After school care is essential for working parents. For Mason’s family, it comes with extra challenges.
Mason has used a wheelchair since he started school. Because of his disability, his parents can’t simply enroll in any after school program — it takes an accessible, welcoming environment.
As Mason’s dad, Eric, explained, “We can’t just get any childcare.”
For the past five years, Mason’s family has found that environment at Wisconsin Youth Company’s After School program at Cushing Elementary, Delafield, Wis.
Every weekday afternoon after the bell rings, Mason doesn’t have to rush to a car or navigate extra transportation plans. Instead, he simply heads down the hall to join his friends in After School. Having the program in the same building makes life easier for their family, as daily transportation would otherwise be a logistical challenge. As Eric put it, “Without this program, my wife or I would have to dramatically change our work schedule. We would be between a rock and a hard place.”
After School isn’t just a solution to a scheduling challenge. It is something Mason genuinely enjoys.
Mason loves Mrs. Stephanie’s crafts and projects, with Perler beads and rainbow looms among his favorites. These everyday moments add up: a familiar space, trusted adults, friends waiting to play and create, and the knowledge that he belongs.
When Mason first started the program, his parents knew he would need an aide to help him in ways that the After School staff couldn’t. But that kind of support comes with added costs, on top of After School tuition and everyday expenses.
That’s where tuition assistance can be the deciding factor for a family.
“It’s one less thing we have to stress about,” Eric said. “Having program costs covered is a game-changer. That relief is appreciated.” Because of that support, Mason’s parents can keep working, knowing their child is in a safe, enriching environment every afternoon.
Mason’s story is one example of what it looks like when after school care is designed to remove barriers so children can participate fully, and families can have peace of mind.
If you’d like to help more families access safe, inclusive, high-quality after school care, consider making a gift to Wisconsin Youth Company. You can give today. And from now until the funds are fulfilled, a generous donor is matching all gifts up to $3,000, so your impact will be doubled.
Together, we can help ensure every child in our community has a place where they can thrive beyond the school day.
