Serving millions of young people around the country, Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides programs that can be identified by four main characteristics: a dedicated youth facility, daily availability (including weekends), professional staff and affordable to all youth.
Beyond providing a safe place for kids, BGCA also spearheads initiatives aimed at contributing to young people’s welfare. The organization created a multi-faceted fitness initiative in partnership with Coca Cola called Triple Play, established the annual Day for Kids in 2001 to reinforce a commitment to youth and awards college scholarships.
Denzel Washington, Oscar-winning actor and former Club member, has been a BGCA spokesperson since 1993, but he is far from the only celebrity who reaped the benefits of the clubs at an early age. In 2008, BGCA alumni, including Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Cosby, Muhammad Ali, Bill Clinton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, Martin Sheen, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Smokey Robinson, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Usher, Mark Wahlberg and Kerry Washington participated in a campaign to encourage people to volunteer at their local clubs.
BGCA receives support from several generous corporations. Among these companies are Taco Bell, Morgan Stanley, Kimberly-Clark, Microsoft, JCPenney, Major League Baseball, Staples, Charles Schwab, Conoco Phillips, UPS, Allstate, Gap, Inc., Walmart, AT&T, Philip Morris and Tupperware.
Its mission is lofty, yet simple: "to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) have been doing just that since the first club (originally called Boys' Club) opened in Hartford, CT in 1860. Dubbed "The Positive Place For Kids," BGCA give children a safe place to learn, grow and have fun. The clubs offer an alternative to being without adult supervision either at home or on the streets. By building on its core tenets, BGCA has grown to operate over 4,000 clubs nationwide.
Highlights
- Today, BGCA serves over 4.5 million youth.
- The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked BGCA number one among youth organizations for thirteen consecutive years, and number twelve among all nonprofit organizations.
- The Boys & Girls Clubs of America are the official charity of Major League Baseball.
Logo courtesy Boys & Girls Clubs of America
