CSAFE made up last year's shortfall largely with funding from the Washington County Commissioners and the Washington County Community Partnership for Children and Families, Brooks said. However, she said despite her original understanding that money would be available again this year, the community partnership funding, provided through a grant, will not come in.
"We thought it would be renewable for one more year," Brooks said.
Community Partnership Director Stephanie Stone said no money for after-school programs is available through the Youth Strategies Consolidated Grant this year. She said the partnership was able to give $40,000 to CSAFE last year because of that grant.
She said the partnership is hoping to find a different grant this year that can help CSAFE.
Brooks said the after-school program may be in jeopardy if the yet-to-be determined shortfall is not raised by August.
"We have to find the funding somewhere," Brooks said. "If we don't find the funding, the programs won't go on. It'll be a disappointment to the students and to me."
The programs are held at Winter Street, Bester, Eastern and Fountaindale elementary schools. There are 20 to 25 fourth- and fifth-graders enrolled at each location, Brooks said.
Kercheval, the county liaison to CSAFE, said the county gave $45,000 to CSAFE for its after-school programs last year as a short-term "Band-Aid," not a long-term cure.
"They basically were getting flat funding, leaving them about $100,000 short," Kercheval said. "The county put in money last year to help fill the gap, hoping that funding could have been secured this year."
He said the county has not yet discussed funding for this year, but he expects it to be "another tight budget year."
Kercheval said it is important to continue the programs because of the dramatic academic and social improvement of the students.
"You have these kids who start through the program early and do well for several years," Kercheval said. "You'd hate to see that plug being pulled."
