Who We Are

The general purpose of the Boys & Girls Club is to promote the health, social educational, vocational, and character development of youth. It provides wholesome leisure time activities and guidance under trained leadership.

These features give the Boys & Girls Club an uniqueness in the field of youth work:

The traditional special concern of the Boys & Girls Club is with youth from low income families. Many Boys & Girls Clubs serve youth from other economic levels, but they make certain to include the poorer youth.

Except in small communities, Boys & Girls Clubs generally are located in low income areas. Cost of membership is low so that it is within the reach of every youth on an equal basis and even so the least interested youth will be encouraged to try membership.

The Club is generally open every week-day afternoon and evening to all its members.

The Club is non-sectarian in management and membership.

The facilities are planned for and used primarily by youth.

The program has a wide variety of activities so as to fit the needs and interests of every youth.

Leaders use organized and unorganized group and individual approaches in providing service and guidance in behavior and attitudes.

Our Mission

The primary mission of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield is to enhance the quality of life for youth as participating members of a richly diverse society. With special concern for the disadvantaged, the Boys & Girls Club helps youth to help themselves realize their potential for growth and development. Basing its program on member and community involvement and a recognized role as spokesman for youth, the Boys & Girls Club is aware of the influences of the total environment and so provides youth with relevant, everyday various and diversified individual and group services. These demonstrate that adults care for youth and truly desire to help them grow into contributing human beings with the necessary skills for living. Therefore, to accomplish its mission it must provide programs based an principles of behavioral guidance which will achieve the health, social, educational, vocational, character and leadership development of our membership.

Purpose Goals

To better serve our youth, the Boys and Girls of Springfield will:

Strive for equal opportunity and foster respect for human dignity.

Prepare youth to live in a richly diverse society through planned programs and services supported by an organizational posture and policies based on total equality and representation at all levels of operation.

Initiate and promote services which will enhance the quality of life.

Provide programs and services, both new and proven that are relevant to changing needs, with primary emphasis on optimal youth development and involvement.

Strengthen its role as spokesman for youth.

Develop a strong voice on behalf of youth and take the initiative to form and/or join alliances with other national and local organizations to support positive programs aimed at correcting those conditions which severely inhibit youth development.

History

The Springfield Boys Club had its beginning on November 4,1938. Mrs. Jennie Lincoln, wife of Juvenile Judge A.W. Lincoln, got the idea of a "Club for Boys" from hearing her husband tell of the need of such an organization to help youngsters with special problems. She discussed her thoughts with members of the Commercial Street Business Men's Club and that group agreed to allow her to use the basement room of the Community Building, located at 219 E. Commercial, for a place to conduct the program without charge and with free utilities. This room was only 35x55 feet but was adequate to accommodate a beginning program for about 25 to 50 boys who lived within a few blocks of the Club. This facility was used for the next 11 years (1938-1949). The Articles of Agreement was written pursuant to chapter Article 10 of the revised statute of MO., 1938, officially naming the organization "North Side Boys Club." J.R. Medley, President, Henry Bugg and Mrs. A.W. Lincoln signed the document.

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