Boys & Girls Clubs to offer 'Career Launch' program in Lee County

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Aug. 13, 2025 - PRLog -- The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation is providing a $100,000 grant to help Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County roll out the Career Launch program to local teens.

Career Launch, created by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, encourages club members ages 13 to 18 to assess their skills and interests, explore career options, make sound educational decisions and prepare to join the workforce. The program also includes mentoring, job shadowing and training opportunities to enhance job skills and readiness.

"Our clubs focus on helping children and teens reach their full potential, and that includes preparing them for the next level, whether they plan to enter college, the workforce or the military after graduating from high school," said Denise Gergley, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County. "The generous grant from the Schulze Family Foundation will bring Career Launch into our local clubs so teens can get a head start on their futures."

The grant supports program costs as well as scholarships for club families that are experiencing economic hardships. The Foundation's $100,000 gift doubles the grant amount it provided in 2024 to support youth enrolled in summer programs.

The Summer Enrichment Program operates at school-based, neighborhood and community club locations in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral. Boys & Girls Clubs programs are designed for youth ages six through 18 and focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation.

The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (https://www.schulzefamilyfoundation.org/) was created in 2004 by Best Buy founder, Dick Schulze, to give back to the communities where Dick and his family grew up – in Minnesota, where he built Best Buy to become the world's largest consumer electronics retailer, and in Florida, where he now maintains a permanent residence. The Schulze Family Foundation creates grant partnerships with organizations that generate meaningful results in human and social services, education, and health and medicine.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County

Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations. The nonprofit's mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. After-school and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. For more information, please visit BGClee.org or call 239-334-1886.