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 ...
“I don’t have any other option,” she said.
Sure you did. Get married FIRST - THEN have your kids. Makes life much more easier and affordable, Single Mom of TWO! (That were mentioned, anyway)
Organizations like this one have been scamming Taxpayers for for-ever. I remember them being part of some strong-arm ‘fund’ we had a ‘choice’ in donating to via our MILITARY PAYCHECKS back in the day.
I remember opting for some animal welfare group because I HAD to pick one.
Was that ‘The United Way’ fund? All I remember is being p*ssed about it.
I live literally right around the corner from one.
It’s also adjacent to a middle school and a Highschool. Used to be an elementary school here too until the schoolboard closed it (was old and costly repairs) and moved the students to other schools.
Every day after schools closed the line would all be headed to the club right next door..................
This single woman works for the state and has a 14 year old child who can watch the other son after school. Why is she complaining. Why should others pay for her bad decisions?
Si.
The level of administrative bureaucracy within these helping the poor and underserved “organizations” is mind boggling.
When my daughter was a toddler she had a 14 yr old babysitter. She was my friends daughter and had taken care of her younger brother so knew how to care for young kids. My friend died many years ago but her daughter is still a good friend. Still calls me Aunt. 😊
Good point.
I don't know.
Too much bogus info being posted here in recent days. I can't debug them all.
The other woman they profile has 3 sons and is a nurse.
The average annual RN salary in Rhode island is $85,270 and she wants us to pay to send her kids to camp.
Cry me a river. Get another job. Get a husband. The kid should work part time to learn work ethic rather than parasitism.
NO taxpayers’ money should support this type of entertainment.
We started a breakfast program with donated food when it was discovered many didn’t eat until they went home at night. So, I had to be there at 530 am to prep breakfast that was served starting at 0630 -0730 and then, during the summer, the school next door provided free lunches - at first for the ones who needed free lunch, then for all.
Pay to send your kid to day camp! Didn’t know the government was responsible for that!
Good. They brainwash children into pride anyway.
no organization who can’t even define what a girl is should get a single dollar.
I’ll remember this when I pay my federal taxes in October.
Reminds me of all the $$ that goes to the failed Head Start program that keeps getting funded, via taxpayer $$, to the tune of billions of dollars.
“For fiscal year 2025, Congress appropriated $12.27 billion for Head Start.
The Trump administration initially proposed eliminating funding for Head Start as part of its budget tightening measures, but the elimination of Head Start was not included in the budget.”
Socialism is like a bad rash it spreads if not cured.
Many refuse the fact most of life your on your own.
Our media has no ability at present save for that of making us laugh. So goes the formerly respected occupation of journalism.
It's worse than that. All HBM (Has Been Media) political stories start with the premise of "Let's Hate Trump".
I choose who I donate to and when....so I was harassed by the HR person for not giving at least a dollar. They obviously kept track of who gave and who didn't.
Al the more reason to get involved locally with these outfits, with spare time and donations.
The REAL problem is over the past forty years “charity” has become an adjunct of the federal government, turning once more robust charitable giving into government dependents.
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