Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization whose mission is to “enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” It offers many programs that provide kids with a fun and educational experience, as well as a safe after-school environment.
The first Club was founded in 1860 by several women in Hartford, Conn., who believed that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative. It was for boys only, and soon other communities in New England decided that such places would be good for their young men. In 1906, 53 independent Boys' Clubs, as they were known then, came together in Boston to form a national organization, the Federated Boys' Clubs, and in 1931 they became Boys Clubs of America. In 1956, the group was chartered by Congress. To reflect its increased service to young women, the organization became Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1990. In 1996, Roxanne Spillett, current president of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, was appointed to head the organization.