Boys & Girls Clubs of America began in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut with Mary Goodwin, Alice Goodwin and Elizabeth Hammersley. With the belief that boys who roamed the streets should have a positive alternative, a cause was born.
Incorporated in 1999, the Boys & Girls Club of Poplar Bluff has been serving youth in our community since 2000. The need to expand grew and the official change of the name to Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland was announced on Oct. 28, 2021! The Club has grown from two school-based sites and 60 members, and now is open in nine locations throughout Poplar Bluff and Neelyville—helping over 650 youth daily to have a safe and positive place to go after school. BGC focuses on academics, healthy lifestyles, good character and citizenship. BGC fosters positive relationships with adults, provides opportunities for new experiences and a place to make new friends, and an environment where children can learn and play safely during out-of-school time.
For more than 150 years, chapters of Boys & Girls Clubs have been helping kids reach their full potential.
