History - Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities

Building on the past.
It started more than a century ago, when a small group of women recognized a great need.
  • Our Mission
    The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

National
History

1860

A cause was born when a group of pioneering women in Hartford, CT organized the first Club. They believed that boys who roamed the street should have a more positive alternative.

1906

The Federated Boys Club, with 53 member organizations, forms in Boston. It’s the start of a nationwide movement.

1931

The Boys Club Federation of America changes its name to the Boys Clubs of America.

1956

Boys Clubs of America celebrates its 50th anniversary and receives a U.S. Congressional Charter.

1990

Recognizing the need to serve girls too, the organization changes its name to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

1996

Roxanne Spillett becomes the first woman to head the organization.

Our
Local Clubs

1926

The Union Gospel Mission opens the St. Paul Boys Club in the Bethel Hotel.

1960

A board of directors is formed and funds are raised to launch the Minneapolis Boys Club.

1961

The first Minneapolis location opens on Blaisdell Avenue South and is named the Claire Fawcett Boys Club.

1964

St. Paul’s Union Gospel Mission secures affiliation to the Boys Club of America.

1968

The Jerry Gamble Club opens in north Minneapolis with support from the Gamble Skogmo Foundation. The club commemorates Jerry Gamble, an original Boys clubs of Minneapolis founder.

1968

The Baker Foundation donates 120 acres of land near Mound, Minnesota, for the development of Camp Boys Club. Now called Voyageur Environmental Center, the wooded camp area and educational center serves over 3,500 guests each year.

1969

The Women’s Association sets its primary mission as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities.

1984

The Boys Club of St. Paul separates from the Union Gospel Mission forming its own board of directors.

1999

Minneapolis and St. Paul agencies merge to form the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities (BGCTC).

1999

The Minnesota chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives names the Women’s Association as an Outstanding Philanthropic Organization for its exceptional leadership in community service.

2006

BGCTC kicks off its Bridge to the Future Campaign. The five-year drive will raise $15 million to expand current club locations and update the Voyageur Environmental Center.