Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland

Anna Marie Whalen Branch

The start of the 2004-05 school year marked the eagerly anticipated opening of Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland's newest Clubhouse - the Anna Marie Whalen Branch - located at 3300 High Street. The Clubhouse, which will eventually serve up to 2,000 Central East Oakland girls and boys, is a 23,000 square foot facility featuring a Library and Learning Center, state-of-the-art Technology Center, Arts & Crafts Center, fully-equipped Culinary Arts Kitchen, Recreation Room, Teen Center and Study, Music Rooms, and the spectacular Simpson Family Gymnasium and Performing Arts Center. Innovative programs and services are overseen by experienced and caring staff, who are dedicated to pursuing the organization's mission to develop our community's youth into positive contributors to society.

The facility was officially dedicated last summer during a two-day celebration on July 9 and 10, 2004, which featured an official ribbon cutting ceremony and reception, community barbecue sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and an open house with guided tours. Major donors, government officials, and other community partners joined Club members and their families for the festivities. Several naming opportunities, as well as the opportunity to purchase personalized commemorative bricks, are still available at the new Clubhouse.

The Anna Marie Whalen Clubhouse is one of three Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland branches. Now in its 64th year, the Club continues to provide safe places to learn and grow, opportunities for ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals, life-enhancing programs, and other character development experiences each year for over 2,500 girls and boys, ages 6 to 17. The organization plans to expand its capacity to serve a minimum of 5,000 youth - 10% of Oakland Unified School District's enrollment.