After School Child Care and Education Programs are an integral component in the lives of rural low income families. Approximately four million American children live in distressed communities where high levels of poverty, school dropouts, unemployment and high reliance on welfare exist, according to a 1995 report released by the Children's Defense Fund. These children and youth are at immediate risk for not surviving in their community neighborhoods, much less meeting basic needs of a safe-haven home, food and care.
All youth experience some degree of risk as they progress from childhood to adult life.
An increasing number of American youth, however, are at substantially higher risk for negative outcomes such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, crime, violence and academic under-achievement which eventually leads to dependency on the welfare system due to family, community, social, political and economic conditions which they have not created. Whether youths needs are met and skills are used in socially acceptable ways depend, in part, on the quality and availability of people, places and resources. The grant was administered jointly by the Alcorn Cooperative Extension Program and the Mississippi State University -Extension Service. The program has received requests from neighboring counties to replicate the after school model. Currently, the Extension System has after school programs in the school districts of Jefferson, Claiborne, Franklin, Hinds, and Washington Counties and one community satellite site in Adams County.