Upon hearing the name of our organization, people often ask us, “What do you mean by
‘children’s funding’
?” To many, allocating money to kids begins and ends with funding for the school day. However, kids only spend about 20% of their time in the classroom. While incredibly important, only focusing on school-time neglects the 80% of the time that children spend elsewhere.
“Funding children” means providing high quality childcare, home visiting, and Pre-K. It means ensuring that kids have a safe place to learn and play after school and in the summer. It means that youth have positive mentors and opportunities to gain work experience. Ultimately, it means preparing children and youth to learn, work, and thrive.
Wayne County, MI (home of Detroit) is aiming to do just that by expanding afterschool services and summer programs. We have spent the last few years working with stakeholders in the County to place an
afterschool funding proposal
on the March 2020 ballot. The proposal, if passed, will provide the kids that live in Wayne County increased access to afterschool programs that keep them “safe, improve their academic performance and prepare them for the jobs of the future.”
Whether focusing on improving funding for infants or youth, we know that our job will never be done. There will always be more opportunities to #FundOurKids!