Mission:

The Mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

History:

Boys Clubs were first established in New England in the 1850's by groups of people who realized there was a need for a non-sectarian organization providing after-school and evening activities with leadership for less privileged boys. Boys Clubs of America was founded in 1856 by the then existing Boys Clubs for their mutual benefit and the promotion of the movement. It was incorporated as a non-profit organization in Massachusetts in the same year. The first Club was opened in Hartford, Connecticut in 1865.It was chartered by the 84th Congress of the United States in 1956, under Public Law 988. The national organization became the Boys and Girls Club of America in 1990. The Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, with our regional office in Schaumberg, Illinois.