The Roy W. Roberts, II Watts/ Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club recently announced that it has received a $50,000 grant from Union Bank of California, N.A. The grant will support a wide range of programs as the organization enters its 50th year of uninterrupted community service to the youth of Compton, Watts, Willowbrook and South Los Angeles.
The club provides services to over 1,500 boys and girls, ages seven through 18 with a mission “to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”
Incorporated in 1957 by the Los Angeles Times and a group of concerned citizens, it was originally known as the Southern Area Boys Club but soon began to accept girls as members. Its summer camp provides programs to an average of 400 youth per day.
“For the past 26 years Union Bank has been a strong partner with the club. We are pleased to continue the relationship and assist these young men and women with the resources necessary to excel and go on to college, if they choose,” said Carl Ballton, head of the Union Bank Foundation. “Our grant will support integrated programs of physical activity, art and culture, health education, leadership skills and academic support.”
As part of the club’s celebration of its half-century commitment to these communities, it is holding an event on June 14 at the California African American Museum: “50 years of making a Difference Every Day.” Honorees for the event will be the club’s founding organization, the Los Angeles Times; and Clifton L. Johnson, vice president with Union Bank and former president and longtime member of the Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.
Established in 1953, the Union Bank of California Foundation serves as an agent for charitable contributions made by Union Bank of California, N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of UnionBanCal Corporation, a publicly traded San Francisco-based bank holding company. The foundation contributes financial assistance to nonprofit institutions and organizations that enhance the quality of life and help meet the needs of the communities it serves.