Boys & Girls Clubs of America offer free membership Published Dec. 5, 2013 ATLANTA -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America has launched the Youth Outreach Wounded Warrior Initiative. This initiative provides no-cost annual club memberships to dependents of veterans who have served during the Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign and have been declared wounded, ill or injured. This initiative is in partnership with USAA Federal Savings Bank. Since 2001, more than 2.5 million service members have been deployed to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the young men and women who have served as guardians of America's freedom are also guardians and parents of thousands of military youth. Some of these parents made the ultimate sacrifice and thousands of others bear mental and physical wounds of war. Although each child's experience is unique as they transition from military to civilian life, cope with the death of a parent or learn to live with a parent with mental illness, the experience can be confusing, lonely and scary if the proper supports are not in place. Many of these children need the support of caring adults during their transition to a new normal that involves the most complex circumstances they have ever had to face. "For children with wounded, ill and injured parents, the stress and anxiety of parental deployment doesn't end when the military member returns home," said Terrill Wicks, national vice president of military and outreach services for BGCA. "Boys and Girls Clubs create opportunity by providing an additional positive and supportive network for military youth." For more than 100 years, BGCA has helped young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated youth centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. Clubs provide a safe place with caring adult mentors, fun, friendship and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the club saved their lives. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America at http://www.bgca.org/, bgca.org/Facebook and bgca.org/twitter. (Courtesy of BGCA)