History

Boys & Girls Clubs of America had its beginnings in 1860 with several women in Hartford, Connecticut. Believing that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative, they organized the first Club. A cause was born.

In 1906, several Boys Clubs decided to affiliate. The Federated Boys Clubs in Boston was formed with 53 member organizations – this marked the start of a nationwide movement.

In 1931, the Boys Club Federation of America became Boys Clubs of America.

In 1956, Boys Clubs of America celebrated its 50th anniversary and received a U.S. Congressional Charter.

To recognize the fact that girls are a part of our cause, the national organization's name was changed to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 1990. Accordingly, Congress amended and renewed our charter.

2006 marked the Centennial year of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, as we celebrated 100 years of providing hope and opportunity to young people across the country.

Today there are more than 3,700 Clubs serving over 4 million young people. Clubs are in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Many Clubs are actual physical buildings designed especially for kids, with their needs and interests in mind. Other Clubs are located in a variety of settings – including public housing, U.S. military bases around the world, schools, and Native American lands – to provide as many youth as possible with carefully designed Club programming tailored to local needs.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland started out as the Boys Club of Duluth in 1971.  In 1980 we changed our name to the Boys & Girls Club of Duluth when we began serving young women.  In 2008 we again changed our name to reflect our expanded service area and are now the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland.  We proudly serve youth in 3 sites in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth, as well as in Superior, Lake Vermilion, and Nett Lake.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland has a strong tradition of being in the forefront of youth development.  We work with young people from a diverse range of social, economic, and family circumstances.  Our Club has actively enriched the lives of girls and boys that other organizations have been unable to reach.  We are dedicated to ensuring that our community’s youth have access to quality programs and services that will enhance their lives and shape their futures.

The Club offers daily access to a broad range of programs in five core areas: Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, Sports Fitness & Recreation, and The Arts.

The Club provides:

A safe place for those who may be left alone after school or on the streets with no guidance. The Club is a safe place to play and allows kids to be themselves.

Life enhancing programs that can open young minds.  The Club exposes youth to new ideas and skills that prepare them for life.  We teach the importance of character in all of our programs. 

A relationship with caring, trained adults. The better the programs, the more children we can attract, the more likely they will build a relationship with a caring adult, the more opportunity our Club can positively influence the character of a child.

Hope and opportunity as young people experience our Club; we become a place for hope.  Hope leads to increased confidence and a brighter future.

We serve more than 2000 youth annually between the ages of 6 and 18. We reach out to kids who cannot afford or may lack access to other community programs. An annual membership fee is only $10 per year and can be used at any of our 6 locations.

To join, visit any one of our local Clubs.  Click here for a membership application.