Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake & Johnston Counties 

For nearly 60 years, youth in the Raleigh area have had a place to go to learn, play, and make friends. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake & Johnston Counties started in 1967 as a Boys Club with just one location in Raleigh. “We began with one small clubhouse and now we have grown to 10 locations,” says Matt Taliaferro, president and CEO. “About every ten years, we would add a new location. In 2024, we merged with My Kids Club in Johnston County, which added two more Clubs.” 

Matt notes that the B&GC board is strategic as they decide where to put Clubs. “All 10 locations are in places where we know there is a high need for our services.” Those services include four pillars: academic success; healthy lifestyle; character and leadership; and life and workforce development.  The statistics are encouraging. In 1967, the club was serving less than 100 kids. By 2024, that number rose to more than 3,400 youth and teens taking part in club activities.  

“Our mission is to ensure that every child can achieve his or her full potential, to become productive, caring, and responsible citizens,” Matt says. “We understand that not every child has the opportunity to access programs to get them where they need to be. We level the playing field for these children.” 

The Boys & Girls Clubs provide places for youth to learn, play, and enjoy friendships at ten locations throughout Wake & Johnston counties. 

Arts and crafts are one popular option at the Boys & Girls Clubs. 

“Our mission is to ensure that every child can achieve his or her full potential, to become productive, caring, and responsible citizens,” Matt says. “We understand that not every child has the opportunity to access programs to get them where they need to be. We level the playing field for these children.” 

Matt began serving as CEO in 2024, filling the position that Ralph Capps held for more than 50 years. “Ralph was the backbone of this organization, and my goal is to build on the amazing legacy he left us, to help kids go from good to great,” Matt says. 

“Every child has a story – where they come from, what their passion is. We work to light a spark in our children to discover their interests and where they excel,” he adds.

After school, children come to the Clubs and get help completing their homework before they go home. Each child eats a hot meal prepared by the Clubs’ kitchen staff. “For many of the kids and teens, that meal is extremely important,” Matt says. “They can’t learn, they can’t play, they can’t focus if they are hungry.” Last year, more than 95,500 meals and snacks were served to youth. 

Matt explains how the Clubs are planning for the future. “The needs of youth are changing so fast, especially with technology. We want to stay ahead of the curve by meeting kids where they are and providing the tools they need to help them succeed. We need to change along with the kids, so we are investing in new programs and training to meet future needs. We are committed to doing that for our kids.”   

Martin Borden serves on the TowneBank Raleigh board and also serves on the Boys & Girls Clubs board. “TowneBank has been a longstanding partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs, originally starting with Paragon Bank,” Matt says. “Scot McAlexander, TowneBank North Ridge market executive, also serves on our board, and Carol Holland, senior vice president and private banker, has been a great help connecting me with the community. Our relationship with TowneBank runs deep and wide. We can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done over the years to support us.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake and Johnston Counties can always use volunteer help. “The saying that it takes a village to raise a child is absolutely true,” Matt says. “As a nonprofit, we rely on volunteers and financial support. We charge $7.50 a year for kids to be members of our Club, and it costs about $1,500 a year per kid to provide the services we offer. That’s a big gap, and we are counting on our community to support us.” 

To see how you can help, visit WakeBGC.org.

Youth attending the Boys & Girls Clubs can participate in a variety of sports programs including track and field (above) and hockey (below).