About Us

 

Our mission is to help at-risk boys and girls develop the qualities needed to become responsible citizens and leaders. Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) provides a safe haven, adult role models, and a variety of programs that support the educational, emotional, physical, and social development of youth, without regard to social, racial, ethnic, or religious background.  

We serve nearly 14,000 children and teens, ages 6 to 18, in our Clubs, and through our programs and partnerships.  

Our approach focuses on six core initiatives: Arts; Education; Leadership; Life Skills; Sports, Fitness and Recreation; and Technology. During the summer, many of our Clubs run summer camp programs for children and leadership programs for teens. 

Our growing service network includes Clubs, Camp Harbor View, and a presence in police stations across the city:  

Our Clubs in Boston and Chelsea reflect the communities in which they are located. Some are free-standing facilities; some share space with middle and elementary schools. It is not the type of building that makes them Clubs, but the quality of the staff and the effectiveness of the programs that take place within them. Our 9 Clubs are located in Charlestown (Charlestown Club), Chelsea (Jordan Club), Dorchester (Blue Hill Club), Roslindale (the Club at the Charles Sumner Elementary School) Roxbury (Yawkey Club and the Club at the Dearborn Middle School), and South Boston (South Boston Club and the Club at  the Condon Elementary School) and Mattapan (the Club at the Mattahunt Elementary School).

Our Youth Service Providers Network (YSPN) places licensed clinical social workers at police stations to provide prevention and intervention services and referrals to the city’s high-risk youth and their families. Since 1996, our YSPN social workers have been developing relationships with youth who are at risk for arrest, as well as those who are already part of the Juvenile Justice system, to help young people develop more trusting relationships and offer them choices. 

BGCB operates Camp Harbor View, located on Long Island in Boston Harbor. The Camp was created by the Camp Harbor View Foundation to provide a fun and safe environment where youth could challenge themselves, make new friends and experience a world beyond their neighborhoods, where violence has been on the rise. Programming focuses on four areas: sports & fitness, the arts, leadership development and environmental education. New for summer 2007, the day camp hosted approximately 600 boys and girls, ages 11 to 14, from across Boston. Each group of 300 attended the camp for one four-week session.

Boys and Girls Club of Boston