The Need.
After-school programs have a profound impact on children, parents, and communities. Access to safe, affordable programs is at a crisis in our communities. It is estimated that 75% of children that have parents that would like to participate in after-school care have access to programs in the United States.
After school programs:
Improve classroom behavior
Reduce juvenile crime rates by as much as 70%
Boost Academic success, including increasing graduation rates
Lead to healthier habits, like reducing likely to use drugs or alcohol in their teens
Children
Communities
Communities and businesses are filled with parents. They also see an impact when caregivers can not access childcare:
Businesses lose $1,640 annually for each working parent employed
Childcare issues disproportionally affect women, specifically women of color, increasing the likelihood that they will remain in or enter poverty
Youth that receive mentorship are 78% more likely to enroll in college
From U.S economy, as of 2023, is losing $122 billion a year in lost wages and productivity due to lack of childcare options, access, and affordability, according to a study by ReadyNation.
Parents
The research on the impact of childcare on parents is shocking. It shows that:
85% of primary caregivers miss work hours due to lack of childcare
73% feel that after-school care keeps their children out of trouble
33% of parents have permanently reduced their work hours from full-time to part-time due to challenges around childcare
Parents loose on average $5,500 annually in pay due to childcare gaps
