Our Mission:
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
What We Do: Empowering Tennessee Youth
Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee serves as the backbone for 20 local organizations and 134 program sites across the state. We believe that Tennessee Needs Club Kids to be the next generation of resilient, skilled, and community-minded citizens. To make this a reality, we provide evidence-based youth development programs that empower young people—especially those who need us most—to reach their full potential.
Our statewide mission focuses on three primary outcomes:
- Academic Success: Enhancing learning beyond the classroom.
- Workforce Development: Providing workforce readiness programs that prepare young people for the 21st century workforce and boost their economic potential over their lifetime.
- Health & Well-Being: Promoting physical wellness and emotional well-being.
Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee achieves this through strategic grant management for financial assistance, dedicated legislative advocacy, and fostering operational alignment among our statewide member organizations.
The Formula for Impact: 5 Key Elements
Because Tennessee Needs Club Kids to become our state’s future leaders, workforce, and neighbors, we ensure every moment spent in our halls is intentional. With a legacy spanning over a century, Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee understands that lasting impact is driven by consistent participation and the high-quality implementation of our foundational “Five Key Elements.”
Safe, Positive Environment
Club facilities provide stability and consistency, ensuring both physical and emotional safety.
Fun & Belonging
Staff create a “home away from home” atmosphere where members feel a true sense of ownership.
Supportive Relationships
We actively cultivate meaningful connections between youth, their peers, and caring adult mentors.
Opportunities & Expectations
Members explore diverse programming to build new skills while being held to high standards of excellence.
Recognition
We utilize positive reinforcement to celebrate every milestone, improvement, and success.
Frequently Asked Questions
We provide safe out-of-school time (OST) care, academic support, and mentorship for youth across the state. As of 2025, our 134 Clubs operate 245 days a year to serve over 35,000 members annually, with 75% of our newest enrollees coming from low-income families.
(Source: Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Internal Data, 2022-2025)
Our 134 Clubs provide affordable, reliable care for working families to help combat the state’s severe childcare crisis. The lack of childcare costs the Tennessee economy an estimated $2.3 billion in annual lost earnings, while median infant center-based care costs reached $13,926 in 2025—exceeding in-state university tuition.
(Source: FFYF/Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, 2025/2026)
BGCTN provides daily enrichment and small-group intensive tutoring designed to bridge critical educational gaps. This intervention is vital since, as of July 2025, 58% of Tennessee 3rd graders still fell short of the English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency benchmarks on state TCAP testing.
(Source: TN Department of Education TCAP Results, July 2025)
We offer targeted preventive and intervention strategies to help members develop emotional resilience and positive decision-making skills. These safe spaces are crucial, given that nearly 20% of Tennessee adolescents screened positive for depression in 2025—the highest level recorded by the state.
(Source: Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth “State of the Child” Report, 2025)