For over 80 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego (BGCGSD) has been committed to serving youth between the ages of five and eighteen and reaching young people in need. As a community-based agency with 72% of its Clubs’ members living in low-income households, the Clubs offer young people what they need and want most – adults who respect and listen to them; a safe environment where they can have fun and be themselves, and enriching activities that channel youthful energy into challenging pursuits. Through its programming, BGCGSD focuses on three priority outcomes: achieving academic success, building good character and citizenship, and making healthy lifestyle choices.
Since its inception the BGCGSD has been a trend-setter. The William J. Oakes Branch opened in 1941 serving young boys – the second oldest Club in California. In 1981 the Boys Club of Escondido merged with the Girls Club of Escondido to become The Boys & Girls Clubs of Escondido – 9 years before the national name change. The Club would undergo two additional mergers to form the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego in 2009.
Today BGCGSD has 23 locations and serves nearly 22,000 youth annually within a 2,000 square mile radius. BGCGSD’ s newest undertaking includes transforming the Geneius Branch located in Encanto to serve as the first prototype for the “Club of the Future.” This high-tech Club will feature a makerspace, e-sports/games, STEM lab, and computer lab, encouraging creativity and learning.
Funds raised through three fundraising events, the Borrego Springs Golf Classic (held in February), the Don Coryell Chairty Golf Classic (on June 20, 2025), and annual gala, An Evening of Changing Lives (on September 13, 2025) support scholarships and educational programs like STEM and Exact Path, a diagnostic-driven learning tool that helps its members refine their skills in math, reading, and language arts. Scholarships are particularly important as they allow all young people to attend the Club despite financial hardship. Programs and activities are designed to maximize opportunities to help young people build self-esteem and grow into responsible and caring citizens. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego is committed to Changing Lives.
Join us in empowering youth in San Diego County to thrive and build a brighter future. For more information on how you can change lives, visit www.sdyouth.org.
