Bloomberg and Soros Announce Plan to Fund After-School Programs

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, joined by George Soros at PS 130 in the Bronx, announced recently that the City and the Open Society Institute (OSI) will devote over $30 million to support after-school programs during the 2002-2003 school year. Mayor Bloomberg committed to allocating $10.5 million in the FY 2003 executive budget and OSI will contribute $20 million. The combined funds will benefit more than 40,000 city students.

“Our goal is to provide first-rate after-school programs to produce high-quality students,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Given the City’s fiscal crisis, we need partners like the Open Society Institute to sustain many of the programs our children and families rely on. Today is just the beginning of what I hope will be one of the banner public-private partnerships of my administration.”

“Mayor Bloomberg’s commitment of $10.5 million to support after-school programs is especially significant, given the City’s fiscal situation,” said George Soros. “The fact that he has pledged his support in such hard times affirms the importance of after-school education even more.”

The funds will be awarded to The After-School Corporation (TASC), a non-profit group that distributes grants to community organizations to conduct after-school programs in public schools across New York City and state. Together, the funds will allow TASC to leverage millions of additional dollars from the federal and state governments, the Board of Education, and other private donors. The City’s and OSI’s contribution will raise $80 million to support after-school programs this coming school year. In total, the funds ensure a safe, productive environment for more than 40,000 children in 157 schools. In addition, the programs preserved by today’s announcement will provide 11 million hours of reading and math instruction, sports, arts, and community service programs this upcoming year.#

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