PRESS: Greater Philadelphia YMCA Throws Glow Parties to Spotlight Afterschool Access

PHILADELPHIA, PA – October 21, 2026 – The Greater Philadelphia YMCA will celebrate Lights On Afterschool on Thursday, October 22, with Glow Dance Parties at each of its Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) program sites. Children enrolled in the Y’s afterschool programs will mark the day with music, dancing and glow-in-the-dark fun as part of the 27th annual national celebration of afterschool programs.

Lights On Afterschool, organized by the Afterschool Alliance, is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The Y offers afterschool programs at more than 70 locations across the region, and every site will host its own celebration on October 22. Party times vary by location, and each site will share its schedule with enrolled families. The events are free and open only to children currently enrolled in the Y’s BASE program. No registration is required.

Media are invited to film the celebrations from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. at three YMCA branches: the Christian Street YMCA and Roxborough YMCA in Philadelphia, and the Upper Perkiomen Valley YMCA in Pennsburg, Montgomery County.

Afterschool programs give children a safe place to learn, build friendships and discover new interests. Yet across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 1 in 4 kids face economic barriers that limit their access to afterschool programs, according to the Y. The Y believes every child deserves access to a place where they belong, build confidence and thrive.

THE BIG PICTURE

• Lights On Afterschool is a national moment for afterschool. Now in its 27th year, it is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their role in the lives of children, families and communities. Afterschool Alliance
• Families want afterschool programs, but many can’t get it. Parents of almost 30 million kids, more than half of the country’s school-age youth, want afterschool programs, according to a 2025 Afterschool Alliance survey of more than 30,000 parents and guardians. Parents named affordability, accessibility and availability as key barriers, and higher-income families now spend nine times more on out-of-school time than low-income families. Afterschool Alliance / Wallace Foundation
• Afterschool keeps working families working. More than 80 percent of parents surveyed said afterschool helps them maintain employment, boost their productivity and reduce stress, and 89 percent support public funding for afterschool. Afterschool Alliance / Wallace Foundation

“Afterschool is where kids find their friends, their confidence and a place they belong,” said Jen Segelken, Senior Vice President, Youth Development at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA. “Lights On Afterschool is our chance to celebrate them, and the families and schools who make these programs possible, while reminding our community that too many children still can’t access a program like this one.”