Contact Congress: COVID-19 impact on afterschool programs

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact families, youth, and the afterschool program providers who serve them. These concerns should be top of mind for the new 117th Congress and the incoming Biden Administration when negotiating the next round of coronavirus relief legislation and when determining the FY22 appropriations levels. Congress has already passed several bills in immediate response to the pandemic and is considering additional coronavirus response and recovery legislation that must prioritize youth. Your Representatives and Senators must hear from you now on how this public health crisis is affecting youth, youth-serving organizations, and your community-at-large - and how afterschool and summer learning programs can address COVID-19 learning loss.

There are specific policy issues we believe will help support youth and ensure out-of-school-time organizations can navigate the impact of this crisis:  

• $1.2 billion immediate increase in 21st CCLC to cover programs now and address the increased need for summer learning programs this summer and afterschool programs next fall to help students at risk for learning loss 
• Include financial recovery supports for non-profit organizations and small business afterschool providers in any congressional stimulus package.
• Increase the capacity of both the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) (which also supports school-age afterschool and summer programs) and the AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.

Will you ask your members of Congress to consider these in FY22 appropriations discussions and in the next COVID-19 stimulus package? TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, please act now and urge Congress to prioritize youth in the Coronavirus response.