Our History

In 1948, early plans were laid for a club to provide organized recreation for girls who did not belong to any club. The program was housed on Jonathan Street in the Thomas Building and then in 1949, moved in two large basement rooms on High Street. The first floor was remodeled especially designed for the purposes of a Girl’s Club. The mortgage was paid off in 1956.

In 1961, the Hagerstown Kiwanis Club helped ensure the future of the club by donating building lots on Washington Ave. A clubhouse was designed and built for the purpose of a Girl’s club. It was dedicated on Dec.1, 1963 and mortgage was paid off in May of 1965. Our budget at that time was $38,000.

From 1972-1977, there were many more milestones for the Girls Club. Extension services began in local churches and community buildings. We also started a summer program that was four weeks long.

In 1991, Girls Clubs of America changed their name to Girls Incorporated. The Hagerstown Girls Club became Girls Incorporated of Washington County.

By 1998, we offered over 200 activities, served over 225 girls and 6,000 community members and our summer program was 9 weeks long and we started offering transportation to our center.

In 2003, after a 10 year capital campaign, we broke ground to build a new full size gymnasium, second floor and remodel to the existing building. Construction was completed in 2004.

As we continued to grow in the 21st century, our programs shifted to meet the needs of girls facing modern challenges like pay gaps, body image struggles, and teen pregnancy rates. Marjorie Grumbacher served on the national committee that helped formulate Girls Inc.’s “Strong, Smart, and Bold” and the girls began to receive more classes on financial stability, science, math, leadership, self-protection and how to get high-paying jobs and enter nontraditional career fields.

In 2020, we managed to keep our girls safe while continuing their education by providing a space to learn from a distance. Our staff helped lead classes and tutor in trouble areas to ensure educational gains were not lost during this trying time. We made it through successfully and in 2023 we celebrated 75 years of filling this community with Strong, Smart, and Bold Girls!

Currently, we serve around 100 girls a day, ranging from 6-18 years old, and over 2,000 different girls a year. Our annual budget is $1.27 million. We provide outreach during school hours in all middle and high schools over the course of the school year as well as assist some elementary schools with their after-school programs. We transport girls from 12 local middle and elementary schools to our center. The gymnasium is home to our sports teams as well as local volleyball and basketball organizations. Girls Inc. of Washington County has been welcoming girls into the strongest and most vocal organization for women for over 75 years. At Girls Inc. we raise the bar for girls and dare them to soar in non-traditional areas such as science, technology, and athletics. We place no assumptions or limitations on girls or their abilities, allowing them to discover their own strengths, talents, and dreams. Girls are encouraged to experience risk failure and to learn from their mistakes. We celebrate the similarities and differences among girls and embrace girls of every background and ability. Girls Inc. motivates girls to speak up for themselves in peer groups, in school, at home, and in the community. We offer a safe and welcoming place in which girls are listened to by their peers and their mentors. We encourage girls to find their voices, and build their communication skills.

Girls Inc. is growing to ensure that as many girls as possible have access to our powerful programming. Girls Inc. is known for the quality and depth of our programming, and we will continue to invest in new research to be sure that our programs and advocacy efforts reflect the ever-changing needs of the young women we serve. We encourage girls to appreciate their individuality and their identity through journal writing, public speaking, cultural celebrations, women’s history lessons, and leadership training.

Guided by our vision of empowered girls in an equitable society, Girls Inc. of Washington County is committed to reaching many more girls through its programs and public education efforts for years to come.