DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - For many parents, aftercare programs are not just sitters. They are safe places that provide academic help and supervision until parents get off work. And without the programs, Britney Harris said kids could be at risk. 

"Within our community right now, we're struggling a lot with a lot of youth violence. And so you don't know if potentially that puts those kids right back in an environment where they can now be engaged in something that they normally wouldn't be exposed to if they were, in fact, in their afterschool program," said Harris, CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Decatur.  

The nonprofit serves hundreds of students across the district through after-school programs. From academic support to enrichment activities, Harris said programming has many benefits. 

"We pick up from a number of schools. So, if they are at a campus that we do currently pick up from, they would, of course, take that nice van ride to the Boys and Girls Club. They'll get dropped off. They get we have kids' cafe, which is a dinner meal. So, it's a hot meal that they get. In addition to that, we have our Power Hour, which is about 45 minutes to 60 minutes of homework help," Harris said.  

Offering transportation services eliminates barriers for some families, but there are only 15 spots on the van, so the club has a waitlist. 

"The issues come to transportation. A lot of parents can't get there to bring them to us, so they have to be on that. They'll probably sit on that waitlist for a while, depending on what school side they're at," Harris said.  

The good news is that BGC has open enrollment at its Jasper Street location. Unlike the free Extended Day program, parents would have to pay for the Boys and Girls Club aftercare.

"It is based on something similar to a free reduced lunch rate, like wherever your household income size determines where you fall within the tier. And so just depending on that, that is determined where you are on a sliding scale," Harris said.  

Harris said there is a major need for community partnerships and additional funding for afterschool programs.

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