Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco Announces New Clubhouse in the Western Addition

Clubhouse Named in Honor of Gap Inc. Co-Founder and BGCSF Volunteer Don Fisher

San Francisco, CA – – Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) today announced that it will build a new state-of-the-art Clubhouse in the Western Addition that will be named in honor of late Gap Inc. co-founder and longtime Boys & Girls Clubs supporter, Don Fisher. The future Don Fisher Clubhouse, scheduled to open in November 2014, will be a lasting resource and pipeline to success for generations of the city’s young people. It is expected to serve a total of 2,000 youth a year, ages 6-18, with an average daily attendance of nearly 200.

Don Fisher was an active board member and volunteer for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco for nearly half of a century. “The naming of this Clubhouse in Don’s honor is a tribute to his 46-years of Board service, his tremendous generosity, his love of San Francisco, and his tireless efforts on behalf of at-risk youth,” said Rob Connolly, president of BGCSF. “We are incredibly grateful to the Fishers and Gap Inc. for being our longtime champions, and we hope their faith in our organization will serve as a catalyst and inspiration for others to get involved in the project and help us realize this dream.”

Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) and Gap Foundation are also collectively donating $1 million—comprised of employee donations, corporate matching dollars, and a Gap Foundation grant—toward the construction of the Don Fisher Clubhouse. Gap Inc. and Gap Foundation have supported BGCSF for more than 20 years through grants and employee donations, as well as volunteer service.

“Don’s passion for making the communities in which we live and work better still inspires our employees every day,” said Glenn Murphy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gap Inc. “We are proud to join the Boys & Girls Clubs to honor Don, and to support their outstanding work to make a difference in the lives of young men and women in our hometown of San Francisco.”

The new Don Fisher Clubhouse will replace the organization’s outmoded Ernest Ingold Club on Page Street in the Upper Haight, which was built in 1952 and is worn from decades of use and lacks an efficient infrastructure and layout. The primary reason for the move, however, is that the neighborhood has changed dramatically since the Ernest Ingold Club was constructed more than 60 years ago. The Ernest Ingold Club now primarily serves youth from outside its immediate vicinity, who travel there from the Western Addition, Lower Haight, and Hayes Valley. Moving the Club makes it more accessible to this targeted population, as well as to youth from across the city. It also positions the Club to serve as a safe haven in a neighborhood in close proximity to a high concentration of public housing, and rife with poverty, gangs and violence.

Located on Fulton between Gough and Franklin, the 30,000 square-foot Don Fisher Clubhouse will feature an art studio, learning center, high school services center, middle school center, multi-purpose room, competition-size swimming pool, and high school-size gym; in addition to the organizational headquarters for BGCSF.

Don Fisher was an active board member and volunteer for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco from 1963 until the end of his life in 2009. BGCSF was the first board that Fisher joined, becoming a director at the age of 36. In 2006, Don and his wife Doris stepped forward as the lead supporters of the organization’s Brighter Futures capital campaign, which is still underway and is now entering its final phase. Their gift has helped support a multi-year transformation of the organization—including the establishment of two new Clubhouses in San Francisco and extensive renovations to Camp Mendocino. The future Don Fisher Clubhouse is the final project in the campaign, and efforts are currently underway to raise the remainder of the needed funds through the support of corporations, individuals, and foundations.

To learn more about the Don Fisher Clubhouse or to make a donation, please visit http://www.kidsclub.org/ways-to-give/capital-campaign/Don-Fisher-Clubhouse

About Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco

Part of the community since 1891, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) currently serves more than 1,200 children and teens each day and reaches 16,700 kids/year, offering a safe place to learn and grow. We operate nine Clubhouses in the city’s toughest neighborhoods, as well as Camp Mendocino, a residential summer camp in Mendocino County. Everything we do at BGCSF is focused on helping our members achieve SUCCESS IN LIFE. Our National award-winning programs and caring staff steer our young people toward productive, responsible futures - and help our members build strong character and skills that will last a lifetime. Our four focus areas include: Academic Success, Good Character & Community Engagement, Healthy Lifestyles and Job Readiness with Earning Potential. For more information or to get involved, visit www.kidsclub.org or call 415.445.KIDS.

About Gap Inc.

Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta and Intermix brands. For more than 40 years, Gap Inc. has supported communities where we live and work through grants, in-kind donations, community outreach and employee volunteer programs. In 2012, it is estimated that more than 70,000 Gap Inc. employees volunteered 459,600 hours. Gap Inc. strives to make a long-term impact in communities by focusing on creating opportunities for underserved youth and women through innovative social solutions. For more information on Gap Inc. community investment, please visit www.bewhatspossible.com.