Our History

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain began in 1969 as a Boys’ Club with a modest operation at the Pitt County Fairgrounds, created to provide young people with a safe place to learn, grow, and build positive relationships with caring mentors.

Over the years, the organization has continued to grow in response to the needs of young people and families across Eastern North Carolina. In 1992, the Jack Minges Unit was built to expand youth services and welcome girls into Club membership. Additional Clubs were established in Ayden in 1993, Farmville in 1995, and Uptown Greenville in 2007. The Grady-White Boats/E.R. Lewis Family Unit opened in 2007, further expanding opportunities for young people in Pitt County. In April 2010, the Ayden Club relocated and was renamed the Dr. Ledyard E. Ross Unit.

Growth continued as the organization assumed responsibility for the Club in Lenoir County in 2010 and opened two Clubs in Beaufort County in 2013. Later that year, a new Club was established within Greene County Intermediate School, expanding access to afterschool and summer programming for students in Greene County.

In 2015, the organization changed its name to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain to better reflect its growing regional presence and commitment to serving young people across multiple communities in Eastern North Carolina.

In January 2016, the organization opened its 10th Club in Robersonville at East End Elementary School, continuing its mission to ensure more young people have access to high-quality youth development programs.

In 2025, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain began working alongside Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne Countythrough a management partnership, leading to an official merger in January 2026. That same year, the organization continued its expansion with the establishment of new Clubs in Ahoskie (Hertford County) and Moyewood (Pitt County), with services beginning in summer 2026.

Today, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain operates 22 Clubs serving youth ages 6–18 in 17 cities across nine counties: Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Hertford, Lenoir, Martin, Pitt, and Wayne. Each day, young people walk through Club doors to find a safe, supportive environment where they can build confidence, develop leadership skills, succeed academically, and create Great Futures.