Washington, DC – (February 21, 2023) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) president and CEO, Gabrielle Webster was named a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine. The presentation was made during the 51st Washingtonians of the Year luncheon at The Willard InterContinental on January 18, 2023. Webster was honored for turning around the 150-year-old BGCGW from financial insolvency when she took the helm six years ago, for guiding the organization through the pandemic while offering its services to the families of first responders and the community and for reestablishing BGCGW as one of the District’s premier youth services organizations.

More than 175 people attended the luncheon to honor the 11 Washingtonians of the Year. The magazine’s president & CEO, Cathy Merrill delivered remarks and presented awards to the honorees.

Webster remarked, “Thank you Cathy Merrill and Washingtonian Magazine – it is a true honor to be included in the exceptional company of my fellow Washingtonians of the Year! This acknowledgement, which recognizes BGCGW’s united effort on behalf of our wonderful Club kids, is a beautiful testament to our hard work and efforts.” Webster continued, “It took many hands to get us to this point, and it will take many more to continue to elevate our mission and move us forward, together, as Washingtonians.”

Under Webster’s leadership, BGCGW, which serves more than 21,000 youth in the DC metro area, is meeting financial goals and achieving record accomplishments. Webster has doubled the number of Clubs in the metro area, earning BGCGW the distinction of being among the top 10% of BGCA (Boys & Girls Clubs of America) affiliates in the nation. In 2022, BGCGW also celebrated its first win of the National Youth of the Year (NYOY) award in the competition’s 75 year history. The winning BGCGW youth attended the Georgetown Club for more than seven years before earning BGCGW’s highest honor.

Washingtonian Magazine recognizes these local heroes who go above and beyond to make the region a better place to live, work and play. Awardees, who are vetted and selected by magazine editors and staff, have included notable community members — businesspeople, celebrities, teachers, inspiring nonprofit leaders — those who dedicate themselves to making a positive impact in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. The magazine chooses just 10 area residents from hundreds of nominations every year for the last 50 years.

This is the second time Webster was showcased by Washingtonian Magazine. The April 2022 issue of the publication covered her professional story of triumph along with news of a $6.8 million gift in March 2022 by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. A portion of the Scott donation will be used to support Webster’s brainchild, the Center of Transformation, a think-tank for young people designed to incubate ideas locally but grow and expand community solutions and benefits nation-wide for all Boys & Girls Club members.

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Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) was founded in 1886 and is one of the largest affiliates of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. BGCGW is a leader in youth development, serving over 21,000 children and teens annually across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Today’s BGCGW evolved through sponsorships from the Rotary Club of Washington before the organization merged with the Metropolitan Police Boys & Girls Clubs in 2003. With its 25 in-person Clubs, and one virtual Club, BGCGW provides low-cost afterschool and summer youth programs. These programs fill vital gaps in academic and arts enrichment, character development and healthy living. BGCGW helps boys and girls of all backgrounds and creates a positive environment where children are encouraged to set their ambitions and develop the steps for turning them into reality. With 98% of high school senior Club Kids graduating and 95% of seniors pursuing four-year college or community college degrees, BGCGW is frequently the catalyst between other community organizations, schools, parents and local government. BGCGW is committed to continuous improvement of the “Optimum Club Experience;” consistently analyzing areas for growth and improvement to ensure high-yielding impacts in the lives of our country’s youth. For more information, call 202.643.9792 or visit our website at BCGGW.org.

Media Contact: Robert Anderson | 240.729.7597 | randerson@bgcgw.org