TOLLESTON OPPORTUNITY CAMPUS GROUNDBREAKING COMMEMORATES

KICKOFF OF TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT

APRIL 23, 2025, Gary, Ind. –– Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana

(BGCGNWI) proudly announces the groundbreaking of the Tolleston Opportunity

Campus, a community resource center designed to expand services and better support

the needs of the entire Gary community. The collaborative development project is being

brought to life through a strategic partnership with the City of Gary, Dean and Barbara

White Family Foundation, Crossroads YMCA, Methodist Hospitals, and BGCGNWI, and

with the help of building partners Berglund Construction and Powers & Sons

Construction.

The groundbreaking took place at the current home of the John Will Anderson Gary

Boys & Girls Club, which will soon include both Methodist Health and YMCA facilities.

The innovative partnership is infusing $30 million into this new Tolleston Opportunity

Campus to enhance services and resources for the residents of Gary.

The event was attended by a wide cross-section of stakeholders and community

members, including Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, Councilwoman Mary Brown,

Congressman Frank J. Mrvan, Heather Ennis, president and CEO of the Northwest

Indiana Forum, and representatives from the City of Gary, Dean and Barbara White

Family Foundation, project partners, and many others.

During her address to attendees, Beth White, trustee of the Dean and Barbara White

Family Foundation, announced that the foundation is presenting a $5 million match

grant to help fully complete the project, which requires an additional $10 million, and

invited other partners to rise to the challenge to meet this goal.

When completed in 2026, The Campus will serve as a hub of health, wellness,

education, and recreation, featuring amenities such as a multi-purpose gymnasium,

swimming pool, wellness center, child development center, teaching kitchen, community

spaces, and more. The Best Buy Teen Tech Center housed within the Club will also

undergo an expansion.

“We are thrilled to begin this new chapter in our journey to better serve not just the

youth of Gary, but their families, friends and neighbors,” said Mike Jessen, president

and CEO at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. “Three purpose-driven

PRESS RELEASE

organizations are coming together for a Greater Gary, aiming to create a positive impact

for thousands of Club kids. This awe-inspiring collaboration is set to make a significant

difference in the community.”

Among the roster of speakers was former Club kid Marcus Steele, who delivered

remarks on behalf of BGCGNWI about the project’s incredible community impact. Steele

became a John Will Anderson Gary Club kid in 2013, and in 2021 was one of six

finalists in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year competition. He

now serves as program director at the same Club where his journey began, mentoring

and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

In his speech that garnered a standing ovation, Steele shared, “This place didn’t just

give me an opportunity; it gave me a platform. It didn’t just give me a job; it gave me

purpose. It didn’t just shape who I am; it helped me discover who I could become. Now,

we have the chance to pass that same opportunity on to the next young person, the

next dreamer, the next leader who just needs someone to believe in them. The Tolleston

Opportunity Campus isn’t just a new beginning, it’s a continuation of everything this

building has meant to me, to this community, and to every child who walks through

these doors.”

For more information on Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana programs and

services, visit bgcgreaternwi.org.

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About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana provides safe and enriching

environments for young people, offering programs focused on academic success,

character and leadership development, and healthy lifestyles. Serving over 8,000 youth

annually throughout Lake and Porter Counties, the organization is committed to

ensuring that every child has the opportunity to realize their full potential as productive,

responsible and caring citizens.