{"id":135278,"date":"2026-01-28T18:49:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/135278\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T18:49:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:49:07","slug":"at-100-boys-girls-clubs-define-how-they-grow-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/135278\/","title":{"rendered":"At 100, Boys & Girls Clubs define how they grow next"},"content":{"rendered":"

Founded in 1926 as the West Tampa Boys Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay<\/a> became Florida\u2019s first Boys & Girls Club and has spent the last century growing alongside the region it serves.<\/p>\n

In 2026, the organization is marking its centennial year while sharpening the philosophy that will shape what comes next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re super excited to be celebrating our centennial this year,\u201d said Cassandra Thomas, chief marketing officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay. \u201cWhat this milestone really means to us is honoring a longstanding legacy while being very transparent about where we\u2019re going next.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, the organization operates 63 sites across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, serving more than 24,000 youth and young adults each year between the ages of five and 24.<\/p>\n

On an average day, more than 3,000 young people walk through its doors.<\/p>\n

\"CassandraCassandra Thomas, chief marketing officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay, is helping shape the organization\u2019s strategy as it enters its centennial year.<\/p>\n

A century of service, shaped by restraint<\/p>\n

Rather than treating the centennial as a victory lap, Thomas said leadership views the moment as a checkpoint.<\/p>\n

The organization\u2019s focus is not on rapid expansion but on durability. That means growing only where programs, staffing and funding can support long-term outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work only matters if it holds up over time,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cGrowth without the right systems behind it doesn\u2019t serve kids well.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: TAMPA BAY REAL ESTATE NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

The organization continues to serve Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, with the expectation that its footprint may extend further. <\/p>\n

But Thomas said expansion decisions are made deliberately, guided by capacity and impact rather than opportunity alone.<\/p>\n

Programs are designed to support youth from early childhood through young adulthood, reflecting a belief that development does not end at graduation.<\/p>\n

Growth with intention<\/p>\n

Thomas said leadership often talks internally about responsible scaling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest hurdle is ensuring we can scale responsibly,\u201d she said. \u201cThat includes financial sustainability and making sure we have the right staff capacity in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before entering new communities, the organization evaluates whether it can deliver programming consistently and at the same standard as existing sites. That discipline has become central to its operating philosophy.<\/p>\n

The goal, Thomas said, is not to be everywhere. It is to be effective where it operates.<\/p>\n

Workforce readiness moves to the forefront<\/p>\n

While the organization\u2019s mission has remained steady for decades, its programming has evolved to reflect how young people view life after high school.<\/p>\n

Thomas said the shift toward workforce readiness came from listening directly to teens.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognized very early on that many young people were considering trade skills or entering the workforce directly instead of pursuing a four-year degree,\u201d she said. \u201cWe wanted to make sure our programs reflected that reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: TAMPA BAY BUSINESS NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

The Life & Workforce Readiness model now focuses on five industry areas: healthcare, finance, culinary and hospitality, construction and skilled trades and information technology.<\/p>\n

Programming includes work-based learning, paid internships and apprenticeships, leadership development, financial literacy and job readiness skills such as resume preparation and interview preparation.<\/p>\n

Some teens work inside club locations through the Future Leaders program, earning $15 an hour while gaining professional experience.<\/p>\n

Decisions guided by data<\/p>\n

Thomas said program decisions are grounded in outcome data rather than assumptions.<\/p>\n

Participation levels, scholarship distribution and long-term placement outcomes inform everything from program design to fundraising strategy.<\/p>\n

READ: TAMPA BAY TECH NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe track what\u2019s working and what isn\u2019t,\u201d she said. \u201cThat data helps us understand where we can grow and where we need to stay focused.\u201d<\/p>\n

The organization has adjusted programming over time based on those findings, reinforcing a culture that values evidence over expansion.<\/p>\n

Business partnerships expand access<\/p>\n

Workforce programming is supported by a growing network of regional partners.<\/p>\n

Those include BayCare Healthcare Systems, Bank of America, Coca-Cola Florida, Publix, Tampa Bay Rays, Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside and multiple higher education institutions.<\/p>\n

Thomas said the partnerships provide more than funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey create awareness, advocacy and real access,\u201d she said. \u201cOur teens are seeing career paths they may not have been exposed to otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Extending support beyond age 18<\/p>\n

While Boys & Girls Clubs<\/a> nationally often serve youth through age 18, the Tampa Bay organization has extended support through age 24.<\/p>\n

Thomas said that the decision reflects economic reality.<\/p>\n

Early adulthood remains a critical period for career and life decisions, particularly for young people navigating education, employment and financial independence.<\/p>\n

READ: TAMPA BAY RAYS NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

Many former club members remain connected through alumni networks, seasonal employment or full-time roles. Several current staff members are former club participants.<\/p>\n

Thomas said that continuity reflects long-term impact rather than short-term intervention.<\/p>\n

Centennial moments connect past and future<\/p>\n

Rather than centering the anniversary on a single event, the organization is marking the year through a series of community moments.<\/p>\n

In January, it launched the centennial with a Light the City Blue activation tied to its 1926 founding.<\/p>\n

Another citywide activation is planned for August 16, the organization\u2019s official founding date.<\/p>\n

Later in the year, a historical timeline exhibit will appear at the Tampa Bay History Center<\/a>, followed by a marker unveiling at the original West Tampa club site.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese moments are meant to connect the past to the future,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cThey\u2019re reminders of where we started and why the work still matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/p>\n

Asked what success looks like over the next decade, Thomas returned to focus and discipline.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to be the premier youth serving nonprofit in the region,\u201d she said. \u201cThat comes from intentional programming, mindful growth and doing the work the right way.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay enters its second century, its philosophy is clear.<\/p>\n

Longevity is not driven by scale alone. It is earned through restraint, listening and systems built to last.<\/p>\n

Stay Informed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Founded in 1926 as the West Tampa Boys Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay became…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135279,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[24110,384,4364,7143,113,276,2457,7269,22899,4136,1515,596,135,1526,1703,52537,137,18552,136,964,40626],"class_list":["post-135278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-business-growth","tag-community-giving","tag-community-impact","tag-economic-development","tag-education","tag-hillsborough-county","tag-history","tag-leadership","tag-nonprofits","tag-pasco","tag-philanthropy","tag-pinellas-county","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay","tag-tampa-bay-business","tag-tampa-bay-business-news-and-top-stories","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-history","tag-tampa-news","tag-workforce","tag-workforce-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}