queenschamber.org THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH-QUALITY AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS By John J. DeCristoforo Chief Executive Officer The Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens The challenges facing children today are greater than ever before. Consider the statistics in New York State from the Annie E. Casey Foundation: 910,000 Queens Centers for Progress Serves the People of Queens 12 children under the age of 18 live in poverty; 1 in 5 youths do not graduate from high school on time; nearly twothirds of fourth graders lack reading and math proficiency; and nearly a third (32%) of children and adolescents age 10 to 17 are overweight or obese. Fortunately, more children are participating in after-school programs, where there are opportunities and support to overcome these obstacles. After-school programs can play a significant role in supporting the development of young people by keeping children safe, inspiring them to learn, teaching them life skills, and supporting working families--but it is critical that the programs are of high quality. Research indicates that a child’s experience during a high-quality after-school program can have as much influence on their overall success as their experience during school time. In addition, growing evidence links high-quality after-school programs with gains in standardized test scores and work habits, as well as with reductions in behavioral problems among disadvantaged students. The landmark compendium of research and best practices from the out-of-school time sector, “Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success,” demonstrates that quality afterschool and summer learning programs make a positive difference for children. Specifically, the publication describes the ability of out-of-school time programs to: • Promote academic achievement and college readiness; • Foster development of character, resilience and wellness; • Forge partnerships to maximize resources and strengthen communities; and • Engage families in meaningful ways. After-school and summer programs present perhaps the greatest opportunity to close the education gap and help all kids succeed. At the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens we look to positively impact each child from the moment they enter our doors. Children enter an extraordinary place where everyone believes in them and supports their dreams, and every adult is dedicated to helping them be their best. Whether by providing access to computers to engage with STEM, teaching them how to play a new game that makes exercise fun, or empowering them to make their community better through a service project, the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens offers opportunities every day for youth to learn something new and achieve things that they might otherwise never have dreamed of. The Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens is located in South Richmond Hill. It provides after-school and summer programming and impacts over 2,500 children ages 5 to 18 each year. Its mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. For more information, visit www.metroqueens.org. Queens Centers for Progress (QCP), a proud member of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, has served the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities for over 65 Years. The business community often perceives nonprofits as organizations with their hands out. It’s true that supplemental support from the community is paramount in the stability of the nonprofit, but it’s also important that the support is a two-way street. With a staff of over 600, QCP is a large employer in the borough of Queens. More than two-thirds of the agency’s staff has worked at QCP for ten years or more, with one out of every six employees having been with the agency for over twenty years--a testament to QCP’s positive work environment. The obvious benefactors of the staff’s collective longevity are the 1,500 people served by QCP. Coping with such developmental disabilities as cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, seizure disorders and brain injuries, clients enjoy the familiarity and confidence that comes with learning from many of the same staffers, year in and year out. Less documented are the benefits that the Queens business community feels due to the stable presence of QCP and so many of its workers, three-quarters of whom live in Queens. They own homes, rent apartments, use local services and shop locally at Queens’ stores. But the positive impact QCP has on Queens’ growing and vibrant economy hardly stops there, as so much of QCP’s $30 million budget goes right back into the business community. In carrying out its mission, QCP utilizes transportation companies and operates nine residences, occupied by more than 75 adults served by QCP, across the borough, and the majority of companies that QCP engages are located in Queens. Furthermore, businesses across Queens tap into QCP’s Work Source Employment Services program, which helps more than 200 qualified individuals served by QCP find steady employment in such settings as department stores, supermarkets, restaurants and offices. The program, which is free to employers, provides tax credits and ongoing support and supervision of trained and screened workers. The support QCP receives from the community helps to fulfill its mission of promoting independence, integration into the community, and a better quality of life. Over 200 individuals served by QCP provide valuable services as volunteers in churches, schools, animal shelters, food pantries and SNAP Centers throughout Queens. Each year, QCP sponsors a group of runners in the New York City Marathon, who participate to raise money and awareness for the organization. QCP sets up a special cheering section near the race’s midway point in Long Island City. The cheering section is an opportunity for Queens’ residents to unite and show the world the borough’s tremendous spirit and community pride, another way to promote the borough and its businesses through partnerships and promotions. QCP provides services for people of all ages, from toddlers to the elderly, and for all aspects of life, including providing a place to live and work, healthcare, hygiene and life skills training, education, therapy, vocational training and recreation. Its services include education, therapy, job training and placement, day programs, advocacy, service coordination, housing and many other support services. QCP works toward supporting each individual to make the most of his or her talents, abilities and interests. Queens--through its strong economy, rich variety of cultural and recreational opportunities, diverse population, housing opportunities and comprehensive transportation system--makes it possible for QCP to provide a full range of support for the people served by the agency so that they can be as independent and integrated as possible into the life of their community. Thousands of runners as they pass the Queens Cheer Station during the TCS New York City Marathon.
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