At Greatful Moments, we believe children deserve opportunities to learn, grow, and discover what they love. For families with working parents, having a safe place for children to go after school can make a world of difference. Afterschool programs offer more than supervision. They can introduce children to science, technology, the arts, new friendships, and caring adults who encourage them.
We’re sharing this announcement because every child deserves the chance to learn beyond the school day, and families deserve to know what resources are available in their communities. Lights On Afterschool shines a spotlight on these programs and the important role they play in children’s lives.
New York City’s Times Square, Boston’s South Station Among Landmarks That Will Be Lit for Lights On Afterschool This Week
This month, as more than a million people rally for afterschool programs at some 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events, cities and towns will illuminate landmarks to show their support. The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool, the only national rally for afterschool programs, to spotlight the need for vastly greater investments in afterschool programs, which keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, provide alternatives to screen time, and give working parents peace of mind that their kids are safe, supervised and learning after the school day ends. It is now in its 27th year. Superstar and 8-time Grammy Award winner USHER is honorary chair of Lights On Afterschool again this year.
Lights On Afterschool events are being held this month in every state at schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, Ys, 4-Hs, parks, community centers, museums, and other venues. Landmarks will shine for afterschool on or around this Thursday, October 22, the official Lights On Afterschool day. Among them:
- Alabama: Retirement Systems of Alabama buildings in Montgomery and Mobile
- Alaska: University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks
- Delaware: State Capitol Cupola in Dover
- Illinois: Six Chicago skyline buildings, including Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower; 875 N. Michigan Avenue; 540 W. Madison; One Prudential Plaza; Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower); and 1 N. Dearborn
- Massachusetts: Boston South Station
- Michigan: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Building in Flint
- Mississippi: “The Rock,” University of Southern Mississippi’s Renasant Stadium in Hattiesburg
- New Jersey: Four Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission bridges: Lower Trenton; New Hope-Lambertville; Uhlerstown-Frenchtown; and Northampton Street
- New York: Two jumbo billboards in New York City’s Times Square
- Oklahoma: Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City
- Washington, D.C.: One Franklin Square, the tallest commercial building in the city
Clear Channel Outdoor is supporting Lights On Afterschool by donating some of its most prominent spaces to display afterschool messages on digital billboards, bus shelters, and poster spaces in 25 markets around the country throughout the month. This Thursday, October 22, Clear Channel will feature afterschool messages on two jumbo billboards in New York City’s Times Square and will illuminate Boston’s South Station. The billboards feature artwork created by an afterschool student. Evelyn Daniel, a 15-year-old 10th-grader at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, worked on the billboard as part of Usher’s New Look programming at the Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club Spark Lab, which gives youth high-production, real-world work experience with industry experts. Communications and design professionals provided guidance and support, and Clear Channel shared feedback and considerations for the billboard format.
According to a 2025 study, the parents of 29.6 million U.S. children want afterschool programs for their kids, but less than 7 million students are currently enrolled. That means three in four kids whose parents want afterschool programs for them (77%) are being left behind. Cost and accessibility are the barriers most families cannot overcome. More than nine in ten parents of afterschool students (92%) report their child’s program offers STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning—a significant increase from a decade ago. Ninety-five percent of parents with children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the program their child attends; and 89% favor public funding for these programs.
Our Thoughts– As a mom, I know how much it matters to have people and places that help children feel safe, encouraged, and supported. Afterschool programs can give kids a chance to explore interests they might not otherwise discover, build friendships, and learn skills that stay with them long after they leave the program.
The numbers in this announcement also remind us that wanting a program and being able to access one are two different things. Cost and availability can leave families without options, even when they know their children would benefit. We’re glad to help spread the word about Lights On Afterschool and the need for more accessible opportunities for children and families. To learn more about the initiative, find resources, and explore ways to support afterschool programs, visit the Afterschool Alliance.
GratefulMoments.com
Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
