Posted on 07/14/2025 5:42:16 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — After driving through a downpour to take her son to day camp, Darleen Reyes told camp administrators the rain would have kept her away but her son insisted on going.
As she marked her son’s name present on a clipboard at the Boys & Girls Club camp, she laughed about braving a flash flood warning to get there.
Before kissing his mother goodbye, Aiden Cazares, 8, explained to a reporter, “I wanted to see my friends and not just sit at home.” Then he ran off to play.
Aiden’s one of 1.4 million children and teenagers around the country who have been attending after-school and summer programming at a Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA or a public school for free thanks to federal taxpayers. Congress set aside money for the programs to provide academic support, enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families, but President Donald Trump’s administration recently froze the funding.
The money for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers is among more than $6 billion in federal education grants Trump’s Republican administration has withheld, saying it wants to ensure recipients’ programs align with the president’s priorities.
Aiden’s mother has started looking into afternoon child care for September.
“It costs $220 a week,” Reyes said, her eyes expanding. “I can’t afford that.”
The single mother and state worker said she’ll probably ask her 14-year-old son to stay home and watch Aiden. That will mean he would have to forgo getting a job when he turns 15 in the fall and couldn’t play basketball and football.
“I don’t have any other option,” she said.
At home, Aiden would likely stay inside on a screen. That would be heartbreaking since he’s thrived getting tutoring and “learning about healthy boundaries” from theprogram, Reyes said.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Yeah, it had to have been run by the Mafia because it was a total ‘strong arm’ operation.
We were a ‘captive audience’ being in the military. And then when I worked both State and Federal jobs later in life, it was the same flippin’ thing!
Who RUNS this world? Who is PROFITING? Makes ya wonder.
It is just sad and angering how hard everyone has to work just to scrape by but those who contribute NOTHING get handed the world on a golden platter.
It is even worse than you think it is. There are thousands of illegals getting free medical care. It’s not just emergency room visits. It’s Ozempic for the thousands that have diabetes. And you’re paying for it.
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