Mission

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford is the birthplace of the nationwide Boys & Girls Club movement. The country’s first Club, the Dashaway Club, was founded in Hartford in 1860 when four women, Mary Goodwin, Alice Goodwin, Elizabeth Hammersley and Louisa Bushnell, believed that boys who roamed the street should have a positive, healthy place to live and grow. The mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Focusing on six key pillars: Academic Success, Character & Leadership, STEAM, Health & Wellness, Workforce Readiness, and Diversity Equity & Inclusion. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford operates 5 clubhouses and 5 school-based sites located throughout Hartford, Bloomfield and Windsor. Open all year round, with a Summer Camp program in the summer. We serve over 5,000 children ages 3 to 18 . We turn no child away, charging a $10 annual membership fee.