A Tradition of Excellence for Over 125 Years

Our Story

The Boys Club of New Britain was founded on March 10, 1891, by a group of concerned citizens led by John C. Eastman, the Secretary of the Connecticut Auxiliary Committee on Work for Boys. The Club was modeled after the Club that was founded in 1860 in Hartford. The group of volunteers raised $100 to open the Club's doors in the Herald Hall on Church Street, offering a place where 400 boys could participate in sports, recreation, and learn basic skills.

Over the next 115 years, the Club witnessed significant events in American history, including the inauguration of 21 presidents, the first flight of the Wright Brothers, the invention of the horseless carriage, the settlement of the Western frontier, two world wars, several world conflicts, the invention of the electric light bulb, radio, television, the computer, and the landing of a man on the moon.

At the turn of the century, the city of New Britain was experiencing growth as a nation with the Industrial Revolution in high gear, and it was a magnet for immigrants from all over the world. The Boys Club became an integral part of the family life of those immigrants by helping them adapt to their new country and providing them with many of the skills they needed to survive. The Boys Club provided a safe haven where boys of any nationality, race, or religion could come and develop important physical, mental, and moral skills.

The New Britain Club continued to grow in size and stature and moved to a two-family wooden house on East Main Street in 1916. It was at this location that the Club offered dormitories for boys who were without homes. In 1920, the Club dedicated a new gymnasium, which enabled it to better serve its over 900 members.

In 1934, the Club's application for membership in the Boys Club Association of America was approved, marking the beginning of an era in its evolution with the hiring of Dwight Skinner as its Executive Director, a position he would retain for the next 39 years. Mr. Skinner founded the Ladies Auxiliary of the New Britain Boys Club, which became invaluable during the Great Depression of the 1930s when the Community Chest collapsed, leaving the agencies it supported, such as the Boys Club, without funding. The Ladies Auxiliary, in tandem with Skinner and the Board of Directors, developed the means to maintain operations at the Club without interrupting services, despite the devastating economic conditions of the period.

The Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1941, and once again saw many of its sons march off to war. However, the Club became the central caretaker for many boys whose mothers were working in defense plants, and whose fathers were off fighting the war. It was the Boys Club who helped preserve the family structure during a time which is considered to be one of the darkest the world has ever known.

The 1950s saw the construction of a brick building to replace the original wooden structure, with the dedication of the Abbe Memorial Swimming Pool in 1957. A sad year was marked in 1962 with the premature passing of Dwight Skinner. John Karbonic was appointed as Executive Director and would remain in the position for 20 years.

In 1971, a capital fund drive was kicked off for the relocation of the Club due to massive development of the Route 72 highway, which would bisect the city. 1972 saw the establishment of the Angelo Tomasso Sr. Memorial Scholarship at the Club and the dedication of its current building at 150 Washington Street.

As the Club entered the 1980’s with its ever-increasing complex social issues, it focused on adapting to meet the needs of a whole new generation of boys with their own unique problems. The reins of command were passed to Stan Glowiak in 1983 to meet these new and demanding challenges. Once again, the Ladies Auxiliary was there to establish the John Karbonic Scholarship.

The Club continued to innovate and evolve in the 2000s, expanding its programming to include STEM education, financial literacy, and leadership development. In 2002, the Club launched its Keystone program, which provides teens with opportunities to engage in community service, leadership development, and career exploration.

In 2016, the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain celebrated its 125th anniversary with a year-long celebration. The Club remains an important institution in the city, serving over 1,500 youth annually through a variety of programs and services. In addition to its main location on Washington Street, the Club operates three school-based sites, providing before and after-school programming to students in grades K-8.

Throughout its history, the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain has remained true to its mission of providing a safe, positive, and fun environment for youth to learn, grow, and develop into responsible, caring adults. The Club has been supported by countless volunteers, donors, and community partners, who recognize the importance of investing in the future of New Britain's youth. As the Club looks to the future, it will continue to adapt and innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of the community it serves.