Now more than ever, we need connections and solutions. Planted in a new remote reality, afterschool champions across the country are facing a host of unprecedented challenges stemming from the Coronavirus, for which there is no playbook or script.
Our hearts are heavy with the understanding that as school district closures persist and afterschool programming halts, young people from low-income communities are most vulnerable.
For this reason we must overcome this new, temporary wave of social distancing with the power of our collective voices and systems, and mobilize around providing resources that support the well-being of young people and communities, resources that are crucial during and after this global health crisis.
Every Hour Counts is proud to serve as a critical lifeline to support the afterschool field.
As immediate steps, we’ve collected tools and resources created by members of our network to support their organizations and communities during this challenging time.
Please use these resources as you confront local challenges.
We’ve also been active on the policy front with the Afterschool Alliance and other national afterschool and youth-serving organizations. We’ve sent Congressional leaders letters to urge them to include
non-profits as eligible entities
in relief funding and
support the OST sector
.
We’re grateful to Representatives David Cicilline (RI) and Don Young (AK) who led
a sign-on letter
to request a short-term $500 million increase to 21
st
Century Community Learning Centers during this time of crisis.
Every Hour Counts has compiled a set of resources to support the afterschool field and help mitigate the challenges that lie ahead.
Our
COVID-19 Resource Guide
is filled with resources, tools, and guidance from our Every Hour Counts intermediary organizations across the country. If you have resources to share, please
email us
.
The guide features steps our intermediary members and others are taking to support their staff, site providers, educators, caregivers and families, and communities. We will continue to update this guide as more resources are developed.
Featured topics include
:
- Afterschool Intermediary Staff and Operations Resources, such as this sample email to staff from After School Matters, Chicago, IL.
Every Hour Counts is committed to sharing guidance and resources to support communities across the country.
We wish you all safety and good health. We’re all in this together.