Skip to main content

The Safe and Sound Campaign was launched in 1996 through a 10-year grant given to Baltimore City by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in order to improve the lives of children and youth in the city. Baltimore's After School Strategy grew out of youth- and citizen-led organizing in 1997, when Baltimore City residents voted to establish out-of school opportunities for children as one of five top priorities for The Safe and Sound Campaign. Beginning in 1999, with critical support from the Open Society Institute, Baltimore's After School Strategy built a city-wide system to increase the quality and quantity of out-of-school opportunities for young people, ages 6 to 18 by:

  • Mobilizing funds
  • Promoting research-based standards
  • Monitoring program performance and ensuring accountability
  • Evaluating programs
  • Nurturing a community of after-school professionals

Organizing Entities and Their Roles in the Strategy

The Safe & Sound Campaign
baltimore's safe and sound logo Safe and Sound, the organizing entity of Baltimore's After School Strategy, organizes local stakeholders to ensure Baltimore's children and youth receive the opportunities and supports they need to grow up safe and healthy. Safe and Sound works with partners to oversee policy decisions on all aspects of The After School Strategy including: ensuring best-practice approaches are implemented; building provider capacity; ensuring accountability; assessing strategy effectiveness; and developing sustainable funding.
» Visit website

tasi logoThe After-School Institute (TASI)
Founded in 1999, TASI works to strengthen the support system among after-school providers, families, teachers, and community organizations. It offers providers training to meet the quality standards established by the Baltimore After School Strategy.
» Visit website

The Family League of Baltimore City, Inc. (FLBC)
Is a quasi governmental agency charged with the implementation of a local service delivery system for children, youth and families. The Family League acts as the management and accountability entity for the After School Strategy. The Family League secures funds, provides contract management and fund allocation, and maintains detailed database information on funded programs. FLBC has also worked with independent evaluators to assess the effectiveness of the After School Strategy.
» Visit website