The Boys & Girls Clubs of America was founded in 1860 by Elizabeth Hammersley, Alice Goodwin, and Mary Goodwin with the belief that boys have better things to do than roaming the streets. Because of this, the first ever Club was organized, giving birth to a cause that persists today. In the past, the organization was known as Boys Club Federation of America, which became the Boys Clubs of America. It was in 1990 that its name was changed to what it goes by today in recognition of the fact that the cause also involves girls. 

Character development is the cornerstone in which the Boys & Girls Clubs experience was founded on. The system the organization follows for this was developed by John Collins, the first Club professional, which entails informal guidance on how to attract boys and girls to join and keep them interested long enough to imbue them with behavioral improvements. The process followed a scientific system that was effective in getting boys and girls off of the streets and into better lives.