Emotions ran high at the Herndon Town Council’s May 26 meeting, as children and parents urged their local elected leaders to prevent the impending closure of a critical child care program.
Families were notified on May 19 that the Kids and Parents Engage (KAPE) program run by the nonprofit Cornerstones at its Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center will be shut down at the end of June, because funding will no longer be available.
Speaker after speaker shared how KAPE’s youth after-school and summer enrichment programs have changed their lives, helping kids develop their academic and social skills while giving their parents the comfort of knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing environment when they’re working.
“For 15 years, Ms. Karen has created a safe space where students receive academic support, guidance and motivation,” one mother, Blanca, said through an interpreter, referring to Cornerstones Director of Community Youth Programs Karen Pope, who oversees KAPE. “For many working families, this program represents peace of mind and daily support.”
Blanca spoke at the council meeting with her son by her side. Now 11, he has been attending KAPE after school since he was 7 and “has grown with more confidence and discipline” over that time, she said.
Her son testified that the program has “helped me get better at all subjects” and that he and many other participating kids “feel sad because we’re not going to be able to go again.”
“Canceling this program would deeply affect many children and families who depend on this every day,” Blanca added. “We sincerely ask that you continue to support this valuable space and continue investing in the future of our children.”
Many speakers praised Pope’s dedication to the program and the families who rely on it, with more than one saying she treats the kids like they’re her own.
Samantha Moreno Jimenez admitted that, when her mother first signed her up for KAPE, she was a “very defiant” 17-year-old who didn’t want to spend her senior year of high school attending an after-school program. But Pope gave her a “warm welcome” and provided encouragement that put her on the path to earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from George Mason University.
When Moreno Jimenez graduated on May 14, Pope was in the audience to cheer her on.
“When I saw her eyes of pride, I felt like that 17-year-old all over again, the one where she planted that seed of hope, the one that was taught that no dream is too big,” Moreno Jimenez said. “This dream was not possible without the support of amazing community programs and the amazing people who run it. I’m a walking [testament] of the importance of youth programs and how it can lead us to defy the odds despite the unfair hand we’ve been dealt with.”
At the end of the public comment session, Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc thanked community members for sharing their support for KAPE, which is funded in part by Fairfax County.
“I am working with some of your community organizers … in order to liaise with the county,” he said, adding that town leaders “do stand by you and are trying to see what we can do to help.”
Cornerstones Executive Vice President of Governance and Strategic Initiatives Margaret Anne Lara confirmed to FFXnow that Kids and Parents Engage’s out-of-school and summertime youth programs “will sunset” on June 30.
The nonprofit will still provide other services for both adults and children, including case management, its food pantry, financial and emergency needs assistance, and backpack and supply donations through an annual back-to-school drive that’s already underway.
In addition, starting next Monday (June 22) through Aug. 21, school-aged kids from 5 to 18 can pick up free lunches and afternoon snacks at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center in the Dulles Park Shopping Center (1086 Elden Street) as part of the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ (NCS) Food Access Program.
“As new financial resources are secured, we hope to launch alternative youth enrichment and out-of-school programming at HNRC in late summer/early fall,” Lara said.
Nonprofit didn’t apply for county grant
KAPE has been partially funded in the past by grants from the county’s Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP), which supports human services programs provided by nonprofits and community organizations.
Under the fiscal year 2027 budget that was adopted on May 5 and will take effect on July 1, Fairfax County is implementing some changes to its family services, eliminating teen drop-in sites and two community centers, while introducing fees for currently free middle school after school programs.
However, the end of funding for KAPE is unrelated to the new budget and was not a county decision, according to Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, whose district includes the Herndon area.
In fact, Cornerstones didn’t apply for funding from the CCFP for KAPE in the next cycle for fiscal years 2027-2028, Bierman says. The deadline to submit proposals for a grant was Jan. 20.
“The County would like to see after school programs continue at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center,” Bierman said in a statement to FFXnow. “NCS is working with Cornerstones and others to try to determine what options are available to continue with a program like KAPE at that site. I know that KAPE has been great for the Herndon community and it’s important to support programs like it.”
In a written statement, Cornerstones said it decided not to apply for this CCFP round “based on our understanding at the time regarding how Outside of School Time (OOST) programs would be funded moving forward.”
The nonprofit noted that there might be opportunities to obtain state funding for redesigned summer programming at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center once Virginia approves an FY 2027 budget. Exactly when that might happen is a question mark, as Senate and House of Delegates leaders remain at odds over a new spending plan, despite an impending June 30 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
Cornerstones acknowledged that the unexpected end of KAPE has been “an emotional transition for our students and their parents.”
“Many Herndon and Reston parents have shared, with us and other community and county leaders, how much this program has meant to their families and how their children have benefited from the commitment and dedication of the KAPE staff,” Lara said. “We’re proud that our youth program participants have consistently bolstered their reading and math grades, strengthened social-emotional skills and confidence, and built greater resilience and self-sufficiency.”
“It’s been our honor to help ensure these young people are heard, valued for who they are, and equipped to advocate and help break down barriers to success, so everyone can thrive in our community,” she added.
Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center screenshot via Google Maps
