HOW TO HELP

GIVING

It is often said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It’s true for a Boys & Girls Club, too. It takes a village to sustain services that benefit hundreds of “children who need us most”, and we need your help. If you are willing to care for and invest in kids, there are a number of ways you can assist.

Support us

Fundraise for us

Organize your own fundraiser to help support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Illinois.

For more information contact:

Donate By Check

If you wish to mail out a check, please make it out to:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Illinois.
PO Box 3092
Carbondale, IL 62902

Donate Online

In-Kind Giving

  • Copy paper
  • Pens (Blue & Black)
  • Tape
  • Mailing envelopes
  • Manilla folders
  • Paints 
  • Paint brushes
  • Colored pencils
  • Construction paper
  • Drawing paper
  • Card stock (various colors)
  • Poster board (various colors)
  • rafts beads (assortment pack)
  • Markers
  • Fabric markers and fabric paint
  • Glue sticks & scissors 
  • Craft kits (Bracelet making, Origami, etc.)
  • Garbage can liners (all sizes)
  • Vacuum cleaner and bags
  • Entry-way and area rugs
  • Push brooms
  • Straight brooms
  • All-purpose cleaners and disinfectants
  • Window cleaner
  • Ice melt
  • Snow shovels

 

  • Xbox games
  • PS4 games
  • Nintendo Switch
  • Guitar Here (including Instruments)
  • Extra controllers (for all consoles)
  • Just Dance games
  • Outdoor basketball hoop
  • Volleyballs
  • Soccer nets
  • Soccer balls
  • Footballs
  • Sprinkler
  • Frisbees
  • Hula Hoops
  • Indoor Equipment
  • Indoor basketball hoop
  • Foam dodgeballs
  • Jump ropes
  • Tower Garden supplies
    • Seeds 
    • Starter plants
    • Nutrients
    • Seed pods
  • Child-size gardening gloves
  • Watering cans
  • Magnifying Glasses (Plant & Bug observation)
  • Teen appropriate room decorations
  • Bean bag chairs
  • Teen appropriate room furniture
  • Colored stringed lights
  • Fat heads decals (celebrities or Marvel heroes)
  • Sporting goods and equipment
  • Game room supplies
1. Building Exterior Improvements
Paint & Surface Preparation
  • Exterior masonry paint (blue accent color)
  • Exterior wood stain or cedar-tone paint
  • Concrete primer/sealer
  • Pressure washer
  • Painter’s tape
  • Paint rollers, brushes, and trays
  • Exterior caulk/sealant
  • Sandpaper and surface scrapers
Doors & Trim
  • Commercial exterior door paint (BGCA blue)
  • Vinyl logo decals or custom printed graphics
  • Aluminum or metal trim paint
  • Door hardware refresh kits

2. Landscaping Materials
Flower Bed Construction
  • Landscape edging (metal, rubber, or stone)
  • Commercial-grade weed barrier fabric
  • Premium black or dark brown mulch
  • Topsoil and garden soil
  • Compost and fertilizer
Plants & Flowers (Suggested)
Ornamental Grasses
  • Fountain Grass
  • Blue Fescue
  • Maiden Grass
Seasonal Color
  • Yellow Marigolds
  • Black-Eyed Susans
  • Petunias
  • Salvia
  • Coneflowers
  • Lantana
  • Impatiens
  • Begonias
Shrubs
  • Small evergreen shrubs
  • Boxwoods
  • Dwarf Arborvitae

3. Concrete Play Area Graphics
Playground Paint

Heavy-duty traffic marking paint or concrete paint in:

  • Blue
  • Red
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • White
Stencils & Graphics
  • Hopscotch stencil
  • Circle game stencil
  • Pathway stencil
  • Educational activity graphics
  • Custom playground graphics
Application Supplies
  • Concrete cleaner/degreaser
  • Paint sprayer
  • Paint rollers
  • Chalk line
  • Measuring tape
  • Painter’s tape

4. Lighting & Exterior Fixtures
  • Exterior wall-mounted LED lighting
  • Landscape spotlights
  • Solar pathway lights

  •  
5. Irrigation & Maintenance Equipment
  • Garden hoses
  • Drip irrigation kits
  • Sprinkler timers
  • Pruning shears
  • Leaf blower
  • Garden rake

6. Landscape Edging
Recommended Materials
  • Black landscape edging
  • Commercial-grade metal edging
Estimated Quantity

Quantity to be determined based on final bed dimensions and installation layout.


7. Weed Barrier Fabric
Recommended Materials
  • Commercial-grade woven landscape fabric
Estimated Quantity

Based on total landscaped bed coverage.


8. Mulch
Recommended Materials
  • Premium black hardwood mulch
  • Premium dark brown mulch
Estimated Quantity

Approximately 8–12 cubic yards

Coverage

Applied at a depth of 2–3 inches throughout all planting beds.

Bag Equivalent

Approximately 130–180 bags (2 cubic feet each)


9. Optional Enhancement Opportunities
Branding & Community Engagement
  • Boys & Girls Club signage
  • Decorative planters
  • Outdoor benches
  • Flagpole
  • Outdoor learning stations
  • Nature education displays
Safety & Durability
  • Non-slip concrete sealant
  • Security cameras
  • Outdoor trash receptacles