The Lighthouse Program run by the City of Bridgeport, in partnership with Bridgeport Public Schools, has hundreds of spaces available for families in need of low-cost after school care, city officials said Friday. "We have about 1,800 families enrolled in the program at the moment, with room for many more," said Regina Vermont, who runs the Lighthouse Program. "We have kids from kindergarten all the way up through high school taking part in the program, at 22 locations across the city -- and the cost is very low, with no family having to pay more than $15 per week," Vermont said. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim says he started the city's first Lighthouse Program 25 years ago, and it has since grown to be a model for after school programs nationwide. "The idea is to provide kids with a safe environment that complements the school day, which means kids go directly from school to the program, without parents having to pick them up and take them anywhere -- and that's a crucial feature for working parents and single parents who are just trying to get by, amid rising costs and other challenges," Ganim said. Parents are encouraged to visit the City of Bridgeport website to sign up for the program, whose mission is to provide kids with an environment that fosters intellectual, social and emotional development.