A major national news publication has asked me to find and refer to them a charity devoted solely to helping boys (other than Boy Scouts). There are numerous non-profit, charitable educational and recreational organizations popping up all over the country to help girls make good choices and have strong self-esteem, etc. What’s missing from public attention are similar organizations devoted to helping adolescent boys (approximately 8 to 18) make good choices, not drop out of school, etc.
I assume this secular news publication does not want to hear about a sectarian organization–that is, one with a clear confessional orientation that formally or informally restricts its help to boys of a certain faith or willing to be indoctrinated in a certain faith. It needs to be one open to everyone regardless of race, religion, etc.
There used to be “Boys Clubs” and “Big Brothers,” but these have come to include girls. It’s ironic, however, that few girls’ clubs or organizations (other than Campfire) have come to include boys.
For models of the kind of charitable organization we are looking for (but for boys) see web sites of GirlSmart (Denver) and Girls on the Run (national) and GirlStart (Austin). Virtually every city of any size has such a non-profit, charitable organization devoted to helping girls.
The problem is, of course, that boys are dropping out of school a much higher rate than girls. Boys commit suicide four times more often than girls. Newsweek magazine had a cover story about the “Boy Crisis” in American education a few years ago. But where are the non-profit organizations reaching out to boys? If you know of one, please post it here. Give its web site and address if you know it. The chosen organization will likely get free publicity in a national news publication read by millions.
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