The Children’s Aid Society and a coalition of parents, advocates and elected officials gathered at City Hall today to launch a citywide campaign against the Mayor’s massive cuts to child care and after-school programs. The coalition, Campaign for Children, released an impact brief titled, New York City's Diminishing Investment in NYC Children and Working Families, showing the Bloomberg Administration’s five-year defunding of the child care and after-school systems.
“Education is the single most important factor in helping a child escape from poverty, and it’s of the utmost importance when one in three New York City kids and two in three public school students live in poverty, ” said Richard R. Buery, Jr, President and CEO of the Children’s Aid Society. “It is unconscionable that tens of thousands of kids who already have it tougher than most of us can imagine, now stand to lose some of the most important supports in their lives that will put them on a path to success in school, college and life. The Campaign for Children coalition has taken a bold stand to fight for some of the most vulnerable people in our city and I’m proud to join them.”
Mayor Bloomberg’s fiscal year 2013 budget proposes significant cuts to both child care and after-school programs. The Mayor’s Preliminary Budget, coupled with planned changes to both systems, would eliminate 15,900 child care slots and slash after-school program capacity for 31,800 children – half the city-supported after-school programs for elementary and middle school students would close. All told, more than 47,000 children and their families will lose access to these programs. This is the fifth straight year that the Mayor has cut child care and after-school programs. Added to year after year of cuts, the Mayor’s latest proposal will result in 90,000 fewer children having access to these programs than in 2009.
The Children’s Aid Society is an independent, not-for-profit organization established to serve the children of New York City. Our mission is to help children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive supports to children and their families in targeted high-needs New York City neighborhoods. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving New York’s neediest children. Services are provided in community schools, neighborhood centers, health clinics and camps. For additional information, please call Anthony Ramos at (212) 949-4938/ (917) 204-8214 email anthonyr@childrensaidsociety.org or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.
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