Our Beginning
In 1955, the Junior Women's Club of Santa Barbara responded to a teenager's plea on a local "Free Speech" radio program.
The young woman asked "Why can't we have a Girls Club in Santa Barbara?" Mrs. Ada McReynolds Wise, a retired dress designer
and member of the Women's Club responded.
1958 - 1969
On March 17, 1958, the Girls Club of Santa Barbara (now Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara) was incorporated as a non-profit
organization. The mission: To help girls become good wives, mothers, homemakers, and citizens. Classes included: knitting, hostess
training, personality development, baby care, and grooming. Girls Club served 280 girls a year ages 6 through 16 years and the Annual
membership fee was $1 per girl. In 1964, $225,000 was raised to purchase land and build the first Girls Club facility in Santa Barbara
at 531 E. Ortega Street. In 1966, the Girls Club of Goleta was founded began offering services to Goleta girls.
1970-1979
The focus of Girls Club of Santa Barbara and Goleta began to change to help girls grow-up to be well-rounded, independent young women.
Programs were expanded to include youth leadership, sports, health education, and cultural and career orientation programs.
Santa Barbara membership grew to 520 girls, with 100 girls attending daily and Goleta Membership grew to 500 girls, with 80 attending
daily.
1980-1989
Girls Club continued to grow in popularity and service. In addition to programs offered at the two Girls Club Centers, programs were
expanding and being offered through the Park and Recreation Department and the Santa Barbara School District. Girls Club published
"Choices" and "Challenges," teen life planning journals and formed Advocacy Press, a non-profit publishing company. In 1989, the Williams C. Hall Gymnasium was built. It was also in 1989 that the Girls Club of Santa Barbara and the Girls Club of Goleta merged to become Girls Club of Greater Santa Barbara.
1990-1999
This new decade brought with it a significant occurrence in the history of Girls Club - a name change for the organization to Girls
Incorporated. This new name reflected a more serious approach to impacting the lives of girls and was necessary as a girl herself
said "because growing up is serious business"!
2000-Present
The mission today of Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara is to Inspire all Girls to be Strong, Smart, and Bold.
Girls Incorporated offers programs at the original Santa Barbara Center and in the Goleta Valley Programs center. Programs are being delivered at elementary schools, junior high
schools, and juvenile hall. The Media Literacy program and Take Our Daughters to Work Day provide opportunities for teen girls. The
Gymnastics program and Counseling program are both available to both Girls Inc. members and the general public. Programs today include:
Operation SMART, Media Literacy, Economic Literacy, Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy, Sporting Chance, Friendly Peersuasion, Project Bold,
and many more. Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara celebrates our past and with your support, will continue to inspire all girls
to be strong, smart, and bold! |
