Remembering Nita Lowey, Afterschool Champion

The Afterschool Alliance and the afterschool and summer learning field are grieving the passing of Nita M. Lowey, former House Appropriations Chairwoman and former House Afterschool Caucus Co-Chair. Mrs. Lowey passed away at the age of 87 on March 15, 2025, and was a trailblazing advocate for education and children's welfare.

Chairwoman Lowey was elected to Congress in 1988. She valiantly fought to protect and grow funding for the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (21^st CCLC) program, which was named after her upon her retirement from Congress in 2020. She was part of a strong bipartisan group of Representatives and Senators that believe in and champion the value and importance of afterschool and summer learning programs and who have long championed 21^st CCLC, including Representatives DeLauro (D-Conn.), Senators Murkowski (R-Alaska), Collins (R-Maine), Capito (R-WV), and Sanders (I-Vt.)   

Ms. Lowey’s passion for afterschool programs lives on through the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which is the sole federal initiative dedicated exclusively to supporting afterschool and summer learning opportunities. It provides grants to local education agencies, community organizations, and faith-based organizations to establish or expand community learning centers. These centers offer academic enrichment, artistic, and cultural activities during non-school hours, targeting students from high-poverty and low-performing schools. Today, 21^st Century Community Learning Centers continue to thrive across the nation, embodying the vision of equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status.