Association

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, a member club of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, is a social service organization for youth. The Indianapolis club started in 1893 as the Newsboy's Home for the purpose of getting youth off the streets, providing them with a sense of belonging, and encouraging values and skill development. Founders Thomas C. Day; Caleb S. Denny, three term mayor of Indianapolis; Carrie Lowe Denny, his wife; and M.V. McGillard, a local philanthropist, were influenced by the women of the Dashaway Club in Hartford, Connecticut. The Dashaway Club was the first Boys Club in the United States organized in 1860.

The Newsboy's Home became the Boy's Home and Employment Association after the first year, then the Boy's Club and Employment Association in 1898. The club was one of 53 charter clubs of the Boys Clubs of America, incorporated nationally in 1906. In 1910 the State of Indiana incorporated the Boys Club Association of Indianapolis as a member the Boys Clubs of America.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis maintain programs in the inner city areas to serve at-risk youth. From its earliest years, the organization invited children to participate in educational and recreational activities in a safe environment with adult mentors available to offer counsel when necessary. Programs offered by professional staff and volunteers include counseling and career development, cultural enrichment, social recreation, citizenship and leadership development, individual and team sports, and a camp located northwest of Noblesville, Indiana. The organization presents the Youth of the Year, Horacio Alger and Outstanding Alumni awards. In 1991, the association became the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis in accordance with the name change of the national association. Although girls had unofficially participated in the clubs throughout the organization's history, this allowed them official membership status.

The Women's Auxiliary and the Alumni Association are two groups created to fulfill a need within the larger organization. The Women's Auxiliary was established in 1944 to give the children who visited the clubs adult supervision, morale building, and financial assistance. The Women's Auxiliary evolved into an important force in fund raising for the organization with its flower sales and fashion shows. Another important fund raising force for the organization is the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association, beginning in the 1970s, sponsored a horse show and later scholarship award programs.

Further income support comes from endowments, the corporate community, service organizations, membership dues, philanthropists, individual volunteers and the United Way. In 1993 the 100th anniversary year, the organization completed a $4 million capital campaign, initiating major expansion of the clubs and the Noblesville camp. Today, the Boys and Girls Clubs operate nine clubs throughout the city serving 12,000 children annually. Programs offered focus on five specific areas of development that includes: leadership, education, health, the arts, and fitness.

Clubs

Since its founding, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis attempted to locate clubs in areas with the greatest need. Throughout its history, the organization has included several clubs operating under various names. Early clubs met in rented basement rooms until 1897 when heirs of John Maurice Butler donated the first clubhouse at Madison Avenue and South Meridian Street. The Butler Boys Club burned down in 1924 and was replaced by the English Avenue Club at 1400 English Avenue in 1926. The club offered arts and crafts and special classes in cooking, sewing, and air rifle shooting. The English Avenue Club's name changed to Gorman Boys Club in 1965. In 1996 the Lilly Club, named for the Lilly Foundation, opened at 801 South State Street replacing the Gorman Club.

A donated building at 1309 West Market Street on the city's westside served as the home of the Lauter Memorial Boys Club from 1913 to 1969. During its 56 year history, the Lauter Club provided activities in sports, a recreational room with games and television, vocational development, and a library. After serving over 40,000 youth, the club closed due to changing patterns in neighborhood development in the area. When Lauter closed in 1969, its members moved to the Atkins Boys Club. This club, named after William Atkins, opened in 1966 at 3131 West 16th Street. Atkins serves the area near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Haughville area. It has game rooms, a gym, meeting room, swimming pool, wood shop, and library.

In 1955 the Benevolent Association of Marion County Sheriff's Employees purchased land at 4900 West Raymond Street for the construction of the Salk Park Community Center to serve the Mars Hill-Drexel Gardens area on the southwest side of town. In 1958 after a merger with the Indianapolis Boys Club Association, the center became the third Boys Club in the city. The club served an area with high juvenile delinquency. Programs it offered included team sports, carnivals, and leadership development through group clubs that allowed the boys to elect officers and conduct business meetings to plan activities. Salk Park operated on Raymond Street until 1971 when it closed and its membership moved to the LeGore Club facility.

The Southside Boys Club organized in 1965 in a barn on Hanna Avenue to serve as a place for boys to participate in activities and receive mentoring. It became a member of the Boys Club Association of Indianapolis in 1970 and eventually moved into a facility at 1949 East Troy Avenue. The club later changed its name to the Keenan-Stahl Boys and Girls Club after two former board members.

The following year the LeGore Club, named after former board member Dan LeGore, opened at 5228 West Minnesota Street. LeGore serves the far westside of Indianapolis by providing sports, arts and crafts, tutoring, and computer terminals to its members.

The Wheeler Boys Club, named after Clark Wheeler, opened in 1972 in the old Blue Bird Pie factory at 2310 East 30th Street. It was the 1000th Boys Club to open in the United States. Wheeler promotes sports including basketball and swimming as well as educational, arts and crafts, and mentoring activities.

The Concord Village Club operated between 1990 and 1995 at 3125 Concord Court. The club opened in cooperation with the Indianapolis Housing Authority to provide services to children living in Concord public housing. Part of a nation-wide effort to reach children living in public housing where drugs, crime, and alcohol prevailed, the clubs opened to offer alternatives to at-risk youth.

Beginning in 2001, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), and Warren Township Schools formed a partnership that would create new clubs in the city's schools. These school-based clubs combine traditional club activities with tutoring services and career planning. The school clubs include: Emma Donnan Middle School at IPS #72, , Coleman Middle School at IPS #110, Francis Scott Key Middle School at IPS #103, Liberty Park Elementary School, and Raymond Park Middle School.