The Girls Club of Los Angeles (GCLA) was organized under the guidance of the national Girls Club of America on May 15, 1972, officially beginning operations on June 12, 1972. This non-sectarian, non-profit organization was the first of its kind to be organized in Los Angeles under the National Girls Club of America.

To date, GCLA has served over 75,000 girls and boys ages 2-18 living in South Los Angeles, GCLA addresses unmet needs such as childen living in violent and unstable enviornments, low academic preparation and test score, high teen pregnancy, families living in poverty, high obesity and low physical activities, youth in the juvenile justice system, youth on probation and the lack of quality child care.