Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia
Motto "To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens."
Formation 1887
Type Youth organization
Legal status Non-profit organization
Purpose "Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence."
Headquarters Philadelphia
Region served
United States
Website http://www.bgcphila.org/

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia is a Non-profit organization established in Philadelphia to enable young people reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens of the city, the state of Pennsylvania and the US nation at large.[1][2][3] The organization is one of the premier Boys & Girls Clubs of America that have existed for more than 150 years across the nation.[4][5]

History

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia was established in 1887 with the opening of the Germantown Club.[6] In 1892, the organization opened the Nicetown which became the first Club to serve girls since inception. In 1896 the Wissahickon Club was opened and it became the first Club in the US to serve African American youth.[6]

The three original Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia in Germantown, Wissahickon and Nicetown were part of the Federated Boys Clubs that formed in 1906 as the precursor to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.[6] Currently, Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia is made up of at 16 Clubs which are serving youths across Philadelphia’s most impoverished communities.[7] For the past 129 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs have been dedicated to ensuring that Philadelphia’s most economically disadvantaged youth have opportunities to enhance their lives.[8][9]

In 2012 Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia celebrated 125th Year Anniversary. In the same year, the very first Husband and wife CEO Team; Joseph and Lisabeth Marziello, were hired to lead and transform the organization.[2][10] In 2015, the organization launched $40 million Bold Change for Kids Capital Campaign which was spearheaded by Comcast Corp aimed at renovating 7 Club buildings throughout the city of Philadelphia.[11] The $40 million fund-raising drive will allow the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia to demolish the Germantown club and replace it with a modern one named after the 95 year old founder of the Comcast Corp, Ralph J. Roberts who lived in Germantown as a young man and was part of the Boys and Girls Club in the neighborhood.[3][12]

In 2013, Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia launched the Call to Action Literacy Initiative to address Philadelphia’s literacy crisis. Currently operating in 12 Clubs, including three elementary extension sites, the Literacy Initiative utilizes the Slingerland Multi-Sensory Approach to engage youth in kinesthetic, auditory and visual learning.[13] In the 2015-16 program year, over 1,200 youth participated in this critical program.[13]

Services

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia provides quality programming to youth in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.[14][15][16] The clubs foster creativity and opportunities for learning in core areas of youth development such as Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life skills, Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation.[17][18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia announces fourth annual ‘Philly Showcase of Wine & Cheese", philly.com, March 29, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Boys & Girls Club of Phila. now run by a married couple", bizjournals.com, March 25, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Boys & Girls Clubs Of Philadelphia Launches 'A Bold Change For Kids' Campaign", corporate.comcast.com, May 19, 2015.
  4. ↑ Angelly Carrión, "New Projects In Store for Seven Boys & Girls Club Branches in Philadelphia", phillymag.com, March 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ Erin Edinger-Turoff, "Boys and Girls Club denies campus salesman", temple-news.com, January 21, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "Boys and Girls Club Philadelphia - Our History", bgcphila.org,
  7. ↑ "Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia-Bridesburg Unit", phillyboost.com,
  8. ↑ Aja Beech, "Making Bridesburg better for 75 years", starnewsphilly.com, June 1, 2016.,
  9. ↑ "Arthur Robert Marsden, 92, executive Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia", articles.philly.com,
  10. ↑ Cheryl Elias, "Philadelphia Boys & Girls Clubs Hosts Showcase Of Wine And Cheese Fundraiser", philadelphia.cbslocal.com, May 5, 2013
  11. ↑ Amy Seasholtz, "Comcast to lead $40m fund-raising drive for phila. Boys & girls clubs", philanthropynetwork.org, May 19, 2015
  12. ↑ Ayana Jones, "Boys & Girls Clubs of Phila. launches $40 million capital campaign", philanthropynetwork.org, May 22, 2015
  13. 1 2 "Boys & Girls Clubs of America Prepares Youth for Back to School Season with 'Stuff the Bus' Challenge", wmcactionnews5.com,
  14. ↑ "Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia Inc.", bizjournals.com,
  15. ↑ Tristan Stovall, "Boys and Girls Club attends Camp Soaring Eagle", neshobademocrat.com, June 22, 2016
  16. ↑ Zach Schonbrun, "Victorino teams up with Boys & Girls Club", MLB.com, June 21, 2010
  17. ↑ Colin Graf, "MetaSource Supports Technology Upgrade for Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia", metasource.com, February 17, 2015
  18. ↑ Jason Lee, "Philly Wine And Cheese Festival", phl17.com, APRIL 8, 2016

External links

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