Site Highlight – Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha
During Keys to Kenosha, visitors will have the rare chance to step inside one of the city’s most impactful youth‑serving organizations: the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha. Guided tours will highlight how this organization grew from a small neighborhood program into a regional leader supporting thousands of young people every year.
Founded in 1992 to provide sports leagues, educational programs, and positive opportunities for youth in the Wilson Heights neighborhood, the Club began with just 198 members and an annual budget of $150,000. Over the next three decades, strategic growth—including mergers with the Lincoln Neighborhood Center and Christian Youth Council, plus the addition of multiple after‑school sites—expanded the Club’s reach dramatically. What started as a single neighborhood initiative evolved into a citywide network serving children and teens across Kenosha.
A Landmark Investment in Youth
A major milestone came in 2011 with the opening of the Club’s 80,000‑square‑foot community center—one of the sites available for touring during Keys to Kenosha. This impressive facility includes:
- A dedicated Youth Center
- A vibrant Teen Center
- An indoor soccer field
- A four‑court basketball field house
- A commercial kitchen
- Offices for community partners
Walking through these spaces offers a powerful look at the scale of the Club’s impact and the intentional design behind its programming.
More Than a Youth Center
Did you know? The Boys & Girls Club offers facility rentals for community events and gatherings. Adults can also become members to access amenities like the indoor walking track and other wellness spaces.
The Club continues to evolve to meet community needs. In 2021, it expanded again with the addition of Scamps Gymnastics, further broadening opportunities for local youth.
Today, the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha serves more than 16,000 youth annually, making it one of the largest and most influential youth organizations in the region.