The Boys’ Club of New York (BCNY) celebrated the opening of its Tiger Clubhouse in Mott Haven, which joins existing clubhouses in East Harlem and Flushing to offer free programming for boys and young men, 7 to 21 years old.
BCNY aims to provide a safe place to be while developing strong emotional regulation and real-world skills, all of which are needed amid a youth mental health crisis.
In New York City, 28% of boys reported feeling sad or hopeless in 2021, according to a 2024 report by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Nearly half of the surveyed teens reported mild, moderate or severe signs of depression, along with high rates of anxiety about the world in general and the possibility of bad things happening to themselves or someone they care about.
The new center, opened in late September at East 150th Street and Morris Ave., aims to teach the social, emotional and practical skills needed to tackle the challenges facing young people today.
The clubhouse boasts 32,000 square feet of indoor space and 28,000 square feet outdoors and repurposes the building formerly occupied by the shuttered nonprofit Sheltering Arms.
For its members, BCNY offers more than just a place to hang out after school, some remain involved with the organization well into adulthood.
Derrick H. Lewis, who runs the nonprofit Bronx Community Foundation with his twin brother, now serves on the BCNY board of trustees after joining the Harlem clubhouse at 7 years old.
While touring the new space on Oct. 10, Lewis said he wished there had been an option in the neighborhood when he was growing up in a low-income South Bronx family.
Lewis said his parents worked nontraditional hours and needed a safe place for him and his brother to go after school and into the evening. Over time, his involvement, “turned into more than that.”
Although it took Lewis over an hour to travel to the East Harlem location, he was quickly drawn in by the “classic” BCNY games of ping pong, pool, foosball and chess. He later attended a BCNY summer camp, and a career counselor connected him with an Upper East Side private high school, which expanded his worldview and put him “on a path to a different life,” Lewis said.
In BCNY’s earlier years, programming focused primarily on sports but has since expanded to appeal to a wide variety of interests.
The center still has spaces dedicated to classic table games but also has a full culinary kitchen with plans for a community fridge; a makers lab where students can try 3-D printing; AI and robotics applications; coding and graphic design; a music room with keyboards, drums and guitars; a state-of-the-art recording studio; fitness center; yoga and meditation studio; woodshop and career center.
Each activity is tailored by age group, ranging from Explorers (ages 7-9), Juniors (ages 10-12) and Teens (ages 13-18).
The outdoor space, still in progress, will offer half-court basketball, pickleball courts and artificial turf for sports such as soccer. Plus, there will be a hydroponic garden that will provide fresh produce for the culinary arts program.
The basement gym is also undergoing extensive renovations. Once it is completed — expected this winter — it will be available for use by BCNY members and local residents.
BCNY welcomes all male-identifying members regardless of zip code, household income or immigration status. At the Tiger Clubhouse, plans are in the works to offer Saturday programming and to expand hours for older participants until 9 p.m.
For people like Lewis, BCNY can become a home away from home. He continued with the program through high school graduation, which helped him form lasting relationships and develop a strong career trajectory, he added.
“Many friends you grow up with, the connection is the Boys Club,” Lewis said. “I owe a lot to the Boys Club.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
