Boys & Girls Club of Lake County

What Boys & Girls Club of Lake County does

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County (BGCLC) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers free youth development programming to children and teens ages 5 through high school in Lake County, Illinois. Founded in 1993 as the Lake Shore Youth Center and affiliated with Boys & Girls Club of America since 2000, BGCLC operates a network of 11 physical sites across Waukegan, North Chicago, Great Lakes, and Gurnee — including a flagship Genesee Site and 10 school-embedded locations at Waukegan School District, North Chicago School District, and LEARN Charter School Network facilities. The organization serves more than 1,300 registered youth with average daily attendance of 600+ during the school year, and cumulatively reports serving 15,000+ youth and families over its 25-year history.

Program delivery is built on four pillars — Academic Success, Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, and Life & Workforce Readiness — operationalized through after-school programs (Monday–Friday until 7:00 p.m.), full-day summer programs, and on-site meal service (more than 138,000 hot meals annually prepared by an in-house chef) and mentoring (over 379,500 hours annually). The core 'technology' is the evidence-based curriculum inherited from BGCA, adapted locally and supplemented with site-specific programming. Membership is free to families; there is no fee-for-service revenue. BGCLC does not publish financial statements in the source materials reviewed, and revenue/budget figures are not disclosed.

Revenue is generated entirely through contributed income — corporate sponsorships (a roster that includes Abbott, Abbvie Foundation, Allstate, Baxter International, Beam Suntory, CDW, Discover Financial Services, IDEX, ITW, JP Morgan Chase, Northern Trust, PwC, Quad, William Blair, and others), foundation grants, individual donations processed via Givelively, signature fundraising events (Bright Futures Annual Gala, Golf Classic), and government grants (recent 21st Century Community Learning Centers application). United Way of Lake County, Lake County United, and Northern Illinois Foodbank provide additional in-kind and funding support. Operations are enabled by a standard nonprofit SaaS stack: Salesforce Experience Cloud for the Parent Portal, ADP Workforce Now for HR, Constant Contact for the Blue Connection newsletter, and Givelively for online giving. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with Andrya S. Pearson serving as Interim CEO following a recent leadership transition.

Name

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County

Legal name

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County

Website

https://bgclc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County is a nonprofit organization delivering free after-school and summer youth development programming to 1,300+ children and teens across 11 sites in Lake County, Illinois, funded by corporate sponsors, foundations, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (61), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• After school programs
• Summer youth programs
• Nonprofit youth services
• Mentorship and academics

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukegan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County delivers free, evidence-based youth development programs to youth ages 5 through high school at 11 Club sites across Waukegan, North Chicago, Gurnee, and Great Lakes. Programs are organized around four pillars—Academic Success, Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, and Life & Workforce Readiness—delivered through After School Programs (Monday-Friday until 7pm) and full-day Summer Programs, with daily meals, mentoring, and physical activities provided at no cost to families.

Product overview

Boys & Girls Club of Lake County operates as a unified youth development organization offering structured programs through a network of 11 Club sites across Waukegan, North Chicago, Gurnee, and Great Lakes. The organization delivers four interconnected program pillars—Academic Success, Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, and Life & Workforce Readiness—through two primary service delivery products: After School Programs (operating Monday-Friday until 7pm) and Summer Programs (full-day summer programming). These programs provide comprehensive youth development including daily meals (138,000+ annually), mentoring (379,500+ hours annually), and 100% youth participation in physical activities. All programming is provided at no cost to families, serving over 1,300 registered youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• After School Programs Safe, supportive after-school environment for youth ages 5 through high school providing academic support, enrichment activities, and mentorship at 11 site locations across Waukegan, North Chicago, Gurnee, and Great Lakes. Daily snack and dinner provided, operating Monday through Friday until 7:00 p.m.
• Summer Programs Full-day summer programming for youth ages 5 through high school, operating Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. Includes field trips, meals, and enrichment activities aligned with local schools' summer break schedule.
• Academic Success Programs Evidence-based programs encouraging youth to develop a love of learning, strengthen academic skills, and build confidence through supportive relationships, engaging learning experiences, and a safe environment.
• Health & Wellness Programs Programs teaching youth how to care for their bodies, manage stress, and make healthy choices through safe spaces, trusted relationships, and age-appropriate activities. Includes daily physical activity with 100% youth participation.
• Character & Leadership Programs Programs developing good character and citizenship through meaningful experiences and positive role models, teaching values, behaviors, and skills needed to contribute to communities and make ethical decisions.
• Life & Workforce Readiness Programs Programs empowering young people with skills, confidence, and experiences needed to thrive in school, careers, and life, including college tours, study abroad opportunities, and workforce development pathways.
• Club Site Membership Free membership providing youth ages 5 through high school access to any of the 11 Club sites across Waukegan, North Chicago, Gurnee, and Great Lakes. The flagship Genesee Site is open to all youth with bussing provided by Waukegan School District.

