TAMPA, Fla. — Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay have merged to become one of the largest non-profit after school providers in Florida.
The two chapters cover Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties.
"By coming together, we are not only expanding our capacity to serve more youth but also enhancing the quality and diversity of our programs,” said Freddy Williams, President & CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay. “This partnership will allow us to leverage our collective strengths and reflects our shared commitment to empowering the next generation and making a lasting impact on the lives of children and families across the Tampa Bay region."
The two chapters entered into a shared service agreement in November of 2023. It enabled the two organizations to streamline administrative functions, reduce operational costs, and enhance program delivery for children and families across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
"Donors dollars go a lot further, we're able to share best practices, create more employment pathways for our staff and kids are able to have more experiences and opportunities because they’re not limited just to opportunities that may present itself on one side of the bay," said Williams.
Since November 2023, Club attendance has increased, resulting in 3,000 kids and teens being served daily across 42 locations.
An additional 30,000 youth were reached through outreach and specialized programming in opioid prevention, emotional wellness, feeding, and workforce development.
The combined organization will have an annual operating budget of $23 million, which will allow for an expanded network of Clubs, innovative programming, and enhanced support services.
Devonte Simpkins and Kelsey Stone attend the after school program. They get help with homework and use technology to test their grammar, spelling and comprehension skills.
"We like we read a lot of books. We do a lot of Lexia to get our minds working and we do like homework and projects," said Stone.
As part of the transition, both organizations will continue to operate programs that have been central to the Clubs’ mission, including after-school tutoring, mentorship programs, emotional wellness initiatives, sports and recreation activities, and workforce readiness training.
An introduction of the new brand identity is slated to launch June 30, 2025. Williams said a new name for the chapter has not been announced.
A South Tampa man turned to Susan Solves It after he said ADT told him he had to keep paying for a security system at his Hurricane Helene-damaged home, even though the system was so new that he never had a day of service.
