The Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, comprised of 12 distinct facilities across the city, has been helping underprivileged youth reach their full personal and academic potential since 1939. Community activists Maurice Bugbee and Carlton Wallace, launched the club – originally founded as the Boys Club of Long Beach – in an effort to keep young boys out of trouble and off the streets by giving them access to activities and programs that assisted them in becoming responsible, contributing members of the community. In 1991, the Boys Club of Long Beach expanded its reach to include underserved girls in addition to boys. One of the oldest, most successful youth organizations in the area, the BGCLB has served more than 300,000 youth, ages 6-18 in its 81-year history.