In March 2001, 13 Boston corporations and foundations, along with Mayor Menino and the City of Boston, joined to form Boston's After-School for All Partnership to support after-school and summer programming. Together, we have committed more than $24 million to be spent over five years to accomplish three goals: increase the number of children served by after-school programs, help these programs to focus more on children's learning needs, and develop a system of sustainable public financing.

The need for after-school programs is well documented. The recent spate of tragic crimes in our city has made the case for after-school programs all the more compelling. In Massachusetts, 73 percent of children live in homes where all adults work. Thirty percent of children with working parents are unsupervised between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., when an estimated 40 percent of all juvenile crime occurs.

Menino, an After-School for All partner, recently announced a new initiative, ''Summer of Responsibility,'' formulated by parents, police, clergy, and community and business leaders in response to an increase in city violence - highlighted by the tragic death of Trina Persad. A key component of the initiative is the creation of 400 new slots to provide important out-of-school opportunities for 11- to 14-year-olds this summer.

As leaders of two of the Partnership organizations, we share the mayor's commitment to creating a safe and nurturing environment for our youth. Our agencies and the members of Boston's After-School for All Partnership are deeply involved in keeping our communities safe while helping our children grow academically and personally.

After-school programs make a difference. Children who spend one to four hours per week in extracurricular activities are half as likely to use drugs and one third as likely to become teen parents. Students who participate in after-school programs perform better in school, enjoy school more, develop greater self-esteem, have lower dropout rates, and are more likely to be successful in higher education.

Just as the need for after-school programs has become more acute, our state budget crisis has resulted in cuts to these critical programs. As much as 80 percent of the demand for after-school programs is going unmet.

As members of Boston's After School for All Partnership, we are committed to doing all that we can to provide resources for our city's after-school programs. Over the next four years, we will provide funds, research, and support for after-school initiatives to assure our children's safety and their academic and personal growth, but we cannot do this alone. For our efforts to be truly successful, we need continued public sector support. Only our combined efforts can secure a bright, safe future for our children and the Commonwealth.

Marian Heard is president and CEO of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Blenda J. Wilson is president and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

This article originally appeared August 8, 2002, in The Boston Globe and is used with permission.