We come to you not with anger, but with open hearts and a desperate plea on behalf of the children who need this program most.

For 12 years, the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services (CHFS) Arts and Literacy Afterschool Program has been a cornerstone of our school communities at IS 227, IS 127, and IS 230. It has been more than an afterschool activity. For hundreds of children across these three schools, it has been a safe haven. A place to breathe. A place to create. A place to belong.

These are children who light up when they walk through those doors. Children who have found their voices through art, healed through Art Therapy, grown through excursions, and beamed with pride on the stage during the school play. Children who, in many cases, have nowhere else to go after the school day ends where they feel this seen, this safe, and this supported.

We are asking you, with every ounce of humility we have: please do not take this from them.

Research confirms what our families already know in their hearts. Students who participate in arts programs demonstrate higher academic performance, greater school engagement, and stronger social and emotional development. For our children, many of whom come from underserved margins, navigating the unique challenges of their communities, this program does not just supplement their education. It fills a gap that very few other resources can fill. It promotes inclusivity, builds bridges, and sends our children the message that their culture, their creativity, and their voices matter.

Due to an administrative decision by the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) made through an RFP contract renewal process, this program is now at risk of being removed from all three schools as of September 2026. This is despite the fact that our own principal ranked us first. We are filing an appeal, and that appeal is due May 26th.

We understand that administrative processes must run their course. We are not here to disregard that. We are here because we believe that when a decision has the potential to cause this much harm to this many children, the people making that decision deserve to know the full picture.

By signing this petition, you are telling DYCD that these children matter. That 12 years of trust, relationships, and impact cannot be quietly erased. That our community will not be silent.

We are not asking for much. We are asking for our children. Please reconsider this decision and allow the CHFS Arts and Literacy Afterschool Program to continue serving the students and families of IS 227.

With humility, love, and unwavering hope, The Families, Students, Alumni, and Community of IS 227 Louis Armstrong Middle School 

#SaveArtsAndLiteracyIS227