Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport
A Legacy of Leadership and Impact
Our Mission & Vision
In Kingsport and Sullivan County, too many kids are left alone after school—without supervision, support, or a safe place to go. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kingsport exists to change that.
Since 1950, we’ve been a trusted presence for local youth, providing hope, opportunity, and the tools they need to succeed. We now serve over 1,000 youth annually across both Club sites, youth sports programs and events. As one of the most affordable after-school care provider in Sullivan County , we’ve expanded access to our programs, services and transportation, and have increased our average daily attendance by over 100% since 2023. We have made our Club more accessible for more families in the communities we serve.
At every site, kids find what they need most: caring mentors, a safe space, and engaging programs that help them grow. We’re not just a place to go—we’re a place to become.
MISSION
Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
VISION
The Vision of Boys & Girls Clubs of America is to provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.
Our Clubs History
The community came together to create a place for the youth in Kingsport.
The Kingsport Boys Club- now know as the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport- was founded around 1949–1950 to provide local youth with after-school recreation and mentoring.
The club originally operated out of the Teen Center on Cumberland Street near East Market Street and early leadership included Bill Fortune as the club director, along with Charles H. Schmotzer as executive director and Charles D. Pennington as assistant director.
By late 1950, registration was divided by age groups—kids and juniors (ages 7–12), intermediates (ages 13–15), and seniors (ages 16–18) and offered activities like basketball, volleyball, boxing, weight lifting, billiards, and ping-pong.
Over the years, the Club expanded the programs and services provided to the kids and families of the community, to become the institution that the Kingsport community knows today. More than 75 years later, the mission of the club remains unchanged: to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
