History
In 1965, a committee of five community members came together to found the Boys Club of Broward to serve boys in underserved communities in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Â During the first two years, utilizing abandoned Church locations, the doors were opened at two Clubs, which are now known as the Lester H. White and Nan Knox Units. Â Having a significant impact on decreasing vandalism claims and juvenile arrest rates in the communities where they were located, the demand for Clubs grew over the next 20 years and 7 more Clubs were opened in neighborhoods across Broward County.
In 1990, when it became evident that girls were just as in need as boys of a safe, nurturing, out-of-school time facility, the Board agreed to modify existing Clubs, hire additional staff, and expand programming to become the all-embracing Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (BGCBC) that exists today.Â
With the addition of 2 new Clubs in the late 1990’s and the chartering of a Club solely for teens members, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County is now made up of 18 Clubs with a membership of over 10,000 youth. Supported by many of the most prominent members of our community, BGCBC is proud to be the 5th largest Club in the nation.
