Seven Long Island organizations will share nearly $9 million in state grants to increase access to affordable afterschool programs for children in high-need areas, state officials said.

The state Office of Children and Family Services awarded grants under the Learning and Enrichment Program Support After School – or LEAPS – initiative. LEAPS seeks to support afterschool programs that provide academic assistance, social well-being, and community involvement for students and their families. In New York, a total of nearly 240 afterschool programs received funding, which will help serve about 40,000 children, according to the state.

“After-school programs provide outlets for our children to explore their creativity, develop their skills and thrive in a supportive environment,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an announcement Thursday.

Improved programs

On Long Island, programs that will receive funding include the Bellport Area Boys & Girls Club, Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission, Inc., Suffolk Economic Opportunity Council, Inc., Gateway Youth Outreach Inc., Morrison Mentors, Inc. , Project MOST Inc. and West Islip Youth Enrichment Services, Inc.

The Boys and Girls Club of the Bellport Area said they will use the money to continue an after-school program in partnership with the South Country Central School District.

The club is looking to increase the number of students participating in its program from about 60 to closer to capacity of 112 kids, said executive director Kim Livingston.

To do this, the club is looking to improve after-school programming by hiring an academic coordinator and increasing access to science, technology, engineering and math learning through robotics, drone play and other programs. The program costs $30 per day.

“We actively work to help them achieve academically by giving them opportunities and access to programming resources that they might not have because parents don’t have the time or maybe don’t have the resources to do that thing”, Livingston. said.

Serving multiple children

At John M. Marshall Elementary School, nearly 150 students in pre-K through fifth grade participate in the Project MOST Inc. afterschool program. located on the East Hampton campus.

With the LEAPS funding, Project MOST hopes to increase that number to 200 children, according to Executive Director Rebecca Morgan Taylor. The group also hopes to increase small-group tutoring for children who receive extra support in reading and writing skills, as well as enrichment programs such as art classes or environmental education.

In partnership with the Patchogue Medford Union Free School District, the Suffolk Economic Opportunity Council, Inc., will use the grant money to operate afterschool programs at Oregon Middle School, South Ocean Middle School and Saxton Middle School.

The programs are free and have a capacity of 70 students per site, according to Cynthia Amato, director of youth and adolescent services at the Council.

In Elmont, three Gateway Youth Outreach programs will receive funding to support afterschool services at Clara H Carlson School, Dutch Broadway School and Gotham Avenue School.

Each site currently has about 200 children attending daily for $450 in annual tuition. The additional funding could more than double capacity and reduce tuition to $200 a year, said Patrick Boyle, executive director of Gateway Youth Outreach.

Funding will also go toward hiring a social worker and conducting community service projects that give children a greater sense of belonging in the places they live, Boyle said.

Understanding family poverty

Officials with the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission, which will use its share of the grant money for three locations, said they hope the additional after-school services will help them get to the root of family poverty.

“Once we help the academic and social issues with our youth, then we have to move into the family structure and help them develop,” said Sal Bush, director of community action programs at the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission.

The anti-poverty agency hopes to open afterschool programs at David Paterson Elementary School, Barack Obama Elementary School and Joseph A. McNeil Elementary School — all in the Hempstead school district.

The organization worked with the school district to identify locations based on the academic and financial needs of students and their families.

For example, nearly 80 percent of students at Barack Obama Elementary School during the 2022-2023 school year would be considered economically disadvantaged, according to state education data.

The three programs aim to serve as interventions that will provide students with academic support, nutritious meals and other development. The afterschool staff will include licensed family development workers, a parent liaison and social workers to deal with trauma issues, the state said.

The Hempstead sites, which could be open from the end of November, will house about 300 students.

“We seek to have a strong and enriched after-school program that enriches not only children’s social aspect and development, but also their academic performance and the growth of skills they will need as they enter the world and their careers,” said Dr. Ira Gerald, LEAP Grant Program Director at the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission.

Education: Howard University

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after serving as the race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote business and spot stories examining how the past shapes the present. She previously served as a race and justice reporter for the USA TODAY Network in New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state’s third-largest city. She also worked at the Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal Justice Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation; New York Association of News Editors Award for Distinguished Investigative Reporting; Contributed to Best of Gannett reporting; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.