Take Action! Federal Budget Calls for No New Afterschool Investments!

Take Action! Federal Budget Calls for No New Afterschool Investments!

The Issue

Today President Obama released his budget, and we were deeply disappointed to see that it proposes to flat fund 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). With families and programs struggling, we need to make sure the President hears a loud and clear message expressing our dissatisfaction with the budget and urging him to follow through on his campaign promise of doubling funding for 21st CCLC in future budgets.

Study after study shows that afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families.  Americans know it, which is why they support increased funding for afterschool in overwhelming numbers. Current funding for 21st CCLC stands at just $1.13 billion - less than half the $2.5 billion authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act, which itself is just a fraction of what is needed to make afterschool programs available to all children who need them. 

At a time when children and families need programs more than ever; at a time when more and more kids are receiving their only meals through afterschool and school nutrition programs; at a time when we know that quality afterschool programs help children academically, socially and professionally - afterschool providers and the families that rely on these programs have been looking towards this Administration's priorities and the President's words with hope and excitement.  That's why this budget is so deeply disappointing.

Increasing 21st CCLC funding would have ensured that thousands more kids had a safe, enriching place to be in the afterschool hours, inspiring them to succeed and providing working parents with much needed peace of mind;

We must continue to communicate with our elected officials about the importance of afterschool programs, and to show them that afterschool programs provide an indispensible service to communities across the country.

Click this link to express your disappointment and urge him to give our children the investment they deserve.

http://capwiz.com/afterschool/issues/alert/?alertid=13296521&PROCESS=Take+Action

avatar of the starter
J TPetition StarterJaime has been involved in community poverty issues for over 40 years. Among the various organizations with which he has been associated, he feels honored to have worked with César Chávez and the United Farm Workers boycott. He was also a bilingual public school teacher for 12 years and administrator for 24 years in public schools and universities. He holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, focused on Organizational Development and Transformational Change. He is an avid traveler, reader and musician. “When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us. So, it is how we use our lives that determines what kind of people we are. It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life.” - César E. Chávez
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This petition had 204 supporters

The Issue

Today President Obama released his budget, and we were deeply disappointed to see that it proposes to flat fund 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). With families and programs struggling, we need to make sure the President hears a loud and clear message expressing our dissatisfaction with the budget and urging him to follow through on his campaign promise of doubling funding for 21st CCLC in future budgets.

Study after study shows that afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families.  Americans know it, which is why they support increased funding for afterschool in overwhelming numbers. Current funding for 21st CCLC stands at just $1.13 billion - less than half the $2.5 billion authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act, which itself is just a fraction of what is needed to make afterschool programs available to all children who need them. 

At a time when children and families need programs more than ever; at a time when more and more kids are receiving their only meals through afterschool and school nutrition programs; at a time when we know that quality afterschool programs help children academically, socially and professionally - afterschool providers and the families that rely on these programs have been looking towards this Administration's priorities and the President's words with hope and excitement.  That's why this budget is so deeply disappointing.

Increasing 21st CCLC funding would have ensured that thousands more kids had a safe, enriching place to be in the afterschool hours, inspiring them to succeed and providing working parents with much needed peace of mind;

We must continue to communicate with our elected officials about the importance of afterschool programs, and to show them that afterschool programs provide an indispensible service to communities across the country.

Click this link to express your disappointment and urge him to give our children the investment they deserve.

http://capwiz.com/afterschool/issues/alert/?alertid=13296521&PROCESS=Take+Action

avatar of the starter
J TPetition StarterJaime has been involved in community poverty issues for over 40 years. Among the various organizations with which he has been associated, he feels honored to have worked with César Chávez and the United Farm Workers boycott. He was also a bilingual public school teacher for 12 years and administrator for 24 years in public schools and universities. He holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, focused on Organizational Development and Transformational Change. He is an avid traveler, reader and musician. “When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us. So, it is how we use our lives that determines what kind of people we are. It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life.” - César E. Chávez
Media inquiries

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Petition created on May 7, 2009