Mission | History | Who We Are | Why We're Special | Fact
Our Mission is the Movement's Reason for Being
To inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.
A Boys & Girls Club Provides
A safe place to learn and grow...
Ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals...
Life-enhancing programs and character development experiences...
Hope and opportunity.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America had its beginnings in 1860 with several women in Hartford, Conn. Believing that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative, they organized the first Club. A cause was born.
In 1906, several Boys Clubs decided to affiliate. The Federated Boys Clubs in Boston was formed with 53 member organizations.
In 1931, the Boys Club Federation of America became Boys Clubs of America.
In 1956, Boys Clubs of America celebrated its 50th anniversary and received a U.S. Congressional Charter.
To recognize the fact that girls are a part of our cause, the national organization's name was changed to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1990. Accordingly, Congress amended and renewed our charter.
In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them.
Boys & Girls Clubs offer that and more. Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.
Boys & Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun. They are truly The Positive Place For Kids.
Four key characteristics define the essence of a Boys & Girls Club. All are critical in exerting positive impact on the life of a child:
The Scope of the Movement
Native American tribes across the country are partnering with BGCA to help some of our nation's most at-risk children grow, learn, develop and change their lives and surroundings. See how Boys & Girls Clubs support Native American youth every day.
2004 Year in Review
2004 saw Boys & Girls Clubs connect with more people than ever before. It
was a time that brought everyone closer together, reaffirming our common humanity
and the Boys & Girls Club mission. That mission is all about making connections:
between Club staff and kids, between volunteers and Clubs, between our national
organization and its local affiliates.
That is why there is no more fitting venue for this year’s annual report than Connections, the flagship publication of the Boys & Girls Club Movement. The magazine’s name is derived from the “connect” symbol, representing clasped hands, adopted as our logo a quarter-century ago.
An Ounce of Prevention
It takes money to run a Boys & Girls Club — on average, about $200 per youth per year. But consider the alternative: keeping a young adult in jail costs taxpayers anywhere from $25,000 to $75,000 per year. Boys & Girls Clubs — a proven delinquency prevention program — are one of the best bargains in America.
Number One
Boys & Girls Clubs of America's efficient use of financial resources has won national recognition. In its latest "Philanthropy 400" report, The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Boys & Girls Clubs of America number one among youth organizations for the eleventh consecutive year, and number 12 among all nonprofit organizations.
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