The JCPenney Afterschool Fund
JCPenney Afterschool Fund Sponsors Landmark Study
Pictured: Mike Boylson, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and children from a local Afterschool Program in Washington DC.
JCPenney is celebrating 10 years as the leading corporate advocate for afterschool. According to a new survey, sponsored by JCPenney Afterschool Fund and organized by the Afterschool Alliance, there’s good reason to celebrate. America After 3PM, a survey of nearly 30,000 households across the United States, shows that 8.4 million children are now attending afterschool programs, up from 6.5 million in 2004 when JCPenney Afterschool Fund originally sponsored this study. But there is another side to the story. While more kids are in afterschool programs, we are also seeing an increase in unmet need, with the parents of 18 million children reporting that they would enroll their kids if afterschool programs were available.
Mike Boylson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for JCPenney and member of the board of directors for the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, revealed the results of he America After 3PM study on Tuesday, October 6 at the national kick-off event for "Lights On Afterschool" at the Department of Education in Washington D.C. "Lights On Afterschool" is the country’s largest national afterschool awareness event and will provide a platform to communicate the national and state results from this landmark study.
The national kick-off event, hosted by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was organized by the Afterschool Alliance in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education, with support from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, and the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation. Nearly 300 people were in attendance, including children who benefit from local afterschool programs.
On October 22, more than 7,500 local Lights On Afterschool events will be held in communities throughout the country, involving more than one million people. The October Round-Up, scheduled from October 16 through 25, has been planned to coincide with local Lights On events. Store managers whose Afterschool partners are holding Lights On events will be invited to speak at their Afterschool partner’s local Lights On event to help call out the results of the study, offer Round-Up as a community call to action, and highlight JCPenney’s 10-year history of being the leading corporate advocate for afterschool.
For the full story, click here.
To view the America After 3pm study details, click here.
Inspiring Kids to be Smart, Strong and Socially Responsible
The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a charitable organization committed to providing children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire them to be smart, strong and socially responsible. Currently, more than 15 million youth in America are unsupervised every day between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Through partnerships with the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H, United Way of America, and FIRST, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund helps prepare children for college, work and life by providing them with life enriching afterschool opportunities. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school.
In 2008, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund contributed more than $13 million to afterschool programs in more than 1,000 communities across the country. Since its inception, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, along with JCPenney has contributed more than $80 million to this important cause.
Today's the Day to Round-Up for Children in Your Community!
The October Round-Up raised more than $880,000! During this event, JCPenney customers were invited to "round-up" their store purchase to the nearest whole dollar, with the proceeds directed to an afterschool program in that store's community. The funds raised will help the Afterschool Fund provide tens of thousands of children across the nation with access to safe, life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire them to be smart, strong and socially responsible. And remember, you can make a donation on this website or in a JCPenney store at any time! On behalf of the children served by the Afterschool Fund, thank you for your support! The next Round-Up event will be December 4 through December 13.
