Reviews
This profile includes reviews for Boys Town's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Review Ratings
Average of 17 Customer Reviews
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Review fromThomas I
Date: 06/12/2025
3 starsSent to Boys Town in 1964 as a ward of the Catholic Charities in Chicago, IL. At time i was in eighth grade. Campus was split into 'Grade School Side' and 'High School Side'. Grade School Side comprised of about 4 two story brick buildings with each having 4 dormitories. They were real heavy into giving 'swats' for non satisfactory weekly reports (locker inspections primarily). I never could get a good report. Highly religious oriented - Catholic or Protestant. Meals were served in a central building comprising 6 seat tables. Huge area serving about 500 boys. Counselors would sit on elevated platform overlooking everyone. I was 14 and I was in the '6th seat,' The problem was all food started in pots and pans starting at the '1st seat'. By the time it got to me I was highly dependent on the boy in '5th seat' for mercy. Weight of boy highly dependent on seat placement. I was assigned to 'pots and pans' for my work crew duty. After every meal I had to clean all the greasy pots and pans. At the time I had acne and it was a nightmare. The dormitories all had brass cranks on their windows. All were cleaned with Brasso. Allot by me because of inadequate weekly reports. Punishment was work duty (cleaning cranks or using hand shiners about a foot square to polish floors) and swats. Allot of 'priests and 'deacons'. One priest had a locked cabinet full of paddles. Varying sizes and all had holes drilled in them, better velocity. Kept running away, getting caught and getting beat with paddle. The positive side was a huge field house which had a football field, basketball court, swimming pool, hand ball courts, weight room all under one roof on High School Side. They also had a separate swimming pool on Grade School Side. The best experience was a summer trip by bus to Iowa where they had cottages on a huge lake.Review fromKathleen F
Date: 03/14/2025
3 starsKathleen F
Date: 03/14/2025
I would like to be removed from your mailing list as I do not need or want the cards, calenders etc.
I will make a contribution at Christmas for the children but do not want any other correspondence sent throughout the year
Thank you, Kathleen F******
Boys Town
Date: 03/17/2025
Good afternoon, Kathy.
Thank you for your review. I am happy to remove you from our mailing list and include only one request per year that does not include any premium items. Thank you for letting us know. If there is anything else we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at 1-800-217-3700 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you again, Lisa
Review fromKyle P
Date: 01/22/2025
3 starsJust a little information that I have come to find out over the last year that came as a big surprise. This is considered a home. It is in an open campus. The kids are not searched when they come back from their visits. Anybody can drive into the facility communicate with any of the kids and hand anything off to them as far as drugs or money and drive right out of the facility. And remember these kids are never searched. There is huge problems with kids doing whatever it takes to get the THC and nicotine products. If your child has addiction problems at all, do not send them to this place. They are a behavioral center. Not an addiction unit. what we were told for 10 months while our kid never passed a urinalysis test. And they will all stick close together, and even when lie to you, it will just get shaken off and you have to move on you know. So if I could go back 10 months I would’ve never my kid here. We asked for the first 10 months when he was not passing any of his UA‘s “is there anything more there our child” and they kept telling us no. But then after I go to the supervisor supervisor supervisor, I find out that there is an intensive outpatient program and that my son had been involved in a chemical dependence program that was supposed to include family therapy, but like said, after 10 months, nothing was ever said to us. It took pushing and pushing and pushing and still at this point, my son has choice whether he wants to go to IOP or not. There’s not really anything they can do about it they tell me. So I guess at least he’ll graduate. But he’s coming out a worse drug addict that he went in. Nobody at boy town will hear my story. I’m sure there are a lot of success stories. But this is just one of those stories where I’m kind of flabbergasted at the lack of urgency they take abuse.Review fromDiane B
Date: 12/11/2024
1 starDiane B
Date: 12/11/2024
I have never heard of this place till I got this huge envelope in the mail today please remove from future mailing list. Thank you.Diane B*****Boys Town
Date: 03/17/2025
Dear Diane,
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home / Boys Town has been around for nearly 110 years. We were founded in 1917 by the late Father Edward Flanagan. Thank you for your response. We have ensured you have been removed from our mailing list. If you have any questions, please call us at 800-217-3700 or email us directly at [email protected]. Kindly, Lisa
Review fromLucia V
Date: 10/24/2024
3 starsLucia V
Date: 10/24/2024
Please remove my name from your mailing list. do not need all the items included in your mail. Its a waste.
L **********Boys Town
Date: 03/17/2025
Dear Lucia,
Thank you for your response. We have removed you from our mailing list. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us at 800-217-3700 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention. Kindly, Lisa
Review fromsal C
Date: 09/27/2024
2 starssal C
Date: 09/27/2024
Hey, remove me from mailing list. I am not happy with reviews.Boys Town
Date: 09/30/2024
Dear Diana, We have removed you from our mailing list. Thank you for brining this to our attention. Boys Town has been serving children and families for over 105 years. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to schedule a time to discuss. Thank you, Boys Town LHReview fromMichael M
Date: 09/25/2024
1 starMichael M
Date: 09/25/2024
Please remove me from your mailing list. The money spent on the items mailed should be invested in the children.Boys Town
Date: 09/30/2024
Dear Mr. M*****, we have removed you from our mailing list. Thank you for including your email as well. This helps us ensure proper removal. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Respectfully, Boys Town - LHReview fromDej B
Date: 04/06/2024
1 starTerrible experience for myself and my daughter. I brought my 4 year old here for PCIT. She had a meltdown so the therapist recommended I go get my car from upstairs. While I was gone her and another co worker grabbed my daughter up under her arms leaving bruises on her. I would not trust this organization with any child! Ever! The director is just as hands on. They should not be touching children at all!Review fromMartin C
Date: 12/01/2023
1 starMartin C
Date: 12/01/2023
Martin C
Please remove me from your mailing list. The money spent on the items mailed should be invested in the children.Boys Town
Date: 06/17/2024
Thank you for your email. You have been removed from our mailing list.Review fromAndrea C
Date: 10/16/2023
5 starsAndrea C
Date: 10/16/2023
I have a friend who told me Boystown turned his life around (for the better of course). The negative reviews about the socks/pens in the mailings are petty. I get so much mail that I wouldn’t have opened the envelope, or remembered to donate, if I had not felt something inside. And so what if the CEO earns 1 million a year?? That’s not a huge salary when you consider the size of the organization and responsibilities a position like that requires. I don’t think making a good salary and being passionate about your cause are mutually exclusive. I researched Boystown as well and found them to be a reputable charity. I thought the socks and Christmas cards were cute and a good fundraising idea. There is a massive need for organizations that help youths so Boystown and all the other reputable organizations like them will always have my support.Boys Town
Date: 10/24/2023
Andrea, thank you for your kind words. Our mission it to Help America Change the Way America Cares for Children and Families. Last year we served over 500,000 children. We appreciate you acknowledging the work we do and invite you to visit our campus to see us at work and notice the youth we serve. Thank you!
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