A day-long telethon on Thursday, Sept. 26 on WKYC Studios will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (BGCNEO), which announced in August it had to close 22 of the 49 area clubs in August because of federal funding cuts, according to BGCNEO communications manager Ken Wood.

Then, earlier this month, unspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and pandemic relief dollars were reallocated to BGCNEO, allowing the organization to keep open five clubs slated for closure. But the Boys & Girls Clubs is still hoping to reopen the 17 remaining closed clubs.

So, WKYC Studios is hosting the Boys & Girls Clubs Day of Giving 2024, sponsored by Oswald Companies, to raise additional money for BGCNEO during the daylong telethon.

Club programs will be featured throughout the day and viewers can donate by phone, online, or through text.

Each donation of $25 or more will automatically enter the donor in a drawing for two premium tickets to any Ohio State University football home game or any Cleveland Browns home game, except the Nov. 21 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Winners will be notified following the telethon.

WKYC Studios has been a longtime partner of BGCNEO. In addition to sponsoring the telethon, Oswald Companies is making a $10,000 donation to BGCNEO.

“Oswald Companies is proud to support this telethon to benefit BCGNEO,” Oswald chairman and CEO Robert J. Klonk said in a statement. “We encourage the community to take part and help restore needed staffing and services.”

WKYC president and general manager Micki Byrnes added in a statement, “We’re honored to partner with the Clubs and Oswald to help better serve the amazing kids of Cleveland.”

BGCNEO CEO Allen Smith said even with a smaller footprint, the organization will be able to serve additional kids this fall by increasing capacity at sites that are now limited by staff size.

Smith said he hopes viewers tune in to see what the Clubs provide for kids and families.

“We are so grateful for the commitment Oswald Companies and WKYC Studios have shown for the kids in our community during this challenging time,” he said in a statement. “I hope folks will be inspired not just by the programming we offer but also by the generosity of those who support our Clubs.”

Boys & Girls Clubs provide safe, fun places for kids ages six through 18 to go to after school, with a focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and leadership. There is no charge to join a Club.

Even thought the loss of funding reduced the number of kids BGCNEO can serve in Cleveland this school year,  Wood says the organization remains committed to reaching as many kids as possible by increasing the now-limited capacities at existing sites or by reopening Clubs that were closed.

Wood stresses that new sources of revenue are crucial to ensuring that youth continue to have access to programs that offer academic support, life skills, and more, all within a safe and nurturing environment.

“We are hopeful that the upcoming telethon will not only raise awareness of BGCNEO’s vital work but also attract new donors and volunteers who have not previously supported our cause,” Smith said in his statement.