SPRINGFIELD – In order to support after school programs in Illinois, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is pushing to secure key after school program funding in the budget.
“I have seen what happens when young people find a program that makes a difference,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “They open up, they show up differently, they start believing they matter because they do.”
Two key programs regarding after school programs are facing cuts. These include a $1 million cut to Teen REACH and a $10 million cut to Illinois State Board of Education afterschool programs.
According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, many parents work away from home. Many young people lack adult supervision during the late afternoon and early evening hours on school days - hours during which, research has shown, most risk-taking behavior by youth takes place. Out-of-school-time programming has been identified as a key strategy for addressing these challenges and helping young people build upon their assets and become productive members of society.
“When we invest in afterschool programs, we invest in potential, prevention, and promise,” said Executive Director of Afterschool for Children and Teens Now (ACT Now) Coalition Susan Stanton. “These programs meet real needs every day for students and families. This is not the moment to cut. We need to grow what works.”
“Children deserve a safe place to go,” said Guzmán. “We cannot treat the people who are caring for our children like they are optional. We cannot treat our children as optional.”
Guzmán is committed to fighting for programs that benefit young people and the broader communities they live in.
