August Means Action

It is August in the nation’s capital: an ideal time to connect with your Members of Congress while they are home in their Congressional districts. Senators and representatives use the August recess to meet with constituents in their home states before returning to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7, 2012.  Parents, educators, students, program staff and all friends of afterschool can use the August recess to reach out to their elected officials in support of maintaining federal funding for quality afterschool and summer learning programs. Members of Congress and their staff need to hear about the positive impact afterschool programs have on young people, particularly in light of the potentially devastating impact of funding reductions and/or across-the-board cuts (sequestration) currently set to go into effect in January 2013.  

Why this Matters to Young People and Your Community:

• An analysis of 68 studies of afterschool programs concluded that high-quality afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs can lead to improved school attendance, behavior and coursework. Students participating in a high-quality afterschool program went to school more often, behaved better, received better grades and did better on tests compared to nonparticipating students. Afterschool programs also keep young people safe during the hours of 3 to 6 p.m. and help working families.
• While 22 million children are eligible to participate in afterschool programs through the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (21^st CCLC) initiative, limited federal support for afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs results in only 1.6 million children participating though the 21^st CCLC initiative and 600,000 school-age children participating through the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF).
•  If Congress fails to act and sequestration goes into effect, the 21^st CCLC initiative and CCDF face up to an additional 8 percent budget cut. This would mean at least 145,180 fewer students served by afterschool and summer learning programs during the next school year, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Three Actions You Can Take:

1. Schedule meetings with your Members of Congress or their staff.
   To do so, you can either visit your Members’ websites or call their district offices. Enter your zip code on our website to obtain contact information for your Members. Do not be discouraged if your meeting is with a staff member. Treat your meeting with them just as you would a meeting with the Member, whom they are there to represent. Here are talking points you can use for your meetings and also remember to share your own story on the value and power of afterschool programs.
   
2. Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
   We’ve made it easy. Customize our template to send to the editor of your local newspaper. Be sure to include the name of your senators and representative in your letter to the editor in order to get the attention of the Members’ offices. Also, please note that most newspapers have a word limit for letters (usually 200 words), so we’ve kept the message short and to the point. Submit your letter here. 
3. Attend a town hall meeting.
   To find out when and where these events are being held, check your Members’ websites, Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, local newspapers, or call their offices. Some town hall meetings are held telephonically. Don’t be afraid to ask your questions on the phone or in person. Campaign season is also just around the corner and presents a host of additional opportunities to start making afterschool programs and the success of children an issue for the November election at all levels. Our website has a number of resources to help you make afterschool an election issue.