If you could give a child a safe place to go after school, would you? What about helping kids get better grades and go on to college? Or giving them time to explore new worlds and discover hidden talents?

You can help—we all can—by showing support for afterschool programs in [insert your town]. Attend a Lights On Afterschool event on [date of event] in your community.

According to the Afterschool Alliance, nearly 25 million children in the United States are missing out on afterschool because they aren’t able to access a program. [Follow this national figure with data about your state from America After 3PM].

Help give these kids a place to go.

Go to afterschoolalliance.org to find a Lights On Afterschool event in your community. Even the Empire State Building is lighting up to call for more Lights On Afterschool. [Date of national Lights On Afterschool day]. That's Thursday. Mark it on your calendar and look up more information at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

A public service message from the Afterschool Alliance and this station.