Boys & Girls (B&G) Clubs of America.

MENU TITLE: Boys & Girls Clubs Fact Sheet
Series: BJA
Published: October 1995
5 pages
8,018 bytes

Bureau of Justice Assistance Fact Sheet

Boys & Girls (B&G) Clubs of America

Boys & Girls (B&G) Clubs of America is a nationwide
network of 1,700 affiliated Boys & Girls Clubs
serving 2.2 million school-age boys and girls. B&G
Clubs help children from all backgrounds develop
the qualities needed to become responsible citizens
and leaders. The B&G Club mission hinges on
positive partnerships between young people and
concerned adults, between B&G Clubs and their
supporters, and between the national organization
and local clubs. Special concern is shown for youth
from disadvantaged circumstances.

From its national headquarters in Atlanta and five
Regional Service Centers in New York, Chicago,
Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, B&G Clubs of
America provides onsite technical assistance and
guidance to local communities in establishing new
B&G Clubs. The network also provides continuing
support for established clubs to help ensure their
stability, effectiveness, and growth.

Background 

Officially founded in 1906, B&G Clubs of America
has club facilities and programs in each of the 50
States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Primarily located in communities and areas where
children are the most disadvantaged, B&G Clubs have
provided at-risk girls and boys with a full and
fair opportunity to lead productive, meaningful
lives. Although B&G Clubs of America was not
incorporated until 1906 by the 53 clubs existing at
that time, it has served youngsters since 1865. The
network has provided technical support and
organizational assistance to communities,
establishing new clubs at the rate of 125 per year
for the past 7 years.

In 1987, recognizing that young people in public
housing are at high risk for alcohol and other drug
use, health problems, pregnancy, crime, violence,
delinquency, and failure in school, B&G Clubs of
America launched a major initiative to establish
new clubs in public housing communities nationwide.
A subsequent 3-year independent study conducted by
Columbia University confirmed that B&G Clubs in
public housing have a significant impact on
juvenile crime (reduced 13 percent), drug activity
(reduced 22 percent), and the presence of crack
cocaine (reduced 25 percent). The study also found
that the clubs improved the overall quality of life
for the children and families who reside in public
housing.

Through cooperative agreement grants in 1992, 1993,
and 1994, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of
the U.S. Department of Justice provided $7.2
million to B&G Clubs of America to support the
establishment of new clubs in public housing and
other at-risk communities and to enhance and
strengthen existing club programs through violence
prevention and reduction, educational and health
programs, and youth leadership development. During
this time, BJA funding resulted in the
establishment of 31 new B&G Clubs, 27 of which are
in public housing; training and technical
assistance to 98 B&G Clubs to develop and implement
violence prevention strategies; improved and
strengthened health and education initiatives in 21
B&G Clubs; and a national youth leadership
conference for 1,300 teenaged club members. BJA
funding during this 3-year period enabled B&G Clubs
of America to reach and serve 46,700 girls and
boys.

Key Program Elements 

B&G Clubs help their members build self-esteem,
acquire honest values, and pursue productive
futures. The clubs achieve these goals by providing
the following basic resources to club members:

o A safe haven away from the negative influences of
the street.

o Guidance, discipline, and values modeling from
caring adult leaders.

o Constructive youth development activities and
programs in supervised supportive environments.

o Access to comprehensive, coordinated services
that meet the complex needs of youth at risk.

o Educational support, increased awareness of
career options, and goal-setting skills.

o A comprehensive violence prevention initiative.

o A future vision of life beyond public housing.

Depending on the community resources available and
the particular community needs and dynamics,
programs and services vary among individual clubs.
Programs often include supplementary education,
health and fitness, drug abuse prevention, teen
pregnancy education and prevention, career
exploration, arts and crafts, leadership
development, community service, and environmental
awareness. Although specific programs and services
may vary, B&G Clubs have the following features in
common. All clubs are: 

o Designed for school-age girls and boys of all
races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, with no
personal recommendations or proof of character
required for membership.

o Building centered, with 1,700 facilities ranging
from 1,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet in
size, open to all members during normal hours of
operation, and designed to satisfy the age-old
desire of children to have a "club" of their own.
Most B&G Clubs are open 5 to 6 days per week, 4 or
5 hours a day.

o Staffed with full-time youth-work professionals,
supplemented by part-time workers and volunteers,
who emphasize positive values in the relationships
club members have both with each other and with
their adult leaders.

o Geared to help girls and boys make appropriate
and satisfying choices in their physical,
educational, personal, social, emotional,
vocational, and spiritual lives.

o Committed to quality through evaluation,
planning, and management.

When needed, even during non-club hours, B&G Club
staff are available to members in the event of
emergencies that may require special attention.

Boys and girls "join" their local B&G Club by
completing a simple membership application and
paying an annual membership fee that ranges from $1
to $5--always low enough so that any youngster can
afford to join.

Club Activities

In addition to extensive onsite consultations and
regional training events, B&G Clubs of America
develops, prepares, and distributes detailed
program models and guides to local clubs. Now
numbering more than 25, these programs include: 

o Alcohol, drug, and pregnancy prevention--SMART
Moves and SMART Kids.

o Career exploration--Broader Horizons, Job Search
Club, One With One, and Goals for Growth.

o Citizenship and leadership--Youth of the Year,
Keystone Clubs, and Torch Clubs.

o Cultural enrichment--National Photography
Contest, Fine Arts Exhibit Program, and Epstein
Scholarship Program.

o Delinquency and gang prevention--Delinquency
Prevention Through Targeted Outreach and Gang
Prevention Through Targeted Outreach.

o Education--Power Hour!, Bo Knows Challenge, and
Michael Jordan Essay Challenge.

o Environmental education--The Ultimate Journey.

o Health, sports, and fitness--The Body Works, Jump
Rope Challenge, Basketball Spot Shot Challenge,
Workout Challenge, Sir Thomas J. Lipton
Sportsmanship Award, and Sectional Tournaments.

Milestones 

In 1994, B&G Clubs of America reached a landmark by
serving 2.2 million youths nationwide in 1,672
clubs, 270 of which are in public housing areas.
Club outreach efforts have been extended to
military families and Indian reservations, with
services being offered in school buildings and
shopping malls. Partnerships have been established
with concerned corporations; private foundations;
government agencies, such as BJA, the Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development; and caring individuals, including club
alumni. 

For Further Information 
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
1230 West Peachtree Street NW.
Atlanta, GA 30309-3447
1-404-815-5751

Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse
1-800-688-4252
 
FS000106 
October 1995