The Harris Family Charitable Foundation's gift will provide free after school enrichment programs for kids in Newark, Camden, and Philadelphia.
NEWARK -- Elementary and middle school kids in Newark, Camden, and Philadelphia now have a constructive place to go after school, thanks to a $750,000 donation from the Harris Family Charitable Foundation, an organization run by Josh Harris, managing owner of the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers.
Harris joined Newark school district officials Thursday at the 13th Avenue Elementary School to officially announce the grant to the nonprofit After-School All-Stars, which will use the money to bring its programming to schools in the three cities.
"I have five kids," Harris told NJ Advance Media of why he is reaching out to students in the cities.
"For me to be able to broaden my family to (include kids that need help) in Newark, or Camden or Philly...it's exciting."
Q&A with Devils owner Josh Harris
The California-based ASAS, which offers free after school programming to about 70,000 kids in 19 cities across the country, has been at two other schools in Newark since 2014. The Harris donation brings it to 13th Avenue for the first time. Principal Simone Rose said previously, kids who had to stay after school didn't have much to do there.
With After-School All-Stars, which offers enrichment programs like karate, hip hop, sports, music, and art classes, "it was just a clear, stark difference in the level of focus, and in the level of programming," she said.
Before, "it was more of a babysitting service, where kids were just here, just killing time for a couple of hours. But, this is very intentional...and makes sure that this is a meaningful two hours for them."
About 150 of the school's 684 students take part in the program, she said. And, there is a waiting list of students who want to join. A group of about 30 students Thursday thanked Harris for the grant by learning how to play hockey from Devils staff.
Partnering with a sports franchise, ASAS organizers said, is a good way to get kids interested and invested in what they are doing after school.
"When young people in a particular school feel like 'that team cares about me,' that goes a very long way," said Dax-Devlon Ross, ASAS Executive Director in New Jersey and New York.
The three-year grant will bring the program to the Newark school this year, and to schools in Camden and Philadelphia in 2017.
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.