Afterschool programs provide safe and enriching environments for children of working-class families.

Statewide, more than 60,000 children could lose access to their afterschool program, including over 300 in Compton Unified School District alone, where 96.8% of students are African American or Latinx and more than 80% of students qualify for free-and-reduced price meals.

One of these programs, LA’s BEST, reports that 98% of parents with children enrolled in their program say they are only able to keep their job because their children are enrolled in LA’s BEST’s free afterschool program.

Afterschool programs offer sports, structured play, and movement – all proven to have significant effects on students’ physical, academic, and overall health.

Disenfranchised neighborhoods in LA and across this state often lack access to P.E. in school, afterschool programs, trained coaches, and safe playgrounds; plus, many families cannot afford to join pricey intramural leagues.