Our History

Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore (BGCML) was founded in 2014 by a group of community members dedicated to addressing the need for high-quality out-of-school programming in Muskegon County. This team, which became the founding board of directors, developed a campaign to raise the seed money necessary to open a Club. In January 2015, they hired their first team member to open the doors of the first Boys & Girls Club site in Muskegon. BGCML opened these doors in MAISD schools to its first 30 members on April 20th, 2015. By the end of 2015, the Club’s membership reached over 300 youth. Within that year, the Club served over 7,000 meals and set operating hours to Monday-Friday from 3:00-7:30 pm, to be open when youth needed it most.

BGCML has a mission to inspire all young people to reach their full potential. In 2016, BGCML began partnering with the City of Muskegon to offer youth programs all summer long at select parks across the city. In this first year of summer programming, 724 youth were served, with an average of 153 youth served every day. In October 2016, BGCML opened a second year-round Club site, dedicated to teens. By the end of the year, BGCML’s membership reached 940, serving over 80 youth every day during the school year.

In September 2018, thanks to support from federal and private grantors, donors, and fundraising events, BGCML once again received the opportunity to expand and serve the youth who need us most. This competitive funding provided a portion of the operating costs necessary to provide year-round low-cost academic and cultural enrichment programs five days a week at selected partner schools.

A Clubhouse capital campaign was also created in 2018, to fund the purchase of a building that would provide a safe Clubhouse space for youth to receive BGCML services. BGCML was able to expand further in 2019, as additional funds from grantors and donors were raised. This funding provided complete operating costs necessary to provide year-round low-cost academic and cultural enrichment programs five days a week at selected partner schools.

In 2022, BGCML was able to purchase the 900 W. Western Ave., Muskegon, Clubhouse location, with the help of the Clubhouse Capital campaign. In late 2023, the Clubhouse faced severe fire damage, due to arson. Despite the fire, the Clubhouse was still able to serve over 6,500 snacks and 6,700 dinners in addition to providing educational and recreational services in 2023.

Our Club membership and services have grown drastically, from 30 members in 2015 to over 1400 youth in 2024. BGCML now serves 460 kids a day in the summer and an average of 132 a day during the school year.

We expect the number of youths served to continue to grow, as our Clubhouse re-opens. Thanks to public and private support and the ambition of our resilient staff, the Clubhouse has had significant repairs and is set to open on June 5th, 2024. The organization is excited about its ongoing journey of growing the network of Club sites and providing a Clubhouse in the neighborhoods where youth need us most.