After-school, summer programs a boon to working families
Raising kids is hard. There are extra mouths to feed, extra messes to clean up, and extra sleepless nights.
There are also extra expenses, from school fees to medical bills and everything in between.
Perhaps the biggest extra expense is childcare. It comes with a hefty price tag that many low-income families just can’t afford. Their hands are already full enough trying to pay for rent and groceries.
The Salvation Army has their backs. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, The Salvation Army is able to offer free or affordable after-school and summer programs at many of our locations across Minnesota and North Dakota. These programs are a godsend to parents who cannot afford market-rate childcare, ensuring their kids are in a safe and positive environment – not home alone or out getting into trouble.
All of these programs feature food, fun activities, sports, Bible lessons, and more.
“Every morning, my kids are excited to wake up and go to The Salvation Army,” said a young mother named Dulce (pictured with family), whose two sons, ages 7 and 8, and younger sister, 13, attend summer programs at the East Lake St. Salvation Army in Minneapolis.
Dulce works as a medical assistant, and her husband, Victor, is a butcher. If not for The Salvation Army, Dulce would have to decrease her hours during summer in order to care for her kids and sister.
“We would have less money,” she said. “Summer is already expensive enough – you have to spend more money on food because the kids aren’t getting it at school.”
Beyond the financial benefits of the program, Dulce especially loves it because of the joy it brings her youngest son, who lives with autism.
“One day he came home and said, ‘Mom! Mom! I met a new friend!’” Dulce recalled. “The program is great for him because he gets to communicate with other kids.”
Our after-school programs begin in September. These programs provide the same benefits as our summer programs, allowing parents to work a full day while their children receive quality, affordable, Bible-based supervision for several hours every weekday.
40 Assets
Salvation Army after-school and summer programs are effective because they incorporate the world-renowned “Developmental Assets®” framework, which identifies 40 specific skills, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that children need to succeed. Some of the 40 Assets that Salvation Army youth programs emphasize include:
- Achievement Motivation: Child is motivated to do well in school.
- Cultural Competence: Child has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
- Religious Community: Child spends one hour or more per week in activities in a religious institution.
Incorporating the 40 Assets into our youth programs ensures that children are loved, validated, and put in a position to succeed.
The Salvation Army Northern Division pledges to do the most good with your gifts of time and money, with 81 cents of every dollar going directly to services. Join us by volunteering or making a donation to support your local community.