Boys & Girls Club of Harlem’s after-school programs in jeopardy as NYS cuts funding by $1.4 million

In 2019, the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem (BGCH) received $1.4 million in state funding through a five-year funding formula that would last through fiscal year 2025 thanks to the Advantage After School Programs (AASP) and the Empire Program.

But in June, BGCH was informed that the program would have to be shut down due to recent state budget cuts. The loss of funding could be devastating for the 44-year-old organization, which currently serves more than 2,000 youth and receives 80 percent of its funding from state sources.

“We will have to close one or more of our after-school programs,” warns Sharon Joseph, CEO of BGCH. The state has not provided details on why the funding program was not renewed. According to the IRS Form 990 the organization filed last year for fiscal year 2022, the $1.4 million from the state accounted for 54 percent of the club’s revenue, which was reported at $2.58 million.

The $1.4 million fund has been critical to Boys and Girls Club activities at four local elementary schools, PS 186, PS 368, PS 241 and PS 92, Joseph said. Over the past five years, the funds have been used for after-school programs of all kinds — tutors, youth development specialists, STEM classes, dance classes and more. These programs are “critical” to providing quality youth development opportunities, especially in the hours immediately after school when student learning success can be most impacted, she said.

BGCH’s programs serve 2,200 children ages 5 to 18, 93 percent of whom come from low-income families and 33 percent of whom are homeless, Joseph said. It is an important facility and resource for Harlem’s youth, helping children and teens succeed academically, offering internships, providing social and emotional instruction and enriching children’s lives through support.

The group’s website features impressive statistics: 93 percent of its teenage students are expected to graduate, compared to 74 percent of youths boroughwide. Eighty-three percent of youth in the afterschool programs reported having A’s and B’s on their report cards, compared to 67 percent of their peers nationwide. The developmental implications are far-reaching and greatly benefit the city’s youth, as New York City has large educational inequalities, Joseph said.

Joseph told the The spirit of the west side that some after-school programs across the state have sent letters protesting the budget cuts, although it is unclear whether these efforts will result in change. The BGCH website offers opportunities to volunteer both as an individual and as an organization. Visit https://bgcharlem.org/volunteer/ to learn more.

Straus News has contacted the council members of the 7th district, but received no comment by press time.