Inside the Club - August 2026 Newsletter
The year seems to be flying by — summer is already coming to an end while another academic year is right around the corner! We can barely wrap our heads around it all!
July was filled with so much to be proud of and with the help of our wonderful supporters and partners we did so much! Our kids discovered new worlds through our Summer Camp field trips, we helped prepare them for the new academic school year, celebrated their triumphs all while we trained our staff to better serve our communities.
We cannot thank you enough!
Come along as we commemorate this month through photos, a lovely chat with our partner, Moss Bros., and a spotlight of our new Director of Redlands, Cielo Benavides.
Did You See?
Photos From Around the Club
With our field trips, end of summer camp Bikini Bottom Bash, back-to-school shopping spree, and Staff Conference we’ve been busy! Take a look at pictures from around the club.
Summer Camp: For the past 7 weeks, our kids let their imaginations run free with STEM and arts and crafts activities while they engaged in sports and healthy living. They also discovered new passions and new worlds and made lifelong memories.
Backpacks Filled to the Brim: As part of our efforts to prepare our Club Kids for the academic year, we partnered with SoCal Gas to offer backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials to 200 youth.
Great Futures Starts with Us Conference: We held our first-ever Youth Development Professional conference where we brought 1,000 YDPs together for a day full of learning and connection. The energy in the room was unmatched as our team mastered new skills and heard powerful stories from Boys & Girls Clubs alumni and staff.
Little Halos take on T-Ball: Our TK and kindergarteners transformed into little halos with the help of the Los Angeles Angels! The team outfitted our kids with fantastic new gear and soon enough they hit the field.
Driving Change with Moss Bros.
IFor over a century, Moss Bros. Auto Group has been a pillar of the Inland Empire. And here at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside, we are beyond honored to call this iconic local family a partner in our mission!
Though our partnership is just getting started, Moss Bros. has already made an incredible impact. From supporting our annual Gala to becoming shopping buddies at our Kohl’s Back-to-School Shopping Spree, their dedication to our youth is inspiring.
"Moss Bros. Auto Group is proud to invest in BGCGRR," said G.L. Moss, on behalf of the Moss family. "We partnered with the Club because we believe there is nothing more powerful than giving someone who wants to better themselves the tools to do it: a safe place to go, a mentor to guide them, a meal to share, and someone who will simply listen. Every time the Club opens its blue doors, it opens a door to a better future. Our family has called this community home for over a century, and we are honored to stand behind an organization that helps young people build great futures of their own."
Partnering with a group so deeply rooted in strengthening our community allows us to dream bigger and reach farther every single day.
"Moss Bros. came in with incredible energy and heart right from the start," said Jessica Brown, BGCGRR Vice President of Resource Development. "Their generosity has been a game-changer for our Club, allowing us to expand our reach and to serve even more kids and families across the region with critical support services."
Thank you, Moss Bros. Auto Group, for driving real change in the Inland Empire and standing behind our kids!
From Classroom to Director: Celebrating Cielo Benavides!
Ever met someone who is just a natural fit for what they do? That’s Cielo Benavides in a nutshell.
And we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate her latest milestone as our new Director of Program Services! In her new role, Cielo oversees seven sites across the Redlands School District, including five elementary and two middle schools, ensuring our programs run smoothly.
Her journey with us started the way it does for so many on our team: unexpectedly, and in the classrooms. Back when she was working retail at Kohl's, a need for a second source of income and a quick Google search led her to an open spot at Victoria Elementary in Riverside. Within no time, she was leading energetic first and second graders as a Youth Development Specialist.
From there, she stepped in at the Hansberger Clubhouse for what was supposed to be a temporary summer gig, but she quickly became a permanent part of the Club's culture.
As her passion grew, so did her ambition — leading her to step up as Site Coordinator and eventually became the Unit Manager for Hansberger—or as our Club kids called her, "the principal." For three years, Cielo set the standard and laid the foundation for growth at the Clubhouse. While those halls will miss her daily presence immensely, everyone is thrilled to see her step into this next chapter.
"I’m excited to be able to take this path, to grow and learn in my position," Cielo said. "This is a great opportunity to collaborate with my peers in a different way and see things in a new perspective."
Remarkably, while running programs at our sites, Cielo was also working toward her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Cal State San Bernardino, driven by a personal mission to connect young people with resources and opportunities they might not otherwise have. She credits organizational leaders like Chief Operating Officer Montrice Lasley-Shabete and Director of Operations Teresa Medina for keeping her grounded and constantly empowering her to pursue her career goals.
"Working with kids has been a long-time passion of mine," Cielo said. "They are our next generation of leaders and having a little part of their future means a lot to me. There are long and hard days, but the lives and people that I’ve encountered mean more than all of that. You don’t realize that even if you leave a place, you left a footprint there."
Cielo is a shining example of how our organization invests in our team members, giving them the tools and support they need to thrive. We can't wait to see the incredible footprint she leaves in her new role!
Filling Closets and Backpacks
We just hosted our annual Back-to-School Shopping Event at Kohl’s in Redlands and Riverside where 120 youth picked out $200 worth of brand-new clothes and shoes, completely tax free!
Funded by partners like Moss Bros., the Kiwanis Clubs of Redlands, San Bernardino and Riverside, the Starbucks Foundation, and Children’s Fund, this event goes far beyond a regular backpack drive. Community members stepped in as personal shopping buddies and guided each child through to store to select new outfits and sneakers that suit their individual needs and personal style.
In conjunction to clothes shopping, we also hosted a backpack drive with SoCal Gas and the Ross Distribution Center of Moreno Valley. About 200 of our kids were able to choose a backpack filled with back-to-school essentials like notebooks, pencils, markers, and so much more.
As everyday costs rise, families are feeling it more than ever with back-to-school budgets skyrocketing to average nearly $490 per child. We want to ensure that families are not breaking the bank just to send their children off to school.
In the News
Coming up at the Clubouse
Day for Kids
Join us in this FREE, carnival-style celebration, complete with delicious food, music, entertainment, fun activities, and a fantastic resource fair.
Saturday, Sept. 19 | 10am - 2pm
Day of the Girl
Celebrate International Day of the Girl and invest in the next generation of female leaders with this mentorship event that connects girls with local influential women from across industries.
Wednesday, Oct. 14
As we head into a new season, we are excited to walk alongside our Club Kids on their journeys to greater futures. We are looking forward to all the great things this year will have to offer — we have so much in store!
I invite you to keep an eye out and stay close to the wonder. Our doors are always open or grab a spot at one of our upcoming events. Your support means the world to our staff and our kids.
Thank you for sticking with us!
Warmly,
Michael Wells
Chief Executive Officer