For youth temporarily living in a DC shelter for homeless families, the Hope 2 Opportunity (H2O) initiative serves as a gateway to high-quality fun and enrichment for three hours a day, Monday through Friday. From karate and chess to homework help and character development sessions, the H2O program offers a variety of activities for up to 75 youth ages 6-18 at The Richard England Clubhouse 14, located in Northeast Washington.
The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation (The Trust) partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to launch H2O, which allows youth to spend time with their peers in an enriching environment while keeping them engaged, learning and having fun. As featured on WAMU 88.5 FM on June 10, H2O will continue through the summer, providing overnight camp opportunities to youth under 12 for one week at BGCGW’s 168-acre Camp Brown in Southern Maryland. Teens will have the chance to participate in one weekend camp stay.
Youth participating in the program are transported from the emergency shelter at DC General Hospital to the site by passenger van, thanks to the generous support of the Department of Human Services. By joining the Boys & Girls Club, the young people will automatically be members of the club in any neighborhood in the District, anchoring them to their new community when they transition to stable housing.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, BGCGW’s parent company, will match The Trust’s $35,000 for a grant totaling $70,000 allocated to H20 activities and programming.
"We applaud the Trust and BGCGW for taking the initiative to provide fun and meaningful after-school activities for youth at the Family Emergency Shelter,” said Department of Human Services Director Clarence H. Carter. “Thanks to this partnership, youth from the shelter will have an exciting new opportunity to participate in high-quality programming and enrich their lives in a safe, nurturing space."