Step by Step Plans Boys & Girls Clubs Affiliation
The West Virginia nonprofit plans to become a chartered member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America and adopt a new regional name.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Child Care
Step by Step, Incorporated announced plans to become a chartered member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America and to transition to the name Boys & Girls Clubs of Central West Virginia. The nonprofit serves children and families in southern West Virginia.
Why it matters
The affiliation would give the organization access to national resources while building on its existing after-school and family support services across West Virginia. Families and community partners in the state may see changes as the transition moves forward.
Step by Step currently operates 18 funded after-school program sites during the school year across Logan, Lincoln and Kanawha counties. The organization has not announced a completion date for the transition.
The players
Step by Step, Incorporated
A nonprofit organization serving children and families in southern West Virginia through after-school programs and Family Support Centers.
Michael L. Farmer
CEO and Executive Director of Programming for Step by Step, Incorporated, overseeing the organization's services across the region.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
A national youth development organization whose chartered affiliates provide after-school and enrichment programs for young people.
The details
The organization plans to join the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America network and adopt the regional name Boys & Girls Clubs of Central West Virginia. Its services include Family Support Centers and other supplemental community programs for children and families.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: Step by Step, Incorporated announced plans to join Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Culture Shift
The affiliation reflects a broader pattern of local youth organizations joining the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America network to access shared programming and resources. It places a West Virginia after-school provider within that long-established chartering structure.
Families using Step by Step after-school programs in Logan, Lincoln and Kanawha counties may see changes as the transition proceeds. The organization has not yet announced what those changes will be or when they will take effect.
The takeaway
Families who rely on Step by Step's after-school programs should watch for announcements about how the transition to the Boys & Girls Clubs name and network will affect enrollment, services and staff in their county.
Further reading
For more on child care options across the state, see Child Care in West Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WVOW Radio.
