Who We Are

Mission
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

The Need & Our Reach
Since 1971, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social, and family circumstances. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County has actively sought to enrich the lives of girls and boys whom other youth agencies have had difficulty in reaching. Because of a dedication to ensuring that our community's disadvantaged youngsters have greater access to quality programs and services that will enhance their lives and shape their futures, in 2002, a second Clubhouse was opened in Lockwood. The Castle Rock Clubhouse opened its doors in 2005 joining the original Bair Family Clubhouse and fulfilling a vital need in the community.

In a world that has never seemed more threatening and devoid of promise for a disproportionate number of America's children, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County provide a tangible measure of hope. 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 interesting, constructive activities that channel youthful energy into positive pursuits.

The Club's positive message reaches nearly 4,000 young people every year. Each day after-school and throughout the summer nearly 650 young people visit one of our Clubhouses to be part of our safe and positive environment. Our staff members work to provide Club members with the tools and skills to take responsibility for their future success and realize the full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

The real start was a quiet dinner, circa 1969. Mayor and dinner host Willard Frazier introduced a small group of Billings community leaders and city employees to a regional Boys Club official. The goal: to see id a Boys Club could be established in Billings. Tim Healey, then manager of Midland National Bank's trust department, sat in, but dubiously. "I didn't think a club was possible here" he remembers. But possible it was. Almost like magic (or maybe divine intervention, says Healey), help came from across the country - from Los Angeles to Baltimore, from Florida to Martinsdale. At every turn, timing was perfect. At every standstill, Billings folks - including legendary names like Alberta Bair, Archie Cochrane, Ward Swanser and Joseph Sample advanced the cause. Read more about our history here>>.