History
In 1989 Kerr and Downs conducted a community survey which identified substance abuse, crime and teen pregnancy as the top three social problems facing Leon County. Around the same time, the Tallahassee Police Department identified a noticeable increase in violent crime by youth, with delinquency complaints rising by 46% from 1985 to 1989.
In response to these findings, six concerned citizens of Leon County assembled in April 1990 to determine what might be done to address such important issues. Rather than inventing a program for local youth, they associated with a national youth development organization that already had an established track record of working with at-risk kids. The organization, in existence for more than a century, was the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) -- a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous Clubs serving millions of youth throughout the country.
The original group of six grew to 20 individuals who, with the guidance of BGCA, raised money for the first year of operation, hired an executive director and opened the first Boys & Girls Club location.
The Boys & Girls Club of Tallahassee/Leon County was chartered by the State of Florida in February 1991 and received the 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS in August 1991. The organization opened its doors in January 1993. In April 1996, the name was changed to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend, Inc.
The initial development of the organization resulted from the hard work and dedication of several business and civic leaders in the Tallahassee community. NationsBank, Sun Bank, Tallahassee Police Department, Tallahassee Housing Authority and several foundations were instrumental in making the organization a reality.
Since its inception, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend has produced thousands of alumni who are today making an impact in our world as capable, responsible citizens and community leaders.