Who We Are
MISSION
“The purpose of the corporation is to enable and empower youth to be productive members of society. The Corporation also inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”
HISTORY
Girls Incorporated of Southwest Hampton Roads Center for Youth is a not-for-profit corporation with centers in Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia. Formerly known as the Girls Club of Portsmouth, this long time youth service organization was founded by the Portsmouth Service League in September 1958. The first center was located on the comer of South and Dinwiddie Street. The Club later moved to South Street and King Street. In 1959, the Club became a United Way Agency and affiliate of Girls Clubs of America. Later in the 1960’s the Club relocated to its third location on Race Street. The Portsmouth Club branched out to the city of Chesapeake and began serving youth in the Broadmoor community on Poplar Avenue in 1980. In 1991, the name changed to Girls Incorporated of Southwest Hampton Roads Center for Youth to reflect the outreach of youth services from Portsmouth, Suffolk and Chesapeake.
Girls Inc. upheld the motto, “Growing up is serious business” and opened up a new facility on Portsmouth Boulevard in 1996 and began reaching out further in Chesapeake at the Indian River location in 1998. A capital campaign was conducted in 2000 that added a mini gym to help make the services provided complete.
Girls Incorporated of Southwest Hampton Roads Center for Youth currently operates in three centers; one in -Portsmouth and two in Chesapeake. The corporate office is located within the Portsmouth Center. Full-time educational, recreational, cultural and life skill training programs, before and after school activities, playschool, summer day camp, and an aquatic program are offered.
STAFF
- Angel Nelson, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors meets monthly and represents a diverse population of Southwest Hampton Roads. New board members are nominated in November and attend the Annual meeting held in January.
- Lisa Lucas-Burke, President
- Pam Southall-Wright, Vice President
- Calvin Hatcher, Treasurer
- Donna Saffold, Secretary
- Benita Adams
- Toni Guagenti
- Cherron Mitchell
- Stephen Haugabrook
- Vivian Oden
- Naomi Dunbar
- Monique Bass
- Shelia Elliott
- Ross Cherry
- Gloria Creecy
- Judy Stephenson
- Stephen Heretick
- Denise Goode
- Mark Johnson
- Dean Kimberly Beatty
- Alyson Wyatt