February 2026 Nonprofit of the Month

The Dunnellon Chamber & Business Association is proud to recognize the Boys & Girls Club of Citrus & Marion as our Nonprofit of the Month for February 2026.

The Boys Club originated in 1860 in Hartford, Conn. when four women got together to create a positive alternative for boys roaming the streets. The Girls Club, a separate organization, was formed, also in Hartford, in 1864. By 1906, the Federated Boys Clubs had affiliated nationwide with 53 member organizations. In 1931, the name was changed to the Boys Clubs of America. In 1990, the charter was amended and the Boys & Girls Club of America was formed when the two groups were combined.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Long before March 28, 2014, when children were first welcomed into the Dunnellon Boys & Girls Club in its current location, some semblance of the Club existed in the area. The Club met in local schools and churches for about ten years until a modular building was installed near Ernie Mills Park.

That modular building served as the Club’s home for four years. In the meantime, grants were being sought to build the current building on the vacant land which was leased from the Marion County School Board for $1 per year for 50 years.

Dunnellon Boys & Girls Club is a part of the newly merged Boys & Girls Club of Citrus & Marion Counties. The merger began in August of 2025, and was done to optimize resources, unify leadership, and leverage shared expertise. It comes as the Boys & Girls Clubs in Florida will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.

The Dunnellon Club is currently serving about five dozen students from kindergarten to 12^th grade from 2-6 after school each day, during spring break and during their summer program. Club Director Katelyn Reed said that during the school year, the program costs $25 per student per week, and $50 per week during spring and summer break.

The organization does a variety of fundraisers, with their most recent being its popular Bourbon in the Barn event which takes place annually.

How does the Boys & Girls Club make a difference in the community? Children who attend a high-quality after-school program are more likely to attend school regularly and less likely to engage in risky behaviors. 92 percent of Club teens expect to graduate high school and 81 percent plan to complete some sort of post-secondary education. After school services include homework help and tutoring, mentoring, sports and athletics, and life skills and workforce readiness training.

Over 60 percent of the Club members in the Dunnellon Club receive financial assistance to attend at a reduced rate, and Reed encourages community members who want to help to reach out to see how. Call 352-621-9225 or email [email protected] for more information.