Contact:
Lucas Held, 212-251-9782;
Mary Trudel, 212-251-9815
The Wallace Foundation commits $12 million to help strengthen out-of-school time programs
NEW YORK, N.Y., Jan. 11 – The Wallace Foundation has committed $12 million to help strengthen out-of-school time programs for children in New York City with the goal of improving quality and building participation. The grant was announced by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at his annual State of the City address today at Hostos Community College in the Bronx.
"We’re bringing accountability and fairness to our city’s “out-of-school” programs as well," said Bloomberg in his address. "I want to thank here the Wallace Foundation and its president, Christine DeVita, for committing up to $12 million that will help us ensure high-quality out-of-school programs for students in every neighborhood."
DeVita said Wallace is committed to helping improve access to quality out-of-school time programs.
“Kids spend two-thirds of their time outside of the classroom, so quality out-of-school time programs play an important role in kids’ lives. We’re pleased to join the city’s effort to build a more effective system to ensure that New York City kids can find safe, high-quality, and engaging out-of-school time opportunities,” DeVita said. “Wallace’s grant will help the city coordinate out-of-school time services, set quality standards, support pilot programs, and inform parents and kids of what services are available.”
The grant, to be paid over five years, will go to The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a nonprofit organization. Earlier, Wallace supported the gathering of data that showed gaps in neighborhood provision of out-of-school time programs, and what New York City children and parents wanted from them, as well as planning efforts based on that data. Those efforts were supported by Wallace through grants to the Citizens Committee for Children of New York and the Fund for the City of New York.
Wallace is supporting a similar effort in Providence, Rhode Island.
“Cities across the nation are trying to improve out-of-school-time opportunities for kids even at a time of budget shortfalls,” said DeVita, noting that a National League of Cities survey of 500 municipal leaders ranked after-school programs as among the most pressing needs for children in their communities. “We’re hopeful that the approach pioneered in New York City, as well as in Providence, will provide useful lessons on how a more effective out-of-school time system can benefit children and families.”
The Wallace Foundation is an independent, national foundation based in New York City that is committed to supporting and sharing effective ideas and practices. Its three current areas of focus are: strengthening public education leadership, improving opportunities for out-of-school learning opportunities for children and families, and expanding participation in the arts. For more information on the foundation, visit www.wallacefoundation.org.
The Wallace Foundation’s latest research about out-of-school time, “All Work and No Play? Listening to What KIDS and PARENTS Really Want from Out-Of-School Time,” is featured in the knowledge center of wallacefoundation.org. This 55-page report, prepared by Public Agenda, is now available as a free download at All Work No Play.