Union League Boys and Girls Clubs
The Union League Boys & Girls Clubs exist to promote the social, moral,
vocational, physical, and educational development of youngsters residing in
Chicago. The programs and services of the Clubs instill in boys and girls a
sense of belonging, competence, self-esteem, and integrity. The Clubs are dedicated
to helping youth grow up to be active, caring and responsible adult members
of their communities.
The organization was founded on December 26, 1919 by the membership of the Union League Club of Chicago, and became an affiliate member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) on February 23, 1920. The new organization established its first club (Club One) through the purchase of a building in early 1920 in the Pilsen neighborhood. In 1924, a residential camp was purchased in Wisconsin to provide outdoor summer camping to members of the club. Three other clubs have since opened in Chicago: Club Two in 1926; Barreto Club in 1970 (rebuilt in 2003); and Lafayette Club, our first school-based club, in 2002. We added the Lafayette Club, because many neighborhood children had to cross dangerous gang lines in order to attend either the nearby Club Two or Barreto Club.
The Clubs completed a successful capital campaign raising $6,400,000 for a variety of projects, including the re-construction of the Barreto Club in 2003. The new Barreto Club, which opened in June 2004, is expected to serve at least 500 more children during its first year.
The location of each club and the camp, as well as its service area, is detailed below:
- Club One — located at 2157 West 19th Street in Chicago, primarily serves the Lower West Side’s Pilsen neighborhood, as well as youth from the Near West Side, and North and South Lawndale;
- Talcott Club — located at 1840 W Ohio Street in Chicago, serves young people from West Town and the Near West Side;
- Barreto Club — located at 1214 North Washtenaw Avenue in Chicago, serves boys and girls from both Humboldt Park and West Town;
- Lafayette Club — located within Lafayette Elementary School at 2714 West Augusta Boulevard in Chicago, serves youth from both Humboldt Park and West Town; and,
- The Camp — features 247-acres of woodland, wildlife, a lake, and a lagoon near Salem, Wisconsin, 65 miles north of Chicago, serves all members (youth ages 5-18) of the four clubs on a revolving basis.
 The camp operates four two-week sessions during the summer with nearly 500 member boys and girls attending. A weekend program at the camp also takes place throughout the school year with each of the clubs following a rotating attendance schedule. The camp is one of only three not-for-profit camps serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Through the generous support of several donors, the camp now has a new year-round lodge and six newly renovated cabins.
All four clubs are open five days a week, Monday through Friday. After-school hours currently are 2:30 to 8:00 p.m., and summer vacation hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Our camp is open full time, 24 hours per day in the summer and for weekend programs throughout the year.
Visit our club web site at www.ulbgc.org
To learn more about how you can become involved in our Boys and Girls Clubs, or to visit our clubs, contact Executive Director Mary Ann Mahon-Huels at m.huels@ulbgc.org or by telephone at 312-435-5987.
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