History
1940
BGCSPS starts at 25th & Yakima in Tacoma.
1942
Tacoma Boys Club founded on April 24 by Judge Fred Remann. Program is in the Salvation Army building.
1954
South End Boys Club opens, East Side soon follows. Northwest Club starts as Athletic Association that evolves into Club operating in a remodeled church.
1965
Boys Club of Tacoma and Pierce County forms. A need is there to develop an association with all the Clubs in Tacoma.
1979
Capital campaign, spearheaded by Doug Gonyea launches, leads to construction of D.A. Gonyea & Al Davies Branches.
1981
D.A. Gonyea and Al Davies Branches open.
1982
Officially changes name to Boys & Girls Clubs of Tacoma and Pierce County.
1990
BGCA changes its name to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the BGC of Tacoma & Pierce County begins formally serving girls as members.
1993
Lakewood Boys & Girls Club established by group of business leaders, with support from Lakewood Rotary Club, operates out of Lakeview Elementary.
1996
Construction begins on new Lakewood Club.
Restructured merger of all Clubs in Tacoma.
Name officially changes to Boys & Girls Clubs of Pierce County.
1997
Lakewood Branch dedicated.
1999
Board approves $5.9 million Campaign for Kids to improve/enhance Clubs, along with staff retention, worker benefits & training.
2001
Campaign for Kids goal exceeded by nearly $1.3 million, reaches $7.2 million.
First BottLab (4,000-square-foot tech center) opens at East Side Branch.
2002
South Pierce County Branch was formed and began operating out of 4 sites in Bethel and Franklin Pierce School Districts.
2002 & 2003
Renovations to East Side, Gonyea and Al Davies completed.
2003
SPC program expands to include three additional sites.
Boys & Girls Clubs of West Sound joins the organization — becomes North Mason Branch.
Name change to Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound.
2004
Board approves plans for a three-phase, $60 million “It Just Takes ONE” campaign.
2005
South Pierce County Branch officially chartered by BGCA.
2006
New branch opens in Bremerton with strong support from local community leaders and Bremerton School District.
2007
South Kitsap Branch opened with South Kitsap School District and community support.
Gary and Carol Milgard Family HOPE Center & Lakewood Branch opened.
2008
Construction begins for Gig Harbor center.
Aging South End Branch closed and building sold.
2009
Jim and Carolyn Milgard Family HOPE Center & Cheney Family Branch opens.
Construction begins on HOPE Center in Tacoma.
2010
Aging East Side Branch transitions to new location at Bethlehem Baptist Church.
Donald G. Topping Regional HOPE Center & Henry T. Schatz Branch opens.
2011
Campaign launches to build new teen center in Bremerton as part of Youth Wellness Campus in partnership with city and Bremerton School District.
2013
Bremerton Teen Center dedication.
Best year ever in fundraising, board engagement and ADA.
2023
Today, BGCSPS serves more than 1,600 youth each day at 9 Club sites and 4 school sites in Pierce, Mason and Kitsap counties and in partnership with six school districts (Bremerton, Clover Park, North Mason, Peninsula, South Kitsap, Tacoma).
History of Boys & Girls Clubs of America
The Boys and Girls Club Movement began in the United States during the Civil War. Its inception is traced to Hartford, Connecticut with the formation of the Dashaway Club to serve needy boys in the community. Boys & Girls Clubs of America had its beginnings in 1860 when several women, believing that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative, organized the first Club. A cause was born. The idea spread to other areas of the country and more Clubs were formed. The first Club to use “Boys Club” in its official title was the Boys Club of New York in 1876. At this time, the Clubs served only boys.
In 1906, the existing 50 Clubs joined together to form a national organization known as the Boys Club of America. The Federated Boys Clubs in Boston was formed with 53 member organizations.
In 1956, Boys Clubs of America celebrated its 50th anniversary and President Eisenhower gave the national organization a Congressional Charter – a rare honor bestowed on only a few non-profit organizations in our country’s history.
In response to a growing need, the Boys Clubs began to also serve girls. In 1990, the national organization officially changed its name to Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Today, there are over 4,000 Clubs in the United States serving over 4,000,000 members. There are similar organizations in Germany, Australia, Canada, and many other countries around the world.