Operation shoestring afterschool and summer program

The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded Operation Shoestring Inc. $514,003 in Project Grant S215K260034 on June 1, 2026, under the Innovative Approaches to Literacy; Promise Neighborhoods; Full-Service Community Schools; and Congressionally Directed Spending for Elementary and Secondary Education Community Projects program (CFDA 84.215).

Operation Shoestring Inc., a Mississippi-based nonprofit, will operate an afterschool and summer program serving at-risk youth in Jackson, Mississippi through June 1, 2029. The organization's existing work includes providing meals, education, and enrichment services focused on academics, youth development, and social-emotional learning for children in grades K–7 from low-income families, as well as subsidized breakfast and lunch programs operated in partnership with schools.

The award supports the continuation and expansion of these literacy and youth development services in a high-poverty community. Operation Shoestring has received prior federal sub-awards through child nutrition and education programs administered by the Mississippi Department of Education and City of Jackson, positioning the organization to deliver comprehensive afterschool and summer enrichment across academic support, literacy development, and social-emotional skill-building for low-income students.