Boys & Girls Club Blog

October 1, 2026

Walk through the doors of the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh on any afternoon, and you’ll see a lot happening. Kids are working on homework, grabbing a snack, playing a game, trying a new activity, spending time with friends and connecting with Club staff. Some are working toward a goal they’ve set for themselves. Others may simply need a place to unwind after a long day at school.

Every afternoon looks a little different, but the goal is the same: to give kids a safe place to belong and opportunities to learn, grow and discover what they’re capable of. Across our Oshkosh, Omro and Winneconne locations, an average of 387 youth attend the Club each day. And behind that number are hundreds of individual experiences, relationships and opportunities that happen throughout the year.

Learning Happens in Many Ways

Academic support is an important part of the Club, but learning doesn’t always look like sitting down with a worksheet. So far this year, our members have spent more than 8,680 hours reading and received more than 17,360 hours of tutoring. Our mentoring programs are also helping young people work toward their goals, with more than 25 members participating in BE GREAT and Great Futures mentoring programs.

For Tre, an eighth grader who loves sports and spending time with friends, academics weren’t always a priority. Through mentoring, he began setting weekly academic goals and focusing more consistently on his schoolwork. His Social Studies grade improved from a 1.0 to a 1.9 by the end of the school year.

For Elliot, building a consistent routine was the first step. By working with his mentor to set weekly goals and communicate with his teacher, he developed a better academic routine and ultimately passed Algebra during his second semester.

Stories like these are why the everyday work matters. A little extra encouragement, a goal to work toward and a caring adult who keeps showing up can help a young person see what’s possible.

Meeting Kids Where They Are

Sometimes, the impact of the Club is found in something much more basic.

Earlier this year, Clara, a fourth grader who attends the Club after school, had outgrown her shoes. Her feet were hurting, and she was having trouble fully participating in activities. Through our collaboration with Operation Warm, Clara received a new pair of properly fitting shoes. She was thrilled, especially because she could comfortably participate in all of her favorite activities again, including gym.

It’s a simple example, but it’s an important one. When a basic need is met, a child can focus on being a kid.

The Club provides support for those everyday needs in many ways. More than 180 youth are transported from school to the Club each day, helping members get safely to their after-school programs. More than $67,000 in program fees have been covered for youth in need, helping make Club opportunities accessible to more families.

So far this year, more than 1,800 basic needs items have been provided to youth and families, and approximately 15 members participate in Shower Club.

The Club also connects families with resources beyond what we provide directly. More than 25 families have participated in parent support programs and workshops, and 18 members have utilized services through community partners.

For one Club family, a referral to a Community Health Advocate led to support with housing, food and financial insecurity. The family was facing eviction and thousands of dollars in rent and late fees. Through connections to community resources, the family was able to access rental assistance and stop the eviction process, while also receiving support with transportation, clothing and other needs.

For another family, working with a Community Health Advocate helped them take steps toward long-term goals around housing and employment, including connecting with resources through Fox Valley Technical College and ADVOCAP.

Sometimes, helping a family means knowing what resource to connect them with and being there to help them take the next step.

More Space, More Opportunities

As the number of youth and families we serve has grown, we’ve needed more room to meet their needs.  Our recent capital project increased the Club’s daily capacity by 150 youth, while expansions in Omro and Winneconne have created additional opportunities for kids in those communities. That growth isn’t simply about having more space. It’s about what becomes possible because of it.

More kids can participate.

More programs can happen.

More youth can find a space that works for them.

More opportunities can be created for kids to explore interests, build confidence and develop new skills.

For example, one second grader, Zeke, thrives in smaller group settings but can become overwhelmed and distracted in a larger classroom. Having access to a learning center gives staff the opportunity to provide activities that better meet his needs, including literacy activities, STEM manipulatives, learning apps and books.

And sometimes, the right activity is the one that captures a child’s interest. For Zeke, that happened to be Pokémon books.

The goal isn’t simply to give kids more things to do. It’s to create opportunities that help each young person find a way to participate, learn and succeed.

Sometimes, Trying Something New Is the Win

The Club also gives kids opportunities to discover interests they may not have had the chance to explore otherwise.

This year, a record 29 members participated in our Ski & Snowboard Program, with 17 trying the sport for the first time. For many of these young people, skiing or snowboarding would not have been something they could afford to do on their own. Support from the Club helped make the experience possible, while our partnership with Nordic provided additional instructors to help new skiers and snowboarders learn skills they can carry with them for years to come.

We’re seeing that same excitement in other program areas, too. One Club member started the summer convinced that baseball was the main thing he was good at. As he tried new activities, he discovered a love for drawing. Now, he carries a sketchbook and is excited to see how many things he can create. We also had over 70 members who were able to experience Camp Radford for the first time this summer. 

That’s part of what we’re hoping to give kids every day: the opportunity to try something new and discover that they may be capable of more than they thought.

The Work Happens Every Day

The Club provides more than 5,000 meals and snacks each month, supports mental health programming and physical activity for all members, provides academic and mentoring opportunities, connects families with resources and creates opportunities for kids to discover new interests.

The numbers help tell the story:

• 387 youth attend our Clubs each day.
  5,000+ meals and snacks are provided each month.
  8,680+ hours of reading have taken place so far this year.
  17,360+ hours of tutoring have been provided so far this year.
  180+ youth are transported from school each day.
  $67,000+ in program fees have been covered for youth in need.
  1,800+ basic needs items have been provided this year.

But the numbers are only part of the story.

Behind every hour of tutoring is a young person working toward a goal. Behind every meal is a child who has what they need to get through the afternoon. Behind every new program is a member discovering something they enjoy. Behind every resource connection is a family taking another step forward.

And behind all of it are people showing up every day.

As our Club has grown, we’ve created more space and more opportunities for young people. But the most important part of that growth is what happens inside those spaces — the relationships, the programs, the support and the everyday moments that add up over time.

There is a lot happening at the Club every day. And tomorrow, we’ll be here to do it all again.