Boys & Girls Club of Harford Celebrates Reopening of Joseph D. Lapenta NW Boys & Girls Club

The 60-year-old building has been renovated to provide the programs and services needed by the growing Northwest neighborhood community

HARTFORD, CONN (Nov. 12, 2024) The leadership team of the Boys & Girls Club of Hartford (BGCH) today joined Senator Richard Blumenthal, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, CT House Speaker Matt Ritter, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, state Senator Doug McCrory and CT Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Deputy Commissioner Matt Pugliese, members of the Lapenta family, and other community leaders, and alumni for the rededication of the Joseph D. Lapenta Northwest Boys & Girls Club.

The clubhouse at 1 Nahum Drive in Hartford badly needed renovation. It had little natural light and outmoded program space. The renovations include new STEAM and classroom spaces, a music room, a refurbished teen space, and a brighter entranceway filled with natural light. The upgrades were made possible with the support of a $4.4 million state grant and a $1.1 million grant from philanthropist McKenzie Scott.

“The renovated and improved clubhouse with upgraded facilities will ensure that Hartford youth have access to the programs and resources they deserve,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Boys and Girls Clubs open new futures and expanded opportunities for young people, and I will continue to fight for federal resources for them.”

In her opening remarks, Club Director Dawne Gittens noted how excited she was to welcome the community back to a clubhouse that has been part of the Northwest neighborhood for more than fifty years. Thanks to the state’s support of this project and the generosity of McKenzie Scott, the clubhouse will once again be a centerpiece of community life, offering neighborhood youth and their families the facility and programs they need to succeed in the next half-century and beyond.

“The Boys and Girls Club of Hartford provides a safe space for kids and teens to play, learn, and thrive. The challenges our families have faced in recent years have only driven the demand for welcoming and supporting spaces for our young people,” said Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “It is such an honor to participate in the grand reopening and welcome the community into this newly renovated space. I am confident that this investment will have a positive impact for generations to come.”

Boys and Girls Clubs fills the gap between school and home, providing welcoming, positive environments in which kids and teens can have fun, participate in life-changing programs, and build supportive relationships with peers and caring adults.

Investment in the Northwest neighborhood, including the addition of multi-million dollar affordable housing and renovations to Weaver High School, has attracted new families to the area and heightened the demand for the services offered at the Club. With these renovations, the Club will be better equipped to address the neighborhood’s needs, including serving meals to all Club members daily, providing academic and career readiness support, and offering safe spaces and enriching programs during both the school year and the summer. The upgrades also ensure Club equity for all BGCH members and the highest quality opportunities for all, regardless of where they live or the Club they attend.

"The reopening of the Northwest Boys & Girls Club marks a significant milestone and a step forward for our community. This renovated space will provide Hartford's youth with the resources and opportunities they need to dream big and achieve their full potential,” said Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam. “The City of Hartford is grateful for our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club in service to our youth and are excited to see the positive impact it will have on our families for years to come."

The club has a variety of corporate and non-profit partners that support programs, activities, and services ranging from youth technology programs to food assistance programs and sports leagues. Annual activities include a clubwide spelling bee, dodgeball tournament, Women's History Month event, Biddy Basketball and high school basketball league, Stop & Shop Food Pantry, and participation in a parent advisory group.

As the first and longest-serving Boys & Girls Club in America, BGCH has been the model for hundreds of other clubs serving communities across the nation. At the same time, club officials stressed their commitment to ensuring that the needs of youth in Hartford are met. Leaders thanked state leaders and elected officials for their support of the project.

Other dignitaries and special guests who delivered remarks included BGCH Interim CEO Ron Hadorn, former BGCH CEO Sam Gray, and club alumnus Steve Blocker. Blocker recalled the important role the club played in his life.

“This club contributed in so many ways to the man I am today,” Blocker said. “It was a place where I could find the support, guidance, and community I needed. It laid the foundation on which I built my future. I am beyond happy to see the club updated and improved to serve a new generation of young people and the way it did for me.”