CCC testified on March 11 in front of the New York City Council Committee on Youth Services regarding the proposed 2020 New York City budget.

Among many items we are advocating be included in the city budget, Raysa Rodgriguez — CCC’s Associate Executive Director for Policy and Advocacy — urged committee members to include funding that would ensure after-school programs for middle school students include a summer component.

Mayor de Blasio’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2020 failed to fund summer programming for middle school students. The cut to summer program funding impacts 34,000 students, many of whom are in high-needs districts. More than 1,000 slots are due to be cut in East Tremont in the Bronx, East New York and Brownsville in Brooklyn, the Lower East Side, Central Harlem and East Harlem in Manhattan, and The Rockaways in Queens.

Raysa also urged City Council and the Administration to include funding to expand elementary after-school programs.