Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County was awarded a $55,000 grant from the Taco Bell Foundation to bolster the ambitions of youth in Fresno.

The grant will be allocated to after-school programs that concentrate on career and college preparation, mentorship, and supplying stipends for teens’ first jobs.

These programs are designed to educate and embolden the next generation, officials said.

“Our partnership with Taco Bell has a huge ripple effect in our community because many teens from our clubhouses graduate high school and go on to become leaders, advocates, and philanthropists,” said Diane Carbray President/CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Fresno County, “After-school programs at the clubs will continue to help youth dream big, be bold, and succeed.”

For 75 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs has cultivated safe spaces and enabled youth to reach their full potential. It is a private non-profit serving ages 6-18 at 14 locations in Fresno and also the largest youth-service organization in the county.

The organization is one of more than 450 youth-focused groups that will receive a portion of nearly $23 million in grants provided by the Taco Bell Foundation this year.

“Our Community Grants program is unique because the funds are dispersed back to organizations in the local community they are raised in,” said Neil Borkan, chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation.

The foundation has awarded more than $188 million in grants and scholarships since its start in 1992.