Keeping the Lights On: South Florida After-School All -Stars Lights the Path to Brighter Futures

As classrooms empty and the school day ends, thousands of South Florida children face a critical crossroads: will they step into a safe, enriching environment that fuels their potential—or navigate empty hours that can dim their dreams?

This fall, South Florida After-School All-Stars (SFASAS) is launching Keeping the Lights On, a fundraising and awareness campaign in conjunction with the Afterschool Alliance nationwide Lights On Afterschool* initiative. The campaign celebrates the important role after-school and summer programs play in the community while calling on the South Florida community to help bridge a significant funding gap.

This year, SFASAS is facing approximately $1 million less government funding. The organization will continue to serve thousands of students across South Florida at its 26 site locations. But reduced funding means fewer students can participate and, at some locations, fewer hours of programming can be offered. The goal of Keeping the Lights On is simple: help bridge this funding gap so SFASAS can serve more students, provide more needed program hours, and continue offering enriching opportunities that help young people thrive.

$30 for 30 Years: Become a Monthly All-Star

In honor of its 30th anniversary, SFASAS is asking the community to join its $30 for 30 Years campaign by becoming a monthly donor at $30 per month. The goal is to have 300 people become monthly donors this fall. If individuals can’t give $30, they are welcome to give any amount. 90% of the funds raised go directly to the programs and the children we serve. When hundreds of people participate, those individual gifts become a powerful, reliable source of funding for programs throughout the year.

How $30 powers possibility

• $30 goes towards program supplies, snacks, and enrichment activities.
• $300 helps provide specialized programming and mentoring that builds academic confidence and life skills.
• $1,200 offers one year of after-school programming for one student—about $ 6 per day.
• $3,000 supports high-impact experiences, from STEM projects and career exploration to leadership development.
• $50,000 funds the cost of a full summer program for one site.
• $60,000 covers the cost of a full school site for a year of comprehensive after-school programming.

Monthly gifts help provide all these things and more in a safe, supportive environment where students can count on it after the school bell rings.

“Our commitment to South Florida’s children is as strong today as it was when we began 30 years ago,” said Sean Prospect, Executive Director of South Florida After-School All-Stars and an Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance. “What has changed is the amount of funding available to support that work, especially with increasing costs. Through this campaign, we are asking our community to help us raise awareness and critical funds so we can reach more students, provide more hours in safe and supportive after-school programs, and continue giving young people the opportunities they need to thrive. Together, we can light the path to brighter futures.”

See the Impact Firsthand

Throughout the campaign, SFASAS will invite community leaders, donors, and prospective supporters into select middle and high school programs for a special Lights On Afterschool Open House. Guests will have the opportunity to step inside an All-Stars program, meet students and educators, and see firsthand what happens after the final school bell—from academic support and STEM to the arts, leadership development, health and fitness, and career exploration.

Celebrating 30 Years—and Investing in the Next 30

The fall campaign will culminate with SFASAS’s 30th Anniversary Gala, Night in the Tropics,” on November 6 at Jungle Island, bringing together community leaders, philanthropists, corporate partners, educators, and supporters to celebrate three decades of impact.

Proceeds from the Gala will directly support SFASAS programs and help bridge this year’s funding gap, allowing the organization to serve more young people and provide the high-quality programming South Florida families have relied upon for three decades. 

Whether through a $30 monthly gift, a Gala sponsorship, or another contribution, every supporter becomes part of the next chapter of South Florida After-School All-Stars. More information about their program, fundraising efforts, and how to donate is on their website: www.SFASAS.org 

For 30 years, SFASAS has helped light the path for almost 100,000 students. With the community behind SFASAS, they can make that path even brighter for South Florida’s next generation of leaders.