Best of the Batch Foundation was founded in 1999 by former Steelers Quarterback Charlie Batch to give back to his hometown of Homestead, PA. Best of the Batch Foundation offers over 12 programs to school aged children, annually serving over 3,800 children and their families over 8 Western Pennsylvania counties. Best of the Batch Foundation's showcase is its "Clubhouse", where the majority of the day-to-day programming takes place. When one imagines a clubhouse, it brings to mind a place where you can hang out with your friends; a place where you feel safe and a place where you can have fun. The Clubhouse is all of those things for neighborhood children from K-12, but it adds the critical element of education. The children learn while they are having fun!
We provide a variety of different programs to serve every child who walks through our doors during their out of school time. Our STEAM program allows children young and old to engage in creating in ways that utilize their strengths, whether that be through coding, 3D printing, robotics, or music production. Girl Talk engages both middle school and high school girls in a mentoring program where young girls receive accurate information and advice to navigate the challenges of growing up. Homework help and individualized tutoring is offered to every child who attends, which has resulted in an increase in school attendance and homework submission in participants. Grub Time is our out of school time meal program, where all children receive a hot meal including a protein, vegetable, fruit, starch, and healthy snack every day. Functioning as the only completely free clubhouse within a two-bus transfer of our community, the out of school time programming Best of the Batch offers reflects the wants and needs of the surrounding community. Our passion is to help unlock potential by providing resources for children and families, educating and empowering them to give their best efforts in all they do to be the "best of the batch" in life.