Now known as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Boys' Club is a national federation of clubs that provide after-school sports, recreation, vocational training, and job-finding skills to boys and girls. The programs are located primarily in urban areas. Begun in 1860 with the founding of a club in Hartford, CT, the Boys Clubs emerged in 1906 as a national organization. There now are about 1,100 clubs, each with a full-time professional staff. Total membership exceeds 1.2 million youths.