Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago is proud to announce the Rusu-McCartin Club!
Thanks to the incredible generosity of BGCC supporters George and Cindy Rusu, BGCC Chairperson Emeritus Bart McCartin and Katie Sakach, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago is constructing our first newly-built Club in a generation on Chicago’s West Side – the Rusu-McCartin Boys & Girls Club.
Our mission is driven by those whom we serve – communities, families, and most importantly, youth. Through community and youth outreach, we have received overwhelming feedback that youth and residents on the West Side of Chicago are looking for more safe spaces to pursue their passions.
Based on extensive community input, this new Club will give young people on the West Side the types of activities and experiences they are seeking. It will serve thousands of kids with high-quality programming and be a reliable community resource for generations. It is critical for us that youth and community voices are at the heart of what this new Club becomes.
We are grateful for the opportunity to expand our programs and serve more youth in the Austin, West Garfield Park, and West Humboldt Park communities – and beyond.
The Rusu-McCartin Boys & Girls Club will be a Club for the community, built on a shared campus that includes a first responders training academy and two Black-owned businesses. We know that our Club will open up transformational opportunities to build bridges and provide much-needed resources for Chicago's young people.
Partnerships and programming are what will bring this new Club to life. We are looking forward to the youth programming opportunities embedded in these partnerships – including with our neighbors on the Campus, up and down Chicago Avenue, and beyond – and we look forward to building more relationships in the future, all to better serve our youth.
"The new Boys & Girls Club is really needed. I found all my support for college from my Boys & Girls Club, and I want the same support system for my younger sisters."
Adrianne Harmon
Boys & Girls Club of Chicago alum
"I think it's a great thing that the Boys & Girls Club is going to be on the same campus as the public safety facility ... I think it's going to create a proactive approach to handling a lot of issues that many of our Black and Brown communities are facing."
Jerone Thadison
Boys & Girls Club of Chicago alum
Share Your Wish for the New Club
What are your hopes for the Rusu-McCartin Boys & Girls Club and those it will serve?
Press Coverage
New Boys & Girls Club Near Police Academy Could Be Powerfully good for Chicago
By: Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board
Date: June 15, 2021
The Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board voices their support for the newly planned BGCC Club on the West Side.
Boys & Girls Club on New Police Academy Campus Offers a Safe and Welcoming Space
By: Emma Mitts in Chicago Sun-Times
Date: July 13, 2021
Alderman Emma Mitts, 37th Ward, wrote a letter to the editor questioning why anyone would oppose the proposed new Boys & Girls Club on the West Side.
Key City Panel Endorses Plan to Build Boys & Girls Club at Redesigned Police, Fire Academy
By: WTTW
Date: July 14, 2021
WTTW announces the approval from the City Council's Housing and Real Estate Committee.
Boys & Girls Club Will Be Built On Police Academy Campus After City Council Approval
By: Block Club Chicago
Date: July 21, 2021
Block Club Chicago announces the plan will bring the West Side a much-needed youth center.
Questions?
We would love to hear from you! Please use the below form to contact us about anything related to our new Rusu-McCartin Club. We welcome your questions, ideas and feedback.