[Updated: Tues., May 7, 2024, 3:38 pm]
Santa Barbara’s downtown Boys & Girls Club will no longer be a Boys & Girls Club come summer.
“They can run whatever youth program they want, they just can’t call it a Boys & Girls Club,” said Michael Baker, chief executive officer of the United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County (United) — a local chapter of the nationwide network of community youth centers that provide after-school programming and mentorship.
Originally established by local firefighters in 1938 as the “Boys’ Club of Santa Barbara,” the 632 East Canon Perdido Street site was created to give young boys a place to go outside of school, and has served families for more than 80 years. Known for its athletic programs, it has churned out famous alumni, including NBA Laker Jamaal Wilkes and NFL players Randall and Sam Cunningham.
In 1990, the downtown club became the “Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara,” and in 2020, merged with United — created in the 1970s — joining their network of clubs spanning from Lompoc to Carpinteria.
Their agreement involved the downtown facility retaining ownership of the site and control of an endowment, while financially supporting United in overseeing the facility’s programming. However, the downtown club’s board — who receive funds from renting out other parts of the land — have not made these financial contributions for more than two years, according to United.
United is now preparing to leave the site, taking the downtown club’s charter as a Boys & Girls Club with them.
“The last straw was the board of the facility telling us they no longer want us in the building,” Baker said. “Like, you’re not only not making payments but now you’re telling us to get out? The owners made the decision for us to vacate, so that’s what we’re doing.”
To keep up programming, United was funding operations at the downtown location since 2021, which was not the agreement, Baker said. “It takes away resources that could be used at the other clubs — we were using more funding to keep it running than we were supposed to,” he added.
However, according to Mark Alvarado, president of the downtown club’s alumni association, the site changed after United took over. Disagreements over operations — such as hours — led the board to release United from their agreement last year.
Previously open until 8 or 9 p.m., the club now closes at 5. In addition, Alvarado said the club’s teen center has been largely inactive for three years. He chalked it up to the two entities having differing “philosophical approaches” to serving kids. Downtown’s club sees gang-impacted youth and some teens with social-emotional and behavioral issues. United is great at serving its younger members, but “the community requires that facility to serve all kids, not just littles,” Alvarado said.
In a statement, the club’s board, led by CEO Timothy Casey, emphasized that United has always been a separate organization from the original Boys & Girls Club downtown. They stressed that the downtown club has a history of supporting “particularly vulnerable” youth of all ages.
Renting the Canon Perdido facility for $1 per year, United agreed to maintain the club’s existing programming but failed to meet these objectives after two years, especially by “neglecting” the “critical teen population,” according to the board.
“The two clubs spent about two years trying to work through their differences, ultimately concluding that they would not be able to continue to work together,” the board said. “It was not a hasty decision and was made only after many hours and discussions were held to try to find a path forward.”
United’s operations at the Canon Perdido site will continue until June 13. According to Baker, they wanted to wait until the end of the school year to avoid inconveniencing the location’s current members. Summer and fall programming will continue at United’s Westside location about two miles away, and Baker said their “driving objective” is to continue to serve the children and families from the downtown location.
“Our Club staff are currently reaching out to families to ensure they know how to find us and schedule transportation to the other clubs,” added Nicholas Behrman, United’s chair of the board.
As for whether they are interested in exploring other locations for a new Eastside club, Baker said United is “committed to making sure that no child falls through the cracks, whatever that means.”
The downtown club’s board, on the other hand, said they are “currently collaborating with multiple community youth-oriented organizations to implement programs that serve the needs of youth and teens,” with “new and expanded operations for youth at the Downtown Club” beginning in July.
