Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford began in 1860 as the birthplace of the nationwide Boys & Girls Club movement. Four women; Louisa Bushnell, Mary Goodwin, Alice Goodwin and Elizabeth Hammersley, believed that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive, healthy place to live and grow, so they organized the first Club in America. That day, a mission was born – and we’ve been fulfilling it ever since. Today, 160 years later and more than 150,000 kids after our beginning, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford still provides our youth the skills they need to succeed in life. As the specific needs of Hartford’s children have changed over time, our Clubs continue to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.