Quantifiable outcome

• 138,000+ healthy meals served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AbbottcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Boys & Girls Club of Lake County programs and operations
• Abbvie FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting youth development programs
• ACCO BrandssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support for Club programs
• AllstatecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting youth development and community programs
• Baxter International, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting youth programs and community initiatives
• Beam Suntory, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with strong community involvement
• CDWsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting technology and programs
• Discover Financial ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support for programs
• ForefrontsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting organizational mission
• IDEX CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with commitment to community youth development
• ITWcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting programs and operations
• INCCRRAsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting workforce and professional development
• JP Morgan Chase & Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner supporting youth development initiatives
• McMaster-Carr Supply CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Club operations
• Mericos FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting youth programs
• Nielsen-Massey Fine Vanillas & FlavorssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting community programs
• Northern Trust CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting youth development
• QuadcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support for programs
• Pricewaterhouse CooperscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services partner supporting organizational initiatives
• Rifast Systems LLCsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Club programs
• Trustmark FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting youth development
• William BlairsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting community initiatives
• Waukegan School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school partner providing access to facilities and coordinating bussing to Genesee Site
• North Chicago School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner hosting Club sites at district schools
• LEARN Charter School NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter school network hosting three Club sites (LEARN 6, 9, 10)
• College of Lake County (CLC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing programming and educational opportunities for Club members
• United Way of Lake CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner providing funding and resource support for youth programs
• Northern Illinois FoodbanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting meal programs and food services for youth
• Lake County UnitedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity coalition partner supporting collective impact initiatives
• Boys & Girls Club of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing access to evidence-based programs, best practices, and national network support

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• 4-H (University of Illinois Extension): A national youth-development program delivered in Illinois through university extension that overlaps with BGCLC's character, leadership, and life-skills pillars. Comparable as a parallel after-school and summer youth-development provider in Illinois, though typically delivered through school and community club models rather than dedicated Club sites.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago: A mentoring-centric nonprofit serving youth in the broader Chicago metro area, comparable to BGCLC in that mentoring is a central activity (BGCLC logged 379,500+ mentoring hours annually), though BBBS focuses almost exclusively on one-on-one mentoring while BGCLC delivers a broader multi-pillar curriculum.
• Police Athletic League of Chicago (PAL): A regionally-focused youth-development organization offering after-school programming, athletic instruction, and mentorship to Chicago-area youth. It is comparable as a nonprofit out-of-school-time provider with athletic and character development emphasis, though smaller-scale and more recreation-oriented than BGCLC's four-pillar model.

Others

• United Way of Lake County: A Core community partner providing funding and resource support for BGCLC's youth programs. Comparable in the Lake County youth/family-services ecosystem but functions as a funder/network rather than a direct service competitor.
• Greater Chicago Food Depository (partner-adjacent): Northern Illinois Foodbank, a similar regional food-bank partner, supports BGCLC's meal program which serves 138,000+ healthy meals annually. Comparable as a peer-type regional food-security adjacent organization in the same ecosystem, not a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago / Lake County YMCA: YMCA branches serve as the primary directly comparable youth-development provider in Lake County and surrounding Illinois markets, offering after-school care, summer programming, mentoring, and similar four-pillar-style youth and family services, often at the very sites BGCLC now occupies (BGCLC's flagship Genesee Site is a former Lake County YMCA building).
• Boys & Girls Club of Chicago (BGCC): Fellow Boys & Girls Club of America affiliate operating multiple Club sites for youth in an adjacent major Illinois metro (Chicago), delivering the same four-pillar model (Academic Success, Health & Wellness, Character & Leadership, Workforce Readiness) with similar school-embedded and standalone sites — the closest direct programmatic and structural peer to BGCLC.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Club of America (National Organization): The national parent movement providing the evidence-based curriculum, brand, and standards BGCLC implements locally. It is the umbrella organization and a broad incumbent whose nationwide network of 5,000+ Club locations establishes the operating model BGCLC extends in Lake County.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAoj0Zkz1xO8RHsIth5cEQQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/bgclc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bgclc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bgclc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boys & Girls Club of Lake County