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Providing quality afterschool programs for our youth can boost work productivity, help develop a competitive future workforce and save taxpayer dollars. Most American families need some kind of afterschool care.  One in four children – 14.3 million in all – are alone
and unsupervised after school. 

• American businesses spend more than $60 billion each year on remedial training to teach their workers how to read, write and do basic math. Research shows that afterschool programs can improve academic achievement, and help prepare young people for the 21st Century workplace. Hands-on learning projects help youth develop critical thinking, leadership and team building skills – skills we need to be competitive in the global marketplace.

• Students in an afterschool program in California showed greater gains in reading and math scores than their peers. The program cut the high school drop out rate by 20%.

• A Brandeis University study found that parents without afterschool arrangements miss on average 8 more days of work per year than their peers, and report feeling greater stress.  Child care breakdowns leading to lost productivity cost businesses between $50 and $300 billion annually in the United States. The bottom line: parents are more productive at work when they know their children are safe and supervised.

• Analysis conducted by The Rose Institute at Claremont College found that investing $1 in afterschool programs saves taxpayers $3 through reduced expenditures on social programs. Youth in afterschool programs are half as likely to smoke, drink or use drugs, and one-third less likely to become teen parents, than their peers who do not participate in afterschool programs.

In light of these benefits, nearly 20,000 individuals and organizations, including many of the country’s top businesses, have come together to show their support for afterschool programs. Joining Afterschool for All demonstrates that your organization cares about afterschool programs, and helps illustrate the diversity and breadth of afterschool support. The business sector is well-represented by partners such as Time Warner, IBM, Citigroup Inc., Baxter International, J.C. Penney Co., Inc., Allstate Insurance, CVS and the four major sports leagues: NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. Among the Afterschool for All partners are mayors, governors and law enforcement leaders.

Afterschool for All partners agree that all children and youth should have access to quality, safe and enriching afterschool programs. There are no requirements or obligations to be a partner of Afterschool for All. Partners receive an electronic update six times/year, and may be given opportunities to take part in events or meetings.