For over 25 years, Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club has been the heartbeat of youth development in Montrose County. What started in 1999 as a response to community need has grown into something extraordinary—a place where young people don't just spend time, but discover who they can become.
2025 marks a transformative chapter in our story. Under the leadership of Executive Director Heather Simpson, who joined us in January, we've combined visionary direction with operational excellence to serve more families than ever before. After years in rented spaces, our permanent facility—a beautifully renovated former movie theater on Main Street—now offers spaces designed for the way kids actually learn and grow: a full gymnasium for movement and teamwork, a teaching kitchen for life skills and nutrition, a theater for creativity and community, and welcoming gathering spaces where kids can simply be kids.
But here's what matters most: we show up for the families who need us most. 84% of our members come from low-to-moderate income families. 35% are BIPOC youth. Many come from single-parent homes, foster care, or kinship arrangements. We maintain a sliding-scale fee structure because we believe every child deserves access to quality programming, mentorship, and a safe place to belong—regardless of what their family can afford.
This year, we're serving 300+ children with plans to expand to 400. We're providing 10,000+ nutritious meals and snacks annually. We're helping kids achieve academic success, develop healthy coping strategies, build confidence, and discover their potential. And we're expanding our teen programming to reach middle and high school youth during the critical years when positive relationships and supportive environments matter most.
Your support helps us say "yes" to every child—yes to homework help when parents are working multiple jobs, yes to healthy meals when food security is uncertain, yes to mentorship when kids need caring adults in their corner, yes to programs that teach life skills and build character, and yes to a community that invests in young people's futures.
Together, we're not just providing after-school care. We're building futures.
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
OUR STORY: 25+ Years of Building Futures in Montrose County
In 1999, Montrose County families faced a challenge many rural communities know well: limited options for quality after-school and summer programming. Working parents needed safe, affordable care. Kids needed somewhere to belong.
A group of dedicated community members founded Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club with a clear mission: to enable all young people—especially those who need it most—to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
THE TRANSFORMATION
For over two decades, we operated out of rented spaces, adapting through economic challenges and even a global pandemic. Then in 2022, something remarkable happened: we purchased our forever home—a former movie theater on Main Street in Montrose.
Major renovations completed in 2023-2024 transformed nostalgic space into a dynamic youth development hub with a full gymnasium, teaching kitchen, café-style common area, theater space, and dedicated classrooms. Our current expansion phase (2025-2026) adds a sensory room for neurodivergent youth and three new activity-based classrooms. Looking ahead to 2026-2027, we'll renovate our outdoor spaces—designed with community input—to create play and gathering areas accessible to families throughout Montrose County.
TODAY'S MOMENTUM
January 2025 brought transformative leadership with Executive Director Heather Simpson, whose vision has strengthened our operations, deepened community partnerships, and built a culture of excellence. The results speak for themselves:
*Serving 300+ children in 2025, with capacity to reach 400
*84% of families qualify as low-to-moderate income
*35% of our youth identify as BIPOC
*10,000+ nutritious meals and snacks served annually
*75% reduction in behavioral incidents through evidence-based programming
*85% of Club youth maintain positive attitudes toward learning
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
We're not just providing childcare—we're investing in futures. Our sliding-scale fee structure means no child is ever turned away because of what their family can afford. Our extended hours (open until 7:00 PM during the school year) accommodate parents with shift work or long commutes.
We show up for the kids who need us most. Many come from single-parent households, foster care, or kinship arrangements. They face food insecurity, housing instability, and the challenges of growing up in a rural community with limited resources. At the Club, they find stability, support, and adults who believe in them unconditionally.
LOOKING AHEAD
We're expanding teen programming to reach middle and high school youth during critical developmental years. We're building pathways for youth leadership, workforce development, and community engagement. We are also working an a substantial rehabilitation of our outdoor spaces that will include community sharing,
After 25+ years, our mission remains unchanged: enabling all young people to reach their full potential. But our capacity to deliver on that mission has never been stronger.
This is what community investment looks like. And we're just getting started.
Organization name
Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club
other names
BCBGC
1999
Tax id (EIN)
84-1508048
Category
Youth Development
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
1869 East Main StreetMailing
P.O. Box 1907Montrose County, CO, US