Our History

Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) has a long-standing reputation for delivering effective, quality programming in a safe, caring and welcoming environment. What remains constant is our focus on mission and our ability to guide at-risk youth towards a positive future as productive and responsible adults.

BGCB's first Club was founded in Charlestown in 1893. The annual report from that year describes "carpentry, printing and painting" as the core programs for our members. Today, BGCB operates Clubs in Dorchester, Charlestown, Chelsea, Roxbury, Mattapan, Roslindale and South Boston — and serves approximately 14,000 children and teens. Our programs address crucial youth development needs in the areas of education, the arts, life skills, leadership and character development, technology, and sports, fitness and recreation.

BGCB will remain relevant into the next century through innovation, reach and impact, and by always focusing on its mission.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

1893 Charlestown Club opens.
1910 Roxbury Club opens.
1938 South Boston Club opens.
1981 Girls are admitted to all Clubs as full members, and the organization's name is changed to Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.
1993 Chelsea Club opens in the Innes Housing Development.
1995 Blue Hill Club/George Robert White Youth Development Center opens in Dorchester at the corner of Talbot and Blue Hill Avenue.
1996 YouthConnect (known as Youth Service Providers Network at the time) is established at the District B-3 Mattapan/Dorchester police district; soon establishes a presence in citywide units and at police stations across the city.
1996 First U.S. community-based Computer Clubhouse opens at the Blue Hill Club.
1999

Ansin Youth Center opens at the Charlestown Club.  •  With funding from the Boston Foundation and Edmund N. and Ronald M. Ansin, BGCB adds social workers at its Clubs.
2000 BGCB opens first Shared-Space Club at the King Middle School in Dorchester.
2001-2002 Club opens at the Mattahunt Elementary School in Mattapan.
2002 Chelsea Club moves to new facility and is renamed Gerald and Darlene Jordan Club/Kraft Family Youth Center.
2003 Keane Children's Center opens at Charlestown Club.
2005 BGCB assumes management of the Club at the Dearborn Middle School in Roxbury.  •  Blue Hill Club/George Robert White Youth Development Center celebrates 10 years of serving the community.
2006 Roxbury Club reopens following a one-year renovation and expansion to serve 300 additional members and is renamed Yawkey Club of Roxbury.
2007

Blue Hill Club/George Robert White Youth Development Center undergoes renovation and expansion to serve 200 additional members.  •  BGCB opens Club at Condon Elementary School in South Boston.  •  BGCB selected to manage new Camp Harbor View on Boston Harbor's Long Island, which provides summer camp experiences to 600 children annually. •  BGCB opens Club at the Charles Sumner Elementary School in Roslindale.
2008

BGCB begins implementation of strategic plan, developed with pro-bono support from Bain & Company, which calls for investment in innovation and impact to double the number of youth served at the point of impact.  •  BGCB successfully completes $100 million Comprehensive Campaign, which funded Club renovations in Roxbury and Dorchester, allowing us to served hundreds more youth; provided multi-year operating support to keep our Clubs accessible and affordable over the past five years; and built an endowment to help ensure long-term financial stability.

2009

 Despite a tough economy and related budget cuts, BGCB serves 14,000 children and teens, and launches several new initiatives to increase impact on youth, all within a previously established framework for growth. In November, BGCB opened the Franklin Hill Club - its 10th Club, a Shared-Space Club at the Franklin Hill Housing Development.
2010 BGCB celebrates 100 years of service to the Roxbury community.
2011 BGCB opens Orchard Gardens Club at the Orchard Gardens Community Center and relocates Dearborn Club staff and membership to this new facility.