Recapping the 2026 Afterschool For All Challenge

Last week, more than 200 advocates came to Washington, D.C. for the Afterschool for All Challenge! Afterschool Ambassadors, state networks, program providers, parents, and youth participated in over 160 meetings with their elected officials, making the case for the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, support working families, and strengthen their communities. 

Bryson, a program participant in The Club for Boys, traveled to Washington, D.C. with his father and representatives from the South Dakota Afterschool Network to emphasize the essential role afterschool programs play in Native communities. Bryson, who has been attending the program since kindergarten, described it as a second home where he could build confidence and learn teamwork skills. His father, a coach in the program, shared why programs like The Club for Boys are critical for keeping young Native men, like his sons, safe and connected to positive, caring mentors.

The New Hampshire Afterschool Network team and leaders from the Project Promise After School program met with their elected officials and thanked them for their support, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who recently introduced the Supporting Afterschool STEM Educators Act. This bill would help strengthen the recruitment and retention of afterschool STEM educators, expand professional growth opportunities, and increase access to high-quality STEM programs for more youth!

In their meetings, champions of afterschool from every state spoke to the importance of federal support. Local school and community-based afterschool and summer learning programs, especially those in rural communities, receive essential support through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program and the Child Care Development Block Grant. These federal funds help leverage local and state partners and ensure professional development and quality supports for local programs.

And advocates showed their support from home, too! More than 5,300 emails were sent to Congress, while social media messages from the Hill reached over 800,000 people online – and hundreds more took action directly from the National AfterSchool Association 2026 convention in Washington, D.C.!

On behalf of the Afterschool Alliance, and the millions of young people in an afterschool program, we are deeply grateful for the fierce advocacy of every single supporter who raised their voice last week. But across the nation, 3 in 4 kids are still missing out. If you haven’t reached out to your representatives in Congress, send a message now as they begin making funding decisions for FY27.