Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson is to provide young people in Tucson, especially those who need us most, with a clear path to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams.

For nearly 65 years the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson (BGCT) has carried the torch for its mission: to provide young people in our community, especially those who need us most, with a clear path tor each their full potential and pursue their dreams. With a fearless dedication to Tucson's youth, we accomplish our objectives by offering quality after-school care that fills the gap between school and home.

Providing youth ages 7-18 with a safe, supportive place to go after school empowers them to focus on their growth through a variety of programs: homework help in Power Hour, leadership and character development in Torch and Keystone, physical health and wellness through our sports programs, and more. We primarily serve youth who grapple with challenging circumstances related to poverty or education inequality.

In 2022, 85% of our youth belong to minority ethnicities/races, 45% are from single-parent households, and 72%qualify for free/reduced price school lunches. With thousands of youth served every year, no-questions-asked full scholarship opportunities, and over 29,000 free meals and snacks served in the summer of 2022 alone, BGCT continues to passionately drive forward in its efforts to serve Tucson's youth. We work diligently to understand the many new and unique challenges youth face in a post-pandemic world, adapting our own approaches as needed to ensure we are serving the needs of Tucson's youth in the most effective ways possible.

Testimonials

"Doing my schoolwork here at the Club has been really helpful. I feel like I can focus better because in my normal classroom it would be chaos or ongoing drama. But here, I definitely feel more focused and motivated. Also, in times like these, I feel safer at the Club than I would at school…The internet is also really helpful because at my house it's really hard to stay connected." -Nely, Clubhouse member

"I appreciate all the hard work of everyone from the Boys & Girls Clubs to help my children. They have gone above and beyond to help when others would not. My two kiddos have required extra assistance - more than others - and I know that this has been even more difficult than ever anticipated in an already chaotic time. The staff has done a great job." - Keira's mother

"I was headed down the wrong path and my parents believed the Clubs would be a positive place for me. School was definitely not a priority and I would rarely go to class. Needless to say, my grades were poor and my future was looking bleak. At first I would go to the Clubs and only play basketball. I thought I could be invisible and unengaged, but the staff saw me…they really saw me. It was the staff that encouraged me to become involved with the Keystone Club. That's when everything changed." Karla, Clubhouse member

"Boys & Girls Club of Tucson has helped my three kids during the pandemic in so many ways! They were there in April for my kids as a safe, nurturing and fun place to go when their school closed. During the summer, they continued to be open and offered day camp. When the school implemented remote learning this fall, once again, the Clubs stepped up and provided a supportive environment for my kids to learn. I temporarily placed my kids back at their school, which only provided a proctor and they didn't get much support or attention; so, I moved the kids back to the Club because the quality and attention is there for my kids. Thank you Boys & Girls Clubs!" - Isa's mother

''This is our 6th year at the club and I can't say enough about it. The staff communicates immediately if there's a problem. The children not only go to the club but they have educational and structured activities to keep the children's brains going. This has been a great summer and I know my children enjoy it year after year. Thank you…for the work you do to keep our kids safe and having fun. See you next summer!' Chandra, parent