General

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa was founded by Ellis Levitt and E.T. Meredith Jr. in response to a community need for positive youth programs. They opened their doors in a small remodeled grocery store on June 12th, 1967. In forty years of service to the Des Moines community, thousands of young people have benefited from the youth development programming available at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa. Today, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa is a safe place to learn and grow for over 5,500 local youth.

The Boys & Girls Clubs helps 5,500 underprivileged youth in the Des Moines area by providing after school programs everyday during the school year and all day during the Summer vacation and school breaks. The Boys & Girls Club opens their doors to all children between the ages of 5 and 18, providing a sage haven and a five core program (Character and Leadership development, Health and Life Skills, Career and Education, the Arts, and Sports, Fitness and Recreation) which is essential for the healthy development of its members.

On average, the Boys & Girls Club members spend at least one hour per day doing homework and/or participating in high yield learning activities. Students in quality after-school programs have better behavior, academic performance, school attendance and greater expectations for the future. The after-school programs provided, offer children a safe and mentor-rich environment lead by caring, knowledgeable adults.