NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (July 31, 2025) – In recognition of its 95th anniversary, the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle has donated a historically significant archival collection to the New Rochelle Public Library. The collection, officially transferred in February 2025, documents nearly a century of the Club’s work serving the youth of New Rochelle since its founding in 1929, and is now accessible to the public in person at the library’s Local History Room.
Compiled in 1998, the collection includes documents dating to the Club’s early years under founder Morton S. Fuerst, executive director from the Club’s 1929 founding to 1956. The archive offers detailed records of Club development through the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Era and the expansion of programming and facilities into the 21st century.
“During our 95th anniversary, we began revisiting the Club’s history and organizing decades of material that had been sitting in closets,” said William Iannuzzi, Chief Programming Officer at the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle. “The New Rochelle Public Library was the ideal institution to house and preserve these records, making them accessible to the public and future generations.”
“We are deeply grateful to the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle for entrusting us with their archival materials,” said Eugenia Schatoff, Director of the New Rochelle Public Library. “This meaningful addition strengthens our collective memory and honors the profound impact the Club has had on countless young lives. Our archive is a vital resource for preserving the rich and diverse history of New Rochelle, ensuring that future generations understand the people, organizations and events that have shaped our community.”
The collection is housed in acid-neutral archival files and boxes, cataloged in a detailed finding guide and available to researchers by appointment. Looking ahead, the Library plans to feature items from the archive in future lectures and exhibits.
The donation includes:
- Administrative records, meeting minutes, and correspondence (1929–2013).
- Newsletters, event flyers and annual reports.
- Photographs (black and white, color, slides), film reels (8mm and 16mm) and reel-to-reel audio tapes.
- Club memorabilia such as patches, scrapbooks and commemorative items.
- Documents from the former South Side Clubhouse and Remington Clubhouse, including content recovered after a flood.
The archive is particularly notable for its documentation of the Club’s early outreach during the Great Depression and World War II, as well as materials related to Camp Hope, a summer program created in the 1930s in partnership with the Civilian Conservation Corps.
“The New Rochelle Public Library is very grateful for the donation of a superb collection of archival records from the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle,” said David Rose, Archivist at New Rochelle Public Library. “This collection documents the entire history of the Club, and it shows how the New Rochelle community came together to protect and advance the education of our most precious resource, our children.”
“These materials reflect the Club’s consistent role in supporting youth throughout changing times,” said Iannuzzi. “The collection includes voices from generations of club members, records of past directors and staff and photos that haven’t been seen in decades.”
Founded in 1929 as the Feeney Park Boys Club, the organization served over 500 boys in its first year. It officially became the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle in 1985 to reflect its inclusion of girls, and now operates 13 program sites across the city. In recent years, the Club has expanded its physical footprint, opening the new 22,000-square-foot Remington Clubhouse in 2023, its first youth development facility built in New Rochelle in over four decades. In 2025, the Club opened the Mascaro Teen Center at its Mascaro Clubhouse, named for former executive director August E. Mascaro, who helped expand the Club during his tenure in the mid-20th century.
The archive will serve researchers, students, alumni and community members interested in local history, youth development and civic engagement. The materials span eight organized series, ranging from founding documents to audio/visual media and awards. The series:
- Founder Morton Fuerst records (1929-1953)
- Club publications (1929-2009)
- Administrative documents (1930-2013)
- Photography (1929-2016)
- Memorabilia (1990-2000)
- Audio/visual materials (1936-1979)
- News clippings (1929-2016)
- Certificates and awards (1945-2009)
Notable items include early film footage from Camp Hope, large-format photographs, reel-to-reel audio and local news coverage of Club milestones.
For 95 years, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle has been an integral part of the community, offering quality, achievement-driven programming encompassing academics, mental wellness, fitness, leadership and civics. Today, it is one of Westchester County’s largest nonprofits and a leader in youth development, serving over 10,000 youths annually at 13 school sites and two clubhouses.
Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle’s impactful before-school, after-school, elective, and summer offerings empower members to excel in school, become good citizens, and lead healthy, productive lives while effectively bridging the gap between school and home. Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle is proud to be affiliated with Boys & Girls Club of America, widely considered as both the leading youth organization and among the top nonprofits in the United States. Learn more at BGCNR.org.