OXNARD, Calif., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study finds that for every dollar spent at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, four dollars are saved. 'The Economic Impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme on the Community: A Study of the Return in Investing in Our Children,' measures the amount saved by investing in children early to avoid paying for future social programs.
'We have shown that unlike a business investment, this means we will pay many folds in the future by wasting this opportunity,' said Jamshid Damooei, PhD, who conducted the study and is chair of the department of economics, finance and accounting at California Lutheran University.
The report measured teen pregnancy rates; high school graduation rates; conflict avoidance; improved self-esteem; better job preparation and community involvement.
Oxnard's teen pregnancy rate is three times the national average--for girls at the Boys & Girls Clubs studied, the rate is zero. Savings: $166,000 annually and nearly $8 million over the lifetime of a woman who did not become a teenage mom.
As for crime prevention, the arrest rate of youth at the Boys & Girls Club is 4 percent, one-third of the rate for Ventura County. For youth who participated in the Boys & Girls Club at the Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center, the repeat crime rate is 9 percent. The national rate is 60 percent. Savings to the community: $26,987,000.
Nationally, the high school graduation rate is 80 percent--Oxnard's is 62 percent. At the Boys & Girls Club, it is 96 percent. This saves the community $2,500,000 each year for adults entering the labor market with a diploma.
'As a nonprofit, we ensure that our programs make a difference in the lives of the people in our area,' said Tim Blaylock, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme. 'This report spells out the economic impact of this kind of intervention on our community.'
Full report: www.positiveplace4kids.org.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme has three full-service clubs, 20 school sites and one housing site and is one of the largest groups of its kind in California, serving 7,200 members annually.
SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme
