Sudden layoffs close after school program in San Francisco's Tenderloin
SAN FRANCISCO - Looming deficits in the billions for the city of San Francisco are impacting services across the city and for some residents who need them the most.
One Tenderloin program for school aged children just closed, following heavy layoffs.
Parents are now scrambling to find childcare on limited budgets.
"We hand off kids between parents right now. It's hard when we don't know how long it's gonna be so we don't really know it's gonna happen," said Phung.
Dan Phung picks up food as part of a free program for Tenderloin families. His two children walk to the Tenderloin Afterschool Program everyday, and have a safe place until he finishes work.
But right now, there is no help.
"We're trying to find some programs but a lot of those are already filled up and those we have to pay for as well, so there aren't a lot of choices out there," said Phung.
The non-profit Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, which relies on funding from the city, recently laid off 8 of 12 after school program employees.
They closed the doors, as confused parents say they were given no notice.
"You can see families are trying to figure out what to do, and so are we," said TAS staff member Rebecca Carrillo Steinrueck.
As parents scramble, so does Steinrueck, who's been working with kids for nearly 20 years.
She still has a job, but knows she can find another one somewhere else if more layoffs are on the way. It's the families she's worried about.
"Now, all of a sudden to say that's not here is almost unbelievable," said Carillo Steinrueck.
"I don't want it to close because it helped me a lot with my homework. It's really fun and the teachers are really nice," said 11 year old Sofia, who attends TASP everyday.
Nonprofits that receive funding from the city are facing major budget cuts.
Debbie Lerman is the director of the San Francisco Human Services Network.
"When the economy gets rough, we do not want to see health and human service programs cut because their needs goes up," said Lerman.
The Mayor's office is projecting a $780 million two year deficit and a whopping 1.3 billion deficit for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
"Nonprofits are starting to hold back on their spending because we don't know what's going to happen, but we do know there will be cuts," said Lerman.
The Tenderloin after school program also relies on volunteers and additional community fundraising efforts.
Ranjan Dey's restaurant New Delhi, just around the corner, has been supporting the program for decades.
He often visits the children to inspire them of the possibilities if they never give up.
"This is a huge help to the community. My call to action is to let everybody know we need to protect the foundation of the house where we live," said Dey.
"This community shows up for its youth and that's not what we're doing right now," said Carrillo Steinrueck.
Some 70 children have been showing up to the afterschool program this fall.
Dan Phung isn't sure what's next, but knows for certain, what his young daughter is now missing.
"She said the thing that I'm missing is how fun and creative the staff are. They're not here just doing their job, they're actually helping the community in a really big way," said Phung.
It's a sobering reminder of sudden shortages in the Tenderloin, for so many children and their parents.
The controller's office says in the last fiscal year, the city gave $1.4 billion to more than 600 nonprofits.