By: | September 22, 2025 | Philanthropy |
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By Emma Sylvia
Every kid deserves a place that they can call home. But for some kids, their actual house doesn’t quite feel like home. That’s exactly the issue the Boys and Girls Club, a nonprofit organization that planted its roots in Asbury Park all the way back in 1938, hopes to remedy.
Doug Eagles, a Shrewsbury resident and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, began in his role in 2012. Having worked in youth development for more than two decades, Eagles was drawn to the nonprofit from seeing the important work they were doing to make an impact in local communities.
The Boys and Girls Club was once just a little house on Main Street in Asbury Park, before moving to its larger location in 1951. Over the years, it’s expanded even further, adding more sections, such as a gym and a pool, recently acquiring the property across the street and dubbing it as their Wellness Garden. Though the original Boys and Girls Club started in Hartford, Connecticut, the Asbury location is their own entity, being a part of a federation of 550 clubs across the country.
“We collaborate with clubs across the country,” Eagles explains. “We have a statewide alliance on issues important to New Jersey. We work with our elected officials to make sure any policies take into consideration the youth and impact they have.”
A Lasting Legacy
“We focus on providing an ecosystem of opportunities to allow kids to explore their passions and interests,” Eagles explains when discussing the mission statement of the Boys and Girls Club. “People think we just do gym and swim — and that’s part of what we do, but the heart of it is developing these kids into who they see themselves as in the future. We want to ensure they have those opportunities. We want to level the playing field, so they have access to that. Any kid from any community – we’re working hard.”
Currently in Monmouth County, the Boys and Girls Club has seven sites, and five summer camps (one in Red Bank, one in Long Branch, one in Neptune and two in Asbury Park). “We’re a part of the fabric of the community,” Eagles says. “A lot of the kids we serve, their parents or grandparents came to the club. It’s inspiring.”
“I grew up in Asbury Park, and the Club has always been a big part of the community,” says Destiny Smith, current Area Director. “I started working there when I was 17 — quiet, shy, barely spoke to anyone. Since then, I’ve gone from summer camp counselor to site coordinator, and now I’m an area director on the executive team. That kind of growth didn’t just happen. It was because of the support, skills, and opportunities I found at the Club. I’m living proof of what can happen when young people are truly seen and supported.”
Something for Everyone
The Boys and Girls Club offers a plethora of programs for their kids to engage in. Eight years ago, they launched LEAD (Learning Earning and Advancing Dreams) which puts high school freshmen on a four-year track of professional development. Their first year, they develop “soft skills,” or professional skills that they haven’t been exposed to. Year two, they continue community service projects. Year three, they focus on college and careers. Finally, senior year, the students give back to the club and begin to mentor incoming freshmen.
Eagles explains that there are countless additional programs, and that the club will even tailor programs to each individual child. “We have as many programs as different kids come through our doors. If someone likes photography, we try to develop that program; if we don’t have the resources, we partner with organizations that do.” For example, the club partnered with the Asbury Park Music Foundation to foster their hip-hop program.
It’s not just the kids that are impacted by this change, but their families. Lisi Klus, Communications Director and Highlands resident who began with the nonprofit in 2014, elaborates on some of the areas the club focuses on: “We have our core areas of focus that the parents appreciate: Basketball, swimming, nutrition, our healthy habits program, homework help and tutoring. We provide them with breakfast and lunch, and during the school year we provide them with dinner. Last year we distributed 85,000 meals.”
Shakira J., a parent of a child at the club, says: "Academically, the Club provides structure and motivation that keeps my daughter on track, and she actually gets excited about learning. I’m so grateful for the way they’ve all poured into her — it feels like a second home where she’s growing into the best version of herself."
A Safe Haven
The club is committed to doing the best by their kids. They survey them to get a sense of their relationships with the staff, peer-to-peer relationships, if they feel safe and if they’ve participated in any risky behaviors in the last month. They’ve found that the more committed kids are to showing up to the club, their chances of succeeding improve dramatically.
They’re proud to be a pillar of safety for their kids. “At the end of this past school year,” Eagles reminisces, “we had a situation where a nine-year-old girl ran to the club because she was experiencing a physical abuse situation at home, and she was scared. She ran to the club and said, ‘I knew you’d be here for me. I needed somewhere safe to go.’ The kids know they can find a trusted adult and safety [here]. We know we’re doing the right thing and fulfilling our mission.”
There’s no lengths the club won’t go for their kids. Eagles elaborates on one child, “Josh,” who has been coming to the club since he was five. Being on the spectrum, the club initially didn’t have the resources for Josh. They had a meeting: “How do we meet this kid’s needs to ensure we can run a good environment for everyone and create a space for Josh to feel comfortable in his own skin and thrive?” They engaged in training sessions for staff to produce such an atmosphere. Now, at age eight, Josh is described as the “mayor” of the club.
“We’ve had more kids on the spectrum coming to the club as a result of the experiences Josh has had,” Eagles elaborates. “It’s special to me not just that Josh is thriving, but that when a kid shows up that needs a place to go and we’re not equipped in that moment, we do whatever we can to be ready and meet those kids’ needs, regardless of who they are or where they come from. We’re going to show up.”
A Community Effort
With summer and school programs, Eagles and Klus are proud of the work they’re doing for their kids but are equally grateful for the community around them.
“The community we exist in is such an awesome, giving community,” Eagles lauds. “People are so inspiring. They’re giving because they believe in the power of our mission and the impact of kids in our shared community. It’s humbling to know we have so many people throughout Monmouth County that give to nonprofits throughout the community. We do work to collectively make sure Monmouth is a beautiful place.”
Klus aptly adds that there’s a nonprofit and cause for every person – and if your heart is set on the care for children, the Boys and Girls Club is the place for you. She says, “Not only are people so generous with their money, but with their time. We have an amazing board of directors, volunteers and marketing committees – their own full-time jobs are to help us grow and be better.”
While touring The Boys and Girls Club in Asbury, the children all don smiles, clearly excited for another day in the place erected as their safe haven. Current Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Rivera, says it best:
"The Boys & Girls Club didn’t just give me a place to go, it gave me a future to believe in. As a kid, I walked through the Club's doors looking for a safe space. Today, I walk through our Clubhouses as a leader, making sure the next generation sees what’s possible. That’s the power of this place. Yes, it supports kids. But it also helps build leaders and communities."
If you want to find out more about The Boys and Girls Club, visit bgcmonmouth.org, or @bgcmonmouth on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads
