FAYETTEVILLE — More Fayetteville elementary school children will benefit from after-school care because of a $183,975 grant from the Walmart Foundation, officials said Friday.

This largest-ever programming grant for the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club in Fayetteville will help provide a safe place for children whose parents could not otherwise afford afterschool care, officials said.

The gift will pay for scholarships in the club's licensed afterschool care program, School Kids Connection, which serves approximately 400 students daily in nine Fayetteville elementary schools. The money will also be used to provide access to afterschool and summer programs held at the Boys & Girls Club, according to a news release.

Becky Brink, the club's director of development, said the gift will provide a safe place for kids to learn, get help with their homework and have fun.

"It's a huge need right now. We've seen our scholarship requests really increase over the past eight months," Brink said. "This will make sure that they have quality child care in the afternoon."

Without this grant, many kids would not otherwise have quality day care, she said. Afterschool supervision is an important because studies show that between 3 and 6 p.m. on school days are peak hours when crimes are committed by and against youth, Brink explained.

Kids who are unsupervised are also more likely to get poor grades or use alcohol or drugs, she said.

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