In one of the most consequential proposals in recent memory, the White House has unveiled a federal budget for FY 2026 that completely eliminates the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) program—the only federal funding stream dedicated solely to afterschool and summer learning. For the Boys & Girls Clubs of Appalachia, and the hundreds of youth and families we serve across southeastern Kentucky, this isn’t just a line item. It’s a lifeline.

These funds support critical afterschool programs at five of our school-based Club sites, with a sixth preparing to open this fall. If Congress does not intervene, we will be forced to shutter programs that offer homework help, tutoring, mental health support, meals, and a safe place to be during the most vulnerable hours of the day. Hundr

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