San Francisco Community Centers Scramble During Teacher Strike

Youth-focused organizations run overtime to provide child care as schools remain closed.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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During the ongoing San Francisco teachers strike, community centers, clubhouses, and after-school programs across the city have become makeshift day camps as families scramble for child care. The city is relying on these community programs to accommodate the district's nearly 50,000 students, forcing many youth-focused organizations to stretch staffing and dip into reserve funds to expand services on short notice.

Why it matters

The teacher strike has highlighted the crucial role community organizations play in supporting families and students, especially those living in insecure circumstances or experiencing homelessness. The uncertainty and strain on these programs underscores the need for better coordination and funding to ensure students' educational and social needs are met during disruptions.

The details

Community centers like the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center have had to quickly adapt, moving part-time staff to full-time hours and hosting between 100-150 students per day across their elementary, middle, and high school programs. The centers are organizing field trips and using emergency reserves to cover extra costs, but the day-to-day uncertainty makes long-term planning difficult.

  • The San Francisco teacher strike began on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • Schools have remained closed through the end of the week as of Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center

A city-funded community benefit organization in North Beach that typically runs preschool, after-school, and summer programs.

Johanna Nordstrom

A full-time staffer at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center.

Josh Feierstein

The program director at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center.

Heydi Martin

A high school senior who usually works part-time at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center but is now supervising a room of second graders for a full school day.

Daniel Lurie

The mayor of San Francisco.

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What they’re saying

“Monday was kind of crazy. We didn't know how many kids were coming and we weren't fully staffed at first. We were definitely just scraping by.”

— Johanna Nordstrom, Full-time staffer, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Especially the younger ones, they like being in school and they like learning. They're excited to go back. But also, a lot of them are fighting for their teachers — they want them to be okay. They're more aware than you would expect.”

— Johanna Nordstrom, Full-time staffer, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center (San Francisco Chronicle)

“We're kind of on a summer model, but we're hoping that the city will give us more of a summer budget. I try not to hypothesize how long it will go.”

— Josh Feierstein, Program director, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center (San Francisco Chronicle)

“By being here, I feel glad that I'm at least doing something good and productive and I'm not just at home, lying on my bed.”

— Heydi Martin, High school senior (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The teacher strike is ongoing, and it's unclear when schools will reopen. Community centers like the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center will continue to provide child care and support for students until the strike is resolved.

The takeaway

The San Francisco teacher strike has highlighted the vital role community organizations play in supporting families and students, especially those in vulnerable situations. The strain on these programs underscores the need for better coordination and funding to ensure students' educational and social needs are met during disruptions to the school system.