About us

Club history

Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club started in 1994. In the early days, the Club operated out of two buildings. The children’s programs were held in a Toronto Community Housing building (now the BGC Jane and Finch Children’s Centre). An old Salvation Army building housed the youth programs until the Grandravine Community Centre opened, and the Club shifted youth programs there. At the time, around 40 kids came every day after school and 30 youth in the evening. 

When the Cities merged to form Toronto, the Club was moved out of the Grandravine Community Centre.

The strength, success and consistency of the Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club, from its early days can primarily be credited to the dedication of Gail Moore who kept the Club running, when it seemed close to shutting its doors.  

Amazingly, through the determination of Gail and other volunteers, Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club was running with an annual operating budget of $4,000!

Thirty hours of programming per week, in one of the most at risk communities in the City, running basically with volunteers and minimal program supplies  

In 1999, Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club merged with St. Alban’s Boys and Girls Club, which provided leadership stability for this struggling Club. Emergency funding in 1999 from the United Way lead to funding support from the Trillium Foundation and the City of Toronto ensuring that we could provided much needed service to a community that really needed it.

Once we are able to put consistent programs and staffing in place, we were able to open a second location at Driftwood Court in a TCH building. This was achieved with financial support from MLSE, primarily the Raptors organization. 

From there we were able to expand again and open school based programs to offer after school programs to the children in each specific school. 

We were very excited to open a brand new Youth Centre in 2013 at 308B Grandravine Drive where hundreds of youth access life changing programs, community based services and relationships with peers and caring adults. Here, they develop the skills they need to succeed and achieve their goals. 

Today, with a name change in 2021, we are known as BGC Jane and Finch Club and continue to serve the changing needs of the children, youth and families in our community.