CAN was proud to co-host a meaningful summer program site visit on July 10, 2025, at Bel Aire Elementary School in Napa with leaders from the California Attorney General’s Office, California Volunteers, Napa Valley Unified School District, and the Napa County Office of Education. This visit aimed to gather input from local leaders and the Napa community regarding the impacts of funding cuts to their AmeriCorps programs. As we know, many Expanded Learning programs can offer more support to their students and families thanks to the partnerships they have, including the AmeriCorps program. Therefore, having their funding cut, especially suddenly, has hurt many communities across the country. Napa was one of those places.

The visit began with a welcome and remarks from leaders in the Napa community. CAN then led a discussion with our Attorney General, Rob Bonta, and Chief Service Officer, Josh Fryday, so that they could hear directly from those impacted. Local staff, site leaders, and AmeriCorps alumni shared their stories about how the initial decision to cut the AmeriCorps program affected them. In this case, due to the partnership with Expanded Learning, AmeriCorps participants were able to continue working with the youth they served; however, this does not diminish the fact that it still hurt an entire community and continues to have devastating impacts nationwide. 

We then had an incredible tour of the summer program, led by the Napa County Office of Education’s Expanded Learning Summer Program. Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Volunteers Josh Fryday were able to experience the magic that happens in Expanded Learning Programs.

Last month, we celebrated the release of 21st CCLC funds; however, AmeriCorps funding remains withheld, which continues to affect communities that depend on the support these programs provide. You can read the Afterschool Alliance blog.

Additional Resources:

• Attorney General Website
• Afterschool Alliance Blog