Social Impact Spotlight: Building Blocks

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good construction project. Building something—watching it grow from abstract pieces into a masterpiece far greater than the proverbial sum of its parts—has always been a lifelong interest of mine. That’s also why the John Jordan Foundation has invested in the construction of several support centers that provide services to our most disadvantaged youth.

This year, we begin an ambitious construction project for an organization whose roots run deeper in the Healdsburg community than Jordan’s 50 years. Since 1944, the Boys & Girls Club has provided hope and opportunity for four generations of Healdsburg youth. Its clubhouse on Piper Street is central to the organization’s mission—a safe, positive place that has kept its doors open daily to kids for 78 years, helping local children reach their full potential with nourishment and enrichment. Today, more than 23,000 free meals are served to kids and more than 180 high-quality learning programs are provided in Healdsburg annually.

Like all successful organizations, the Healdsburg Boys & Girls Club believes that ongoing investments in its facilities, its programs and its people are essential to achieving their mission of enabling all young people—especially those who need it most—to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Just as Jordan has been undergoing renovations throughout the winery on the eve of our golden anniversary, the Healdsburg Boys & Girls Club wants to undertake a massive remodel of its space before its 80th anniversary in 2024. The goal is to bring this community mainstay into the 21st century in terms of design, functionality, technology and programs to address the breadth of services needed to help kids thrive in today’s complex world.

As rewarding as building things is, construction is not cheap, especially in California. The price tag for this state-of-the-art facility is estimated at $10 million. In the spring of 2021, the John Jordan Foundation pledged $1.5 million as the lead gift in the campaign to make this dream a reality, and a capital campaign is underway to raise the remaining funds needed to build the organization’s dream clubhouse. The John Jordan Foundation Boys & Girls Clubhouse will break ground in 2022 and open in early 2024. Together, we will bring high-tech labs to Healdsburg kids, building life-long learners and future leaders, as well as a commercial kitchen, a renovated gymnasium and vibrant art studios where kids will explore their limitless creativity. All of these spaces combine to create a healthy environment with life-long benefits to those who utilize the club. Although we’ve been officially investing in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin since 2012 when our foundation was established, it’s exciting to be working together for the first time on building something—a place that is truly life-changing for the kids who walk through its doors.