The Trump administration’s sudden funding cuts to groups that support school-based social services in low-income communities has imperiled after-school sports, reading help, and mental health services at two Fair Haven schools. Those wraparound services have been provided by Clifford Beers Com munity Care Center, a local nonprofit, at Fair Haven School since August 2024 and at the Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration (FAME) school since August 2025. Clifford Beers is one of 70 recipients of a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program. The FSCS program is designed to support the “community school” model, which calls for turning schools into neighborhood hubs. In addition to traditional enrichment activities, community schools typically offer mental health counseling, career guidance, meals, and similar services to low-income students and their families. On around Friday, Dec. 12, the Trump administration sent letters to 12 FSCS recipients informing them that their projects would not receive federal money on the scheduled payment date of Dec. 31. Education Week quoted one such letter from the federal Education Department as stating that the grant has been deemed “inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, the best interest of the Federal Government and will not be continued.” For Clifford Beers, that means losing out on the remaining $1.75 million of their $2.5 million grant, which was supposed to be disbursed annually through December 2028. In a statement emailed on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro condemned the cuts. “The Trump administration’s sudden termination of funding for programs that provide children with the resources to succeed is cruel,” wrote DeLauro. “Our most vulnerable children will lose access to tutoring, athletics, health care, and other essential programs for families in as soon as two weeks.” She promised to do “everything” in her power to “fight against these dangerous cuts.” According to a press release from DeLauro’s office, Clifford Beers served 310 students at the Fair Haven and FAME schools over the last year. “It’s taking away our entire ability to be physically present at schools,” said Cara Klaneski, the director of community support and engagement at Clifford Beers. The funding “allowed us to make the school almost a one-stop shop for families, to get anything that they need.” Because most families live within walking distance of the Fair Haven and FAME schools, Klaneski said they’re convenient places to access critical services and enrichment activities. School is also “where kids are spending most of their time,” she added, so providing social services can help make campus “the safest place” for families. Due to the cuts, beginning Jan. 1, Klaneski expects ending many after-school programs — including math and reading support, a fencing club, and career training for families — and reassigning two on-site coordinators to different projects. “We’re gonna try to do what we can to support the schools with the staff and resources that we have at Clifford Beers,” said Klaneski. But it’ll still be a major change for families, who will no longer be able to access those resources at school. Ilaria Filippi, the executive director of Clifford Beers, said the group is doing what they can to stop the cuts and find alternate sources of funding. “We submitted a request for reconsideration” to the U.S. Department of Education, said Filippi. “I don’t know how successful we will be,” given the Trump administration’s “absurd” conclusion that “equity” and “anti-racist practices” should “no longer be a priority.” While the group will apply for multiple grants to replace the loss, Filippi said across-the-board cuts to nonprofits have severely constrained their funding opportunities. “We try to not let go of employees,” said Filippi. “We try to move them into open positions when we can, but it’s getting harder and harder. Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller, who previously managed strategy and planning for Clifford Beers and whose ward includes the Fair Haven School, shared Filippi’s disappointment with the cuts. “It’s taking away a set of resources that were not adequate on their own anyways,” said Miller. “It’s very, very upsetting.” She suspects that care coordination services will be especially missed. “Just imagine: Your family is struggling with housing, with addiction, with your kid misbehaving at school, with just trying to cover your bills, and there’s somebody that’s been helping you access” supportive services, said Miller. And “suddenly, that person loses their job.” She said after-school programming was particularly valuable for middle-school students, who, without a school-sponsored activity, may spend their afternoons “on the street,” watching television, or playing on their phones. “We have to do more of what community schools do,” said Miller. That means “bringing in resources to schools and connecting families with resources outside of schools.” The post Trump Cuts Gut Grant For Fair Haven “Community Schools” appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less