Throughout our 160+ year history, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 5,000 Club locations serve 3.6 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide.
Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.
Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
The first Club was established in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. Learn more about the Boys & Girls Club story here.
Each year, Boys & Girls Clubs serve 3.6 million kids and teens. Our vision is to provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.
7.7 million kids and teens are alone and unsupervised after school while nearly 25 million don’t have access to after-school programs. This means that millions of our nation’s youth risk being unsupervised, unguided and unsafe. However, research shows that what happens during the out-of-school time can have a significant impact on reversing the negative trends facing youth, including dropout rates, obesity and violence. And that’s what Boys & Girls Clubs are all about – providing youth with a safe, constructive, supportive environment when they are not at home or at school, where they can have fun with peers and be guided by trained youth development professionals.
Boys & Girls Clubs serve youth ages 6-18 from all communities and walks of life. Clubs are located wherever youth most need them, including rural and urban areas, public housing communities, public and private schools, and Native lands. Clubs also serve military-connected youth through BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide.
Clubs typically serve kids and teens between ages 6 – 18. Check with your local Club to find out which age groups they serve.
Clubs are started by grassroots efforts when communities identify the need for positive activities for their kids and teens. Click here to learn more.
Find your local Club by clicking here.
Find the closest Club in your area here and visit their website for more information.
Membership costs vary by Club. Find the Club closest to you here and visit their website to learn more.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America offers a host of tested, proven and nationally recognized programs in core program areas that closely align with the developmental needs of all young people:
• Career Development
• Character & Leadership
• Sports & Recreation
• The Arts
• Health and Wellness
• Education
As community-based, autonomous organizations, most Clubs offer a mix of national and locally developed programs that best fit the needs of their Club members. Contact a Club near you to learn about their specific program offerings.
Clubs provide a host of benefits to their members. While each Club’s programming offerings vary based on community needs and interests, all Clubs provide youth with a safe, constructive environment where they can learn and grow under the guidance of trained youth development professionals. Clubs encourage members to strive for academic success, lead healthy lifestyles, and exhibit good character and citizenship. To learn more, click here.
In 1906, the first 53 Clubs banded together to establish a national organization, now known as Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Ever since then, the national organization and local Boys & Girls Clubs have worked together on behalf of America’s youth.
Through its Atlanta headquarters, regional service centers and Government Relations office in Washington, D.C., BGCA provides assistance and support to Clubs in youth program development, board and staff development, organizational planning, resource development, marketing and communications, and administration and management. Key functions include:
- Assisting Clubs with outcome-based program planning and evaluation
- Providing comprehensive child safety resources to protect youth and position Boys & Girls Clubs as catalysts for child protection
- Helping community leaders establish new Clubs and expand existing ones
- Providing training experiences, management consultations and resources for staff development, volunteer recruitment, marketing, fundraising, compensation and benefits administration
- Promoting greater public awareness about the Clubs’ mission and impact
- Addressing legislative and public policy issues affecting young people and the volunteer sector
A donation is an investment in the future of America’s youth. Boys & Girls Clubs of America creates great futures for the next generation of our leaders by encouraging education and community involvement. Clubs annually serve 3.6 million youth through Club membership and community outreach.
For information regarding in-kind donations to Clubs in your area, please contact a Club near you.
Make checks out to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and send your check to the following address:
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
P.O. Box 117431
Atlanta, GA 30368-7431
Boys & Girls Clubs of America is always open to new corporate partnerships with companies that will help advance the work of our organization. BGCA is interested in partnering with companies that have solid brand images and reputations, along with a strong corporate mission. For more information on becoming a partner, please visit this page.
Please fill out the Contact form here.
