The Lake County After School Coalition was founded in October, 2003 and consists of a coalition of community leaders dedicated to increasing access to quality after school and youth development programs in Lake County based on each community’s needs and resources.  There is a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board which includes elected officials, chiefs of police, park district directors, community organizations, social service providers, library directors, faith-based organizations, educators, and others. 

Strong after-school programs benefit children from all socio-economic levels.  They prevent crime, drug use and other risky behavior by providing academic enrichment and extracurricular activities.  Quality after-school programs can cut a high school student’s risk of becoming involved in gangs and juvenile crime by as much as 75%.  Being supervised after school cuts in half the risk that middle school kids will smoke, drink, abuse drugs or engage in risky sexual behaviors.  41% of Illinois 8^th graders are home alone more than 10 hours per week.