Voters want the new Congress and their newly elected state and local officials to increase funding for afterschool programs, according to a public opinion survey conducted after the election. The poll found that 72% of voters agree that “our newly elected public officials in Congress should increase funding for afterschool programs,” and just 24% disagree. When asked if they’d support “increase[d] funding for afterschool programs even if it leads to a tax increase,” 69% of voters said they want funding to increase. 82% of voters agree that there should be some type of organized activity or safe place for children and teens to go after school every day that provides opportunities for them to learn.

GAIC is excited to disseminate a grant opportunity (Request for Qualified Contractors) to help provide youth development services in afterschool and/or summer program settings recently posted by the Department of Human Resources. This is a very important funding opportunity for afterschool and summer programs so we encourage you to share this immediately and often as a reminder.

We are pleased to announce that Atlanta will host the Center for Summer Learning’s National Conference, Celebrate Summer as a Season for Learning, April 19-20, 2007. Bringing together school administrators, program providers, policy makers and researchers, this is the only national conference that brings the issue of summer learning to the forefront. Georgia PTA members along with the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council attended this conference last year and brought back innovative tools to strengthen their programs. We encourage you to attend this year!

This year, the spring Afterschool Alliance Afterschool for All Challenge event in Washington, D.C. is proud to honor Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick at the Breakfast of Champions. Mr. Vick’s commitment to afterschool stems from his childhood growing up at a Boys & Girls Club in Virginia, and continues through the establishment of his foundation, which seeks to provide grants to afterschool programs in Virginia and his adopted home in Georgia. Mr. Vick shares the Afterschool Alliance’s vision of making sure that all youth have access to quality and safe afterschool programs, and we’re proud to have him as our guest of honor.

The U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with the C.S. Mott Foundation and the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning, is once again calling for presentation proposals for its 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) 2007 Summer Institute, Afterschool for All Children. This year, the Institute is scheduled from July 17-19, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Miami Convention Center, in Miami, Florida. This year's theme will focus on designing and implementing age- appropriate afterschool programming for all elementary, middle and high school age students.