Through a tie-in with Beloved Benefit 2023, the donation will fund an academic program to help close the learning gap local students are still experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly 7,000 K-12 students in Atlanta will receive the benefits of an Academic Acceleration Program thanks to a $500,000 donation by Peach Bowl, Inc. to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) as part of Peach Bowl, Inc.’s involvement with The Same House’s Beloved Benefit 2023.
Between 2019 and 2022, due to COVID-19, Georgia students lost more than four months of math learning and two months of reading learning, setting them back the equivalent of nearly a full grade level. In response, Governor Kemp directed funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) to help after-school time providers like Boys & Girls Clubs, who established additional academic support programs for their members. However, those funds were exhausted in September 2023 with nearly eight months left in the academic year.
“This was a clear and obvious opportunity for us to step in and help Atlanta students in a time of need,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and president. “Supporting education at all levels has always been a priority for us, and we were not going to miss this chance to help our students catch up in their educational growth.”
The half a million dollars in funding will support the current Academic Acceleration Program that includes staffing, program implementation, materials, technology and evaluation for more than 40 academic coaches at 25 Boys & Girls Club sites around 10 Metro Atlanta counties serving nearly 7,000 students. The donation from Peach Bowl, Inc. will sustain efforts of the program through the end of the current academic year in May 2024.
“I am deeply grateful to Peach Bowl, Inc. for their generous and impactful contribution of $500,000 to support our Academic Acceleration Program,” said BGCMA President & CEO David Jernigan. “This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration between organizations committed to igniting the unlimited potential of our youth. With their support, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta will continue to provide critical resources to help close learning gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we are making a profound difference in the lives of Atlanta’s future leaders.”
Peach Bowl, Inc. has been a sponsor of Beloved Benefit, a program of The Same House, since its inception in 2019. Peach Bowl, Inc. selected Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta to receive their designated funds connected to Beloved Benefit 2023, which raised a record $8.8 million for Atlanta area nonprofits.
“We appreciate the longstanding support of Peach Bowl, Inc. in our efforts to grow and expand Beloved Benefit and The Same House,” said The Same House CEO Rodney Bullard. “They have come alongside us since day one and their support of our Beneficiaries has been tremendous and impactful for these worthwhile organizations.”
The Academic Acceleration Program provides certified teachers to serve students as academic coaches who work closely with members to identify unique needs and opportunities for growth. They use specialized technology tools and benchmark testing to track progression towards Georgia’s educational standards.
Two years into program implementation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta has tracked early outcomes highlighting notable progress and milestones. Results of benchmark testing showed that 65% of youth below grade level at the beginning of the academic term returned to grade level by the end of the term. An additional 35% showed an increase in progress toward grade level achievement.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA): For 85 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has ignited the unlimited potential of kids and teens by creating safe, inclusive, and engaging environments. Our 25 Clubs located in 10 counties across metropolitan Atlanta serves approximately 7,000 kids & teens (ages 6-18) each year, offering youth development programs during critical non-school hours that promote academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character & leadership. BGCMA also oversees Camp Kiwanis, a 160-acre outdoor residence camp. To learn more about BGCMA, follow us on social media: Twitter (@BGCMA_Clubs), Facebook (BGCMA), TikTok (BGCMAtl), LinkedIn (Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta), and Instagram (bgcmATL), or visit us online at www.bgcma.org.
About Peach Bowl, Inc.: Peach Bowl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and manages The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank national coach of the year award. It is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and is recognized as college football’s most charitable bowl organization, having donated $62 million to organizations in need since 2002.
Peach Bowl, Inc Events:
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is one of the New Year’s Six bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff including a CFP Semifinal every third year and top-ranked teams from around the country in the other two years of each three-year cycle. Over its 55 years, the game has drawn 3.2 million fans in attendance, a total television audience of 232 million viewers on ESPN, delivered $233.1 million in team payouts, and has created $840 million in direct economic impact for Atlanta and Georgia.
Our Aflac Kickoff Game is the nation’s longest-running kickoff game and has reshaped the opening weekend in college football. Over 20 games since 2008, the game has regularly hosted the nation’s top teams and has drawn 1.3 million fans, 100.4 million television viewers, distributed $117.7 million in team payouts and created an additional $564.8 million in economic impact.
The Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is the nation’s premier charity golf tournament featuring top current and former college football coaches. Hosted at the beautiful Reynolds Lake Oconee resort outside Atlanta each spring, the event has generated $9.3 million for the various foundations and charities supported by its coaches.
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank is college football’s most coveted national coaching award. Named for legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.
About The Same House: The Same House is a 21st Century community services movement that seeks to bridge society divisions and foster economic mobility in underprivileged communities. Our vision is to alleviate the differences that blind us from seeing our common need to live in a world where each of us truly has the liberty to pursue happiness. Our mission is to provide the resources that will raise the economic potential for those in need to reduce homelessness, poverty, crime and other societal ills that, in one way or another, affect everyone. Our hope is to help create a “house” where all of us can thrive and feel more connected to one another other, then no matter where we come from, each of us will go further than we ever thought possible. For more information on The Same House, visit: www.thesamehouse.org.