Children then complete homework with staff assistance, work on arts and crafts activities, dance and music, or computers donated to the afterschool center. Free choice activities like dodgeball, basketball, or jumprope are allowed only after homework is complete. One of the major attractions of the program for children is the snacks and dinners that are provided. The program operates year-round, including holidays. During the summer it is open all day long.
Fees are on a sliding scale, from free to full-paid, based on income.
Parental involvement at each center is critical to the success of the afterschool programs. A Parents Club was formed at each site to give parents the opportunity to interact socially and take the initiative to enhance the activities and environment of the afterschool centers. One project is spread over 65 acres and requires crossing major thoroughfares to get to the one site in the complex. Each pilot, one an escort service and the other a building delivery program, operated in two projects and resulted in 2,500 more kids participating in the SFP than in 1995. The escort pilot brought kids to the meals and the building delivery pilot brought SFP meals to the kids.