JCPenney Afterschool

JCPenney Afterschool

JCPenney Afterschool Sponsors Landmark Study

Pictured: Mike Boylson, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and children from a local Afterschool Program in Washington DC.

JCPenney is celebrating 10 years as the leading corporate advocate for afterschool. According to a new survey, sponsored by JCPenney Afterschool and organized by the Afterschool Alliance, there’s good reason to celebrate. America After 3PM, a survey of nearly 30,000 households across the United States, shows that 8.4 million children are now attending afterschool programs, up from 6.5 million in 2004 when JCPenney Afterschool originally sponsored this study.  But there is another side to the story. While more kids are in afterschool programs, we are also seeing an increase in unmet need, with the parents of 18 million children reporting that they would enroll their kids if afterschool programs were available.

Mike Boylson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for JCPenney and member of the board of directors for JCPenney Afterschool, revealed the results of he America After 3PM study on Tuesday, October 6 at the national kick-off event for "Lights On Afterschool" at the Department of Education in Washington D.C.  "Lights On Afterschool" is the country’s largest national afterschool awareness event and will provide a platform to communicate the national and state results from this landmark study.

The national kick-off event, hosted by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was organized by the Afterschool Alliance in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education, with support from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, and the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation. Nearly 300 people were in attendance, including children who benefit from local afterschool programs.

On October 22, more than 7,500 local Lights On Afterschool events were held in communities throughout the country, involving more than one million people. The October Round-Up, scheduled from October 16 through 25, was planned to coincide with local Lights On events.

For the full story, click here.
To view the America After 3pm study details, click here.


Inspiring Kids to be Smart, Strong and Socially Responsible

JCPenney Afterschool is a charitable organization committed to providing children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire them to be smart, strong and socially responsible. Currently, more than 15 million youth in America are unsupervised every day between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Through partnerships with the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H, United Way of America, and FIRST, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund helps prepare children for college, work and life by providing them with life enriching afterschool opportunities. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school. 

In 2009, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund contributed more than $10 million to afterschool programs in more than 1,000 communities across the country. Since its inception JCPenney Afterschool, along with JCPenney, has contributed more than $90 million to this important cause. 

JCPenney Afterschool Benefit - Thank You!

JCPenney Afterschool would like to thank all of the suppliers and associates who attended our Benefit on May 24.  Thanks to our event sponsors, and through our silent auction held that evening, we were able to raise $3.4 million for the afterschool cause!  For a complete list of sponsors, click here.