After-School Programs at Local Schools Threatened

Each year after-school programs have to be reintroduced into the city’s budget, and each year it seems like there’s a big drama that surrounds it. These programs have already been hit hard over the years, and this year is threatening to be the same, if not worse.

CAMBA, which runs several after-school programs around Brooklyn, including ones at PS 139 and PS 249, just got word that funding for a number of their after-school (OST) programs is not in the city’s 2013 budget. They didn’t get a couple of new schools they applied for; a couple of others will be funded, but maybe for fewer kids; and most importantly in our neighborhood, two of their existing programs, at 139 and 249, are slated to be cut altogether.

“We’ve been running after-school at the two schools since 2005, so it would be a huge loss to parents and kids in the community,” said Christie Hodgkins, CAMBA Director of Youth Development.

CAMBA is asking for your help to try to get funding restored by taking the following actions:

• Call the mayor’s office this Monday, April 30 to tell the mayor and city leaders to save after-school programs. This is part of a city-wide call-in day with the Campaign4Children advocacy campaign. Parents should call 888-279-3491 between 9am and 6pm or call 311 anytime with the message.

• Send a letter to the mayor (all of next week) urging him to restore funding for after-school programs. Download a sample letter here for PS 139 and here for PS 249, and send it to: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Hall, New York, NY 10007.

• Email the mayor and representatives a message via a form at the Campaign4Children website anytime.