“People really devalue what after school programs offer children. They don’t understand. It’s the way out for some kids. It’s their outlet to express themselves, to create, to invent.”
―Rodrigo Valladares, ASAP Drama Parent
Fall 2024
Dear Friend,
After school programs are a crucial part of Philly’s gun violence solution. But with pandemic relief dollars expiring this fall, the city’s after school opportunities are facing an uncertain future.
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) dollars supported enrichment programming for 4,090 ASAP students over the last two years.
These dollars have been critical to keeping kids safe and engaged after school. And for parents like Rodrigo Valladares, cutting after school programs is not an option.
Like many families, the Valladares rely on after school programs to keep their kids safe when the school bell rings, as well as to inspire new passions. For Rodrigo’s daughter Mila, after school was where she fell in love with the ASAP Drama stage after securing a lead role in the year-end multi-school musical, Annie. Little by little, the Valladeres saw a change in their Mila— she was honing her confidence, owning the stage.
And Mila’s favorite part about her ASAP Drama club? The support she felt from peer mentor and Drama senior Ceanni Santiago, who was always cheering her on.
ASAP programs that allow students to learn from their peers help thousands of children become themselves and have confidence in their future.
Without after school programs like ASAP’s, we fear a backslide in the academic and social-emotional progress we’ve made in a post-pandemic world.
We owe it to students like Mila and Ceanni to continue INVESTING in, not divesting from, their future — a future that begins in a safe and inspiring after school space.
When you make a gift to ASAP, we hope that you’ll remember the Valladeres family, and the many other Philly families that rely on after school programs. But please don’t forget — there are many more kids still waiting for a program at their school, and thousands more who may lose their programs this fall. Help us raise $50,000 to ensure more after school opportunities exist for the families who need us most. In return, ASAP will continue to do what we do best: pivot, adapt, and support our community, even in the face of ongoing challenges.
In this important work, we are most grateful for your generosity.
Sincerely,
ASAP
PS: It costs $370 to support one ASAP student all year long — donate today to make after school a reality for a child in Philly!
*Please note, in order to focus our resources in communities with the greatest needs, ASAP regularly monitors the ongoing state of the city’s gun violence epidemic and areas most impacted. To that end, ASAP’s Fall Appeal letter was written and published in September of 2024 based on data available at the time. Unfortunately, the number of gun violence victims that have been children continues to rise.
You can learn more about the current state of the city’s gun violence epidemic as shared by the City of Philadelphia’s Office of the Controller here.
This data further underscores why your support this fall is needed now more than ever.