment, The Boy’s Club was established. Throughout the years, The Club has evolved from simply offering a safe place to keep youth off the streets of EPA, to a thriving organization aimed at providing various services and resources to youth and their families. In 2007 The Club transitioned from a “boy’s club” to a “youth club”, creating a co-ed environment and increasing the number of youth served on a daily basis. Currently the Club offers year-around programming for youth at no cost to them or their families.

The schools located in EPA constantly deal with issues concerning underperforming academic achievement, expanding and improving after-school opportunities for the community youth, and violence prevention and deterrence in EPA. East Palo Alto has an unenviable reputation for crime and poverty, a reputation well deserved during the 1980’s and early 1990s (in 1992, the city had the highest per-capita murder rate in the country with 42 murders). Many of our families experience chronic stress and worry. Parents attribute their concerns to both local crimes such as burglary, use of weapons, the sounds of bullet shots, as well as to social disorder issues such as the presence of graffiti, teen gangs, drugs, and racial divisions. Many of the youth that come to The Club are exposed to these forms of violence daily.

The Club is dedicated to expanding and improving the after-school opportunities for East Palo Alto (EPA) youth. The Club’s vision is that all EPA youth have the opportunity to participate in high-quality, comprehensive, structured, supervised and enriching after-school activities. The Club seeks to support new and expanded programming that will have high and clearly articulated expectations for The Club’s members. These programs will focus on four elements:

• SAFETY; Providing a prevention-oriented SAFE PLACE that is an alternative to the community’s pervasive, self-destructive activities, where youth can spend their after-school hours when parents and/or guardians are not at home;
  
  
• ACADEMICS; Providing an academic learning environment for youth to do their homework, receive tutoring, acquire computer competency - targeted at increasing academic success;
  
  
• PHYSICAL/MENTAL HEALTH; Providing a comprehensive athletic program, while building character, positive self-esteem, and an overall sound mental health.
  
  
• RECREATION & EXPOSURE; Provide opportunities for youth to participate in enriching activities and exposure to new recreational events that enhance their overall development;

Our goal is to develop, enhance, and sustain a comprehensive after-school and summer program that promotes the physical, emotional, social, and academic development of EPA youth.