The Boselli Foundation is a non-profit organization striving to help children living in at-risk neighborhoods of Jacksonville. The Boselli Foundation Youth Life learning Centers target children with limited financial resources. The centers currently concentrate on elementary school children, and have students enrolled up to the sixth grade. Each year the center adds another grade level so children can grow with their peers. The focus of the Youth Life Learning Centers is to provide the community with comprehensive, holistic, after-school learning environments that includes academic enrichment and remedial education in the areas of reading, language arts and mathematics, supplemental services, mentoring, and character development.

History

Tony Boselli was first introduced to Jacksonville when he was selected as a first round draft pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995. In May of that year, he and his wife Angi began making an impact on the lives of First Coast children with the establishment of The
Boselli Foundation, a faith based non-profit organization. Tony’s National Football League career briefly moved the family to Houston in 2002, but in 2005 they returned to Jacksonville, the city they love. Upon their return, they quickly began discussing how to reignite the foundation.  In early 2007, the first Boselli Foundation Youth Life Learning Center opened on Jacksonville’s Northside on Moncrief Road. The center opened as a community partnership with The Boselli Foundation, the city, private businesses and the faith-based community.

Since then, The Boselli Foundation has opened a second center off 21st St. and Buckman Blvd. and is currently working to obtain approval for a third site. The centers operate year round, but strongly focus their efforts during the school year. They are open from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with 6 weeks of full day summer camp during the summer months. Students who attend the after-school programs receive interactive tutoring from certified teachers as full time staff, educators, and community volunteers in core academic subjects. Both centers offer computer access and are equipped with libraries containing over 1,500 books. In addition to tutoring programs, character and moral development are taught to the children, providing them with the encouragement needed to grow into successful adults. Students also enjoy a multitude of extra-curricular activities. The centers take the children on field trips to local attractions, have weekly dance classes, golf (through First TEE and The PLAYERS Championships Charities) and tennis ( through Mal Washington Foundation) lessons, and cultural arts outreach (through Beaches Fine Arts Series).