Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) is proud to announce the opening of the Mildred C. Hailey Teen Center in Jamaica Plain, marking BGCB’s ninth Club in Boston. The new Teen Center, located at the Mildred C. Hailey Housing Development, will provide a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment for preteens and teens ages 10 to 18 years old.
The Teen Center will offer workforce readiness programs, academic support, cooking and music lessons, and leadership development opportunities through Keystone and Torch Clubs, 2 of BGCB’s signature programs. The Club will be open Monday through Friday from 2 to 8 pm and, importantly, like all BGCB locations, the Mildred C. Hailey Teen Center is free of membership fees.
This milestone is the result of a new strategic partnership between BGCB, Boston Housing Authority (BHA), and Boston Children’s Hospital, building upon a foundation long supported by residents, partners, and the BHA. MA Representative Samantha Montano and Boston City Councilor Benjamin Webber are strong supporters and actively advocate for both city and state funding for youth programming services at the Mildred Hailey development. The Center represents a shared commitment to providing consistent, high-quality programming in Boston’s public housing communities.
“This expansion reflects our commitment to meeting young people where they are and ensuring that zip codes don’t determine access to opportunity,” said Robert Lewis Jr., Nicholas President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. “The Mildred C. Hailey Teen Center allows us to deepen our impact in Jamaica Plain. By bringing our programming directly into housing developments, we remove barriers and create pathways for teens to develop the skills they need to thrive in school, career, and life.”
The partnership with BGCB was made possible through a 3-year, $480,000 start-up grant from Boston Children’s. It is an expansion of a long-time partnership between the BHA, Boston Children’s and the local community. BGCB plans to incorporate the teen program into its long-term programming and funding efforts to ensure that the Teen Center is sustainable for the future.
“Boston Children’s is proud to be part of a vibrant and committed community—alongside residents, organizations, and city and state leaders—working together to support the growth and success of our young people,” says Dr. Shari Nethersole, Vice President of Community Health and Engagement at Boston Children’s Hospital. “This collaboration honors the enduring legacy of those who have long championed this work, recognizing the dedication and efforts that laid the foundation for today’s progress.”
Previously, BHA and Boston Children’s, Tree of Life, residents and community partners, jointly operated the teen center for a number of years with limited resources and staffing challenges; the addition of BGCB brings an experienced youth serving organization to the table that will provide a high level of service delivery to Hailey’s youth and families.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have partners like Boston Children’s Hospital and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston that value our residents and make it possible to bring an array of teen services to our Hailey youth and their families,” said BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok. “We would not have been able to bring this level of services to our families without them and we very much look forward to seeing our teens have fun as they grow and develop their skills at the Teen Center.”
Leading the new Teen Center is Katrina Williams, a lifelong Bostonian and proud alumna of the Yawkey Club of Roxbury. Williams brings over 30 years of experience in youth development, operations, and community engagement, including two decades of service at the Yawkey Club.
“I’m honored to lead this new chapter for BGCB and to bring programming directly to the young people and families at Mildred C. Hailey,” said Katrina Williams, Club Director. “I’ve seen how the right environment and support can transform young lives. This center will serve as a launching pad for the next generation of leaders in Jamaica Plain.”
The opening of the Mildred C. Hailey Teen Center represents a strategic step for BGCB as it works to reach more teens across Boston and Chelsea. By intentionally expanding into public housing developments, BGCB is addressing an area of growth and ensuring that more young people have access to trusted mentors, meaningful opportunities, and pathways to success.
In addition to its long-term support of the Hailey Teen Center, Boston Children’s also created a full-choice food pantry, Family Food Connections, at the Hailey Apartments, which provides free fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, and dairy as well as shelf stable food to Hailey residents, and adjacent neighborhoods in addition to Boston Children’s patients. The food pantry is adjacent to the Teen Center.
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