Yesterday, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio held a launch party to announce its plan to double the number of kids it serves. The event featured the debut of “The Land,” an original song and video featuring performances by Browns players Myles Garrett and Kareem Hunt, Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland and Olympic gold medalist Katie Nageotte. Chagrin Falls-based rapper Brit Fox and Avon Lake musician Chad Hoffman contribute the main vocals.
BGCNEO hopes to double the number of kids served by 2025, and the song and music video are designed to call attention to the campaign.
BGCNEO CEO Allen Smith said while Clubs provide a safe, fun place for kids to go after school, the organization is currently able to serve fewer than one in 10 youths who need it.
“It is our hope the community will rally in support of our kids,” Smith says in a statement. “Our model is proven and effective, but we will need additional funding to reach more kids in more places. We believe doing this will create stronger communities and dent the cycle of poverty. When they send their kids to the Club, working parents have peace of minds knowing they will be safe.”
The athletes donated their time to the project, and all three major professional sports teams — the Browns, the Cavaliers and the Guardians — were involved in the video production and in the event.
“Where else but in Cleveland could we bring together the collective power of music, all our professional sports teams and civic pride to do something so important for the kids and families of our community?” asks Geoff Tanner, a BGCNEO board member and Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer for the J.M. Smucker Co., which supported production of the song and the event.
Last year, Tanner and Smucker’s were instrumental in the launch of Opening Track, a Club program that shows kids how music can be integrated into all parts of everyday life, from exercise to academics to relaxation. The program has been a huge success and has helped connect Club kids to such institutions as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Ballet and the Cleveland Orchestra.
That aligns with BGCNEO’s plan to invest in "life-changing experiences and programs for youth."
Other speakers at the event included U.S. Rep. Shontel M. Brown, who represents the 11th Congressional District, and Sonya Pryor-Jones, Chief of Youth and Family Success for the city of Cleveland.
The Guardians’ mascot Slider, Cavs in-game entertainers and DJ Steph Floss were on hand for the event as well.
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