The mission of Madison Square Boys & Girls Club is to save and enhance the lives of New York City boys and girls who by reason of economic and/or social factors are most in need of its services. A founding member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Madison has offered a safe and supportive place for over 130 years to which urban youth can come when they're not in school, where they can find support and guidance from caring adults and engage in fun, positive, educational, team-building activities.

Madison's programs develop competencies, instill positive values, and increase opportunities for youth to participate fully in society—often making a critical difference between a troubled and stagnant future for at-risk youth, or one of promise and achievement. Current initiatives include:Education and Career DevelopmentImproving the quality of education is one of Madison's highest priorities. The goal of Madison's plan is to provide a seamless framework of quality educational programs which engage our youth in learning as early as possible, and keep them on track as they transition through middle and high school and on to college. Character and Leadership DevelopmentMembers have the flexibility to select from a variety of recreational activities designed to pique their innate curiosities and provide exposure to a range of cultural, academic, recreational, and vocational subjects. Youth participate in community service projects through the Torch Club (ages 11-13) and Keystone Club (ages 14-18), and Madison recognizes individual academic excellence, community involvement and personal contribution to the clubhouse through the Youth of the Year program (ages 16-18). Health and Life SkillsMadison develops members' capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being. Through SMART Girls and Passport to Manhood, members develop social skills, set personal goals, and make positive decisions about leisure time. Youth can also participate in an anti-drug empowerment program that promotes responsible behavior and the adoption of lifestyles conducive to good health. The program focuses on topics such as nutrition, sexuality, tobacco, drugs and alcohol awareness. Sports, Fitness and RecreationMadison's Clubhouses offer a range of dynamic sports and fitness programs that provide essential outlets for physical activity, positive peer competition, and social skill development. The ArtsMadison's arts programming exposes youth to a range of activities designed to pique their innate curiosities, develop new skills, explore new interests, foster positive social interactions, advance creativity, and provide a sense of enjoyment.

Since 1884, Madison Square Boys & Girls Club has been a place of hope and opportunity for youth from some of New York City's most disadvantaged communities. With the support of outcome-based programming, our members are guided to succeed. Our rich history tells stories of success, and we work with other community-based organizations to ensure that our members and their families have access to all the resources they may need.

As an organization, Madison Square Boys & Girls Club believes that education is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty, and all educational initiatives reflect our vision that every member is promoted on time to the next grade level; graduates from high school; and is fully prepared to achieve real world success. Madison's top priority is to ensure that our youth are afforded every opportunity to succeed and have access to high-quality, outcomes-driven programming that sets them on a positive pathway toward success. To this end, we provide a comprehensive roster of programs that enable youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, apply learning to everyday situations and embrace technology to achieve success in a career. Madison Square Boys & Girls Club is committed to outcomes-based programming and continues to define and enhance our evaluation methods. The effectiveness of our initiatives is evaluated by the overall program goals reached and exceeded; the number of youth involved in each initiative; and members' individual progress and accomplishments. For our education programming, Madison uses report cards and transcripts to monitor our short-term and long-term program outcomes of school attendance; grades; grade level promotion; and high school completion. Staff members monitor college acceptance letters and Clubhouse attendance rosters, and use surveys, individual evaluation notes, and focus groups with youth to further evaluate program success. Staffers at all levels at each Clubhouse and school site gather at three annual meetings held at the beginning, mid-point and end of the school year to brainstorm program ideas, assess program activities, identify specific programmatic issues and facilitate the communication of best practices among all Clubhouse locations. We remain committed to continued participation in the Boys & Girls Club of America's National Youth Outcomes survey, which aid our efforts to measure the effectiveness of our programming.

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club is a leading provider of afterschool and summer programs for youth in New York City. During the 2015-2016 year, we welcomed 4,686 youth ages 6 to 18 through our doors as members, with an average daily attendance of 954 youth. We address the needs of the whole child, and employ outcomes-based programming to advance three priority outcomes: Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship and Healthy Lifestyles. Each year, we track academic successes of our members, in addition to other measurable outcomes such as levels of physical fitness hours achieved, number of community service projects, and more.