Dear Supporters of Red Balloon Preschool:
I hope this email finds you well. I'm writing to update you on the situation with Red Balloon Preschool's lease with Columbia University.
Columbia briefly floated the idea of relocating Red Balloon for one year while renovations were made to our current space. Since then, it has become apparent that they will not be relocating Red Balloon, and plan to reopen our space as a Columbia owned and operated preschool.
While a Columