Unfunded Calls for Community Action Against Possible Education Budget Cuts

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Dec 04, 2023, 08:33 ET

Empowering Local Action for School Infrastructure Amid Looming Federal Funding Crisis

DENVER, Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unfunded, a proactive crowdfunding platform for school infrastructure, recently asked for intensified community action in response to the House Republican leadership's call for drastic cuts to public education. The billions in proposed cuts threaten to exacerbate existing disparities in school facilities, particularly in poor and minority communities.

A Pressing Need for Community Intervention

"Over the years, it's a sad fact that crowdfunding efforts have had to become ubiquitous in schools fighting for survival," said Vaishali McCarthy, Unfunded founder. "And now, recent budget proposals by the U.S. House paint a troubling picture for the future of public education in America again. With a proposed $14.7 billion cut to Title I funding and potential elimination of essential programs*, the already dire state of our school infrastructure is set to worsen."

Unfunded's Role in Addressing School Infrastructure Crisis

"The situation in schools across the inner-city in places like Philadelphia, Florida, and Detroit, highlights the severity of the infrastructure crisis in specific areas – but it is no less true across the country," said McCarthy. "Aging facilities, inadequate heating systems, and hazardous conditions are a daily reality for many students. And these proposed federal cuts are just further political ploys that devastate already struggling schools, increasing the urgency for alternative funding sources."

Unfunded focuses on localizing the response to the infrastructure divide by enabling communities, local governments, and PTAs to fund specific school projects. Unfunded complements state and federal initiatives, ensuring that schools receive the support they need without bureaucratic delays or political hurdles.

"As the economic landscape shifts, political tides turn, and federal support waxes and wanes, the role of platforms like Unfunded becomes even more critical. We cannot just stand by while our children learn in hazardous environments. And it goes even further than physical safety: it's about dignity, equality, and the future of our communities," McCarthy added.

Unfunded urges communities, philanthropists, and local businesses to step forward and contribute to this cause. The platform offers a way to make direct, impactful changes that support specific schools in immediate need of infrastructure improvements – like a current campaign to fund a playground for a school in Iowa.

Explore the ongoing Unfunded projects by signing up for the newsletter. And follow them on social media: Facebook, Instagram.

*Info sourced from recent D.C. news in Politico: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-education/2023/11/13/house-weighs-deep-education-funding-cuts-as-shutdown-looms-00126777

About Unfunded

Founded by Vaishali McCarthy, licensed architect and board member of the Colorado Department of Education, Unfunded is an innovative online platform dedicated to addressing the chronic underfunding of U.S. public school infrastructure. Unfunded unites communities in need and connects schools with donors, facilitating impactful change in educational environments across the nation. Learn more at: www.un-funded.com.

Media Contact:
Vaishali McCarthy, Founder
1-303-801-0079
369164@email4pr.com

SOURCE unfunded