History

Did you know that we have been in Holyoke since 1981?
A place for girls was needed in Holyoke when the YWCA of Holyoke went out of business after more than one hundred years. In recognition of this, a new agency was formed to serve the specific needs of girls and young women in and around the Holyoke community. Volunteers worked with staff members to design, incorporate and implement what was then known as the Holyoke Girls Club. The first meeting of the full board of the club was held in November of 1981. Staff were hired and renovations were made to the old Tommy’s Taxi building, thanks to a grant from the City’s Community Development Block Grant. A few months later and voilà! – the hub for girls only programming was finally complete, and a legacy had just begun.

In 1983 the agency joined the Girls Club of America and that same year we were accepted as an Agency Partner by the United Way!
The After-School Program was thriving, and the organization was growing every single year. Then, in 1990, our national organization changed their name to Girls Incorporated, and in order to continue our affiliation with them we changed our name to Girls Incorporated of Holyoke that same year. Fast forward 13 years, and in 2003 we were proud to open our second site – Holyoke's only Teen Center that is just for girls, while still continuing to run our After-School Program and Summer Youth Program at our original location on 52 Nick Cosmos Way.

Now, home to over ten girl-centered programs, our centers are thriving hubs where every day girls are inspired to reach their full-potential.
In 2007 alone we reached over 1,600 through our year-round comprehensive programs, tailored outreach and peer education! Our programs and services are always changing and evolving, providing a comprehensive repertoire of opportunities for girls to become leaders, try new things, excel academically, learn who they are, develop goals for their future and then some! To learn more about our current programs, click here!