Senador Vincent Hughes

Enero 17, 2025 Philadelphia, PA – Today, Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $2M in grants to support after school and enrichment programs for students in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. The grant funds are intended to provide young people with programming and places to go when not in school to deter them from turning to crime and gun violence.

“I’m not alone in wanting to live in a community where our children are safe from gun violence,” said Senator Hughes. “This funding is a critical part of continuing our commitment to violence prevention and community safety. The success of the VIP grant program has shown that empowering grassroot, local organizations works. Now, our students will benefit from targeted investments that will give them places to spend time outside of school, where they can learn and find community.”

The grants were awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency from the new Building Opportunity through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) program. $11.5M was allocated to the BOOST program in the FY24-25 bipartisan budget.

In addition to BOOST grant funding, Senator Hughes announced over $24M in Violence Intervention and Prevention Grants in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. In total PCCD awarded $56.5M in BOOST and VIP grants to stop gun violence, support at-risk youth, and make neighborhoods safer across Pennsylvania.

More information about the grant program can be found on PCCD’s website.