Who We Are
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston is to help young people, especially those who need us most, build strong character and realize their full potential as responsible citizens and leaders. We do this by providing: a safe haven filled with hope and opportunity, ongoing relationships with caring adults, and life-enhancing programs.
We will invest and innovate to increase the number of youth we impact.
Central to BGCB’s strategic vision is an outcomes-driven experience that helps members succeed academically, live healthy lifestyles and practice good citizenship.
- Our History
- Our Vision
- Our Finances
Our History
For more than 125 years, we’ve been dedicated to continually developing new and better ways to make a positive impact on the children of Boston.
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. Other Clubs followed in the subsequent years, and, in 1972, The Boston Foundation helped put the “girls” in the Boys & Girls Clubs by providing a $300,000, three-year grant to reach out to “special categories of youth who lack opportunities for appealing programs.” These were children who spoke Chinese or Spanish at home, lived in certain housing projects, or were girls.
The Club began admitting girls as members in 1973, and within five years, 30 percent of the children served by the Boston Clubs were female. In 1981, the Club formally changed its name to Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and the national organization followed in 1990.
Today, BGCB operates Clubs in Dorchester, Charlestown, Chelsea, Roxbury, Mattapan, Roslindale, Jamaica Plain and South Boston. We also operate YouthConnect in partnership with the Boston Police Department. In total, we serve nearly 16,000 children and teens, addressing crucial youth development needs in the areas of education, the arts, life skills, leadership and character development, technology, and sports, fitness and recreation.
Historical Timeline
Our Vision
To achieve our strategic vision, we will invest in innovative programs that are both interesting and beneficial, so the young people we serve will visit us on a more frequent basis.
Studies show that the more often children come to the Club, the greater the effect we will have on them.
Our Finances
In our 2017 Annual Report, we invite you to read about some of the many opportunities that we provide to our members every day, and how their lives are changed in both small and large ways as a result. We hope these stories will inspire you.
A print copy of this publication has been mailed to donors at the $500+ level. The online version includes all donors $100+ and is available by clicking on the cover image to the left.
