History
Hudson County’s Boys & Girls Clubs have been at the forefront of youth development for the last 129 years, working with children and adolescents who come from economically, socially, and familial conditions that are less than ideal. Clubs for young people in Hudson County have made it one of their primary missions. The goal is to empower young women and men, whom traditional youth organizations often ignore.
The Whittier House Social Settlement in Jersey City was established in 1893 and is considered the first settlement house in New Jersey. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County may trace their roots to this event. Cornelia Foster Bradford established Whittier House, named after Cornelia Bradford’s friend John Greenleaf Whittier, and was situated at 174 Grand Street. Cornelia Foster Bradford would continue to work for the organization as its head employee until 1926.
The first free kindergarten in the city was offered at Whittier House, in addition to a circulating library, a medical dispensary, a milk dispensary, and a diet kitchen for nursing mothers and their infants. Pomona, New York, offered a summer camp, the only public playground in the city, and a gymnasium to fulfill the requirements of the community for recreational opportunities. Sewing, cooking, theater, music, debate, English, elocution, and dancing were among the programs and clubs that were made available. Additionally, there were social clubs for mothers (the first women’s organization in the city), newsboys, and young residents. Whittier House supported other activities: baseball teams, a minstrel group, and stenography and telegraphy schools.
In 1935, the Boys’ Club of Jersey City took control of the organization after it was forced to be taken over due to financial concerns. Most of the time, club activities for boys and girls persisted with the help of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The Jersey City Boys’ Club continued to call the Whittier House Boys’ Club home until the building at 174 Grand Street was destroyed in a fire in 1981. The Whittier House had its name formally changed to the Whittier
House Boys’ Club in 1940.
In the 1980s, the Paul Revere Boys Club, the Jersey City Boys Club, and the Whittier House—all of which had been established by Enos Jones in the 1930s—merged into one organization. The Club moved to its current location, a renovated coal bunker on Canal Street, in 1984. At the same time, the Hoboken Clubhouse was opened. The ClubClub formally changed its name to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County in 1991, when it also began
accepting female members.
There are Youth Groups for Young People in Hudson County for a reason.
Kids in the United States should be allowed to fulfill their full potential and live out their version of the American Dream since this is central to the Boys & Girls Club Movement’s philosophy. The Clubs’ goal over its 155 years has been to provide kids a reason to believe in themselves and the tools to realize their full potential. From 53 clubs in 1906 to 1,000 in 1972 to 2,000 in 1998 to 4,200 today, the Boys & Girls Club Movement is a success story of hard work and dedication.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County’s ultimate goal is to equip its members with the skills essential to success in the modern day. To that end, they strive to provide all of their members with high-quality programming that is risk-free and enjoyable and makes a discernible difference in their lives. They recognize that no single organization can provide everything necessary to enable youth to succeed. As a result, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America consistently builds strong relationships with area institutions and groups to pool resources and have the most significant possible effect on the young people they serve.
Their ClubClub is dedicated to the growth of the young people in their community by fostering a feeling of Competence.
When they can exhibit: new information or abilities learned via participation in regularly scheduled club programming, their members experience feelings of pride and confidence.
Through the completion of community service projects or by lending a hand around the ClubClub, their members get the pleasure and contentment that comes from knowing that they can contribute to the lives of others and give something that those people appreciate.
Each member knows they are a component of something far more significant than themselves. They are a part of this community, and they have the opportunity to join teams and other groups of their peers here.
When members take: on leadership positions within their groups, please contribute to the development of novel Club programming or act as good role models for the younger members; they are aware that their ideas are considered and that they can affect the opinions of others.
What they do
After school and over the summer break, provide the single most important and underutilized chance. Helping young individuals reach their most significant potential is our mission. And they are securing a bright future for themselves. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County provide academic programs and opportunities for hands-on learning that supplement and reinforce what young people learn in the classroom. Their offerings allow students to remember at their speed while equipping them with the skills necessary to complete grades K–12, graduate high school on time, and enter college, the military services, or the workforce.
Education & Career Development
Participants in the Hudson County Boys & Girls Club participate in educational programs and receive support services at the Club designed to help members improve their academic performance and capacity for creativity and critical thinking. More than 10,000 hours’ worth of homework assistance has been provided to Club members by professional club employees and volunteer tutors. Making Minutes Count is a program that encourages club members, regardless of age, to become self-directed learners by providing them with the opportunities, tools, and personnel necessary to develop an engaging homework aid and tutoring program. Members are given praise and rewards for completing their assignments, and staff members, college interns, and volunteers are available to assist them at every stage of the process.
STEM
The Teen Tech Center is where young people can play, discover, and learn about various topics. These topics include graphic design, digital photography, audio, and video production, game and app development, filmmaking, and many more. The center is equipped with cutting-edge technology.
For more information, visit their website. Or call at (201) 333-4100 Browse for more.