Dousing a Beacon
Cutbacks will shut 7 after-school program sites citywide
ONCE AN ANSWER to the Crown Heights, Brooklyn, riots in 1991 to create safer streets and spaces, the Beacon after-school program is now facing drastic cuts that will leave seven sites across the city shuttered.
The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development has decided to discontinue programs that provide literacy activities, tutoring and high school and college prep to roughly 6,000 youths as well as adult initiatives and focus groups.
“It’s a devastating choice to make,” said youth advocate Michelle Yanche of the nonprofit Campaign for Children. “These programs are not only essential for the young people — to give them a safe place and academic enrichment — it helps their families be able to work.”
Out of 80 Beacon programs, two in Queens, two in Manhattan, and one each in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island are slated to close in July.
“This difficult decision followed 12 rounds of gap-closing actions and a significant loss of federal and state funding incurred during the past several years,” said a DYCD spokeswoman in a statement. “This is not a decision taken lightly.”
But a slew of parents and youth advocates said those affected by the closings are poor, urban children and their families — the ones who most need the services.
“In the East Harlem and Yorkville communities we serve, 70% of students qualify for free school lunch,” said Wanda Wooten of Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center at Public School 198 in Manhattan. “Families cannot afford to pay for the type of programs Beacon offers.”
At Intermediate School 192 in the Bronx, dozens of kids can be seen after school hours snacking, socializing and solving homework problems as part of the Phipps Community Development Beacon program.
“If I’m slacking off on my homework, they actually care about us doing our work,” said Matthew Bustamante, 12, adding he was upset and surprised when he heard the program would come to a close.
“I don’t think I’d be able to stay as focused,” said the seventhgrader, clad in a blue sweatshirt and glasses.
Patrick Pinchinat, director of the Queens Community House at Junior High School 190, added, “There’s no other program like this in the area. It’s been tough the last couple days having to tell kids (that it will close).”
Dawn Vertuche said she relies on the program for her two sons since both she and her husband work long hours.
“It’s had such a personal effect on my household,” said the Brooklyn resident, 37. “Having this program gives us a calm state of mind.”
Several city council members rallied last week to save a host of after-school and child-care programs that are on the chopping block, putting 47,000 children in jeopardy citywide.
Dozens of staff positions at the Beacon centers would also be slashed, said devastated program director Monique De La Oz, who has been in her position for five months.
“We’ll fight tooth and nail to keep the program open,” she vowed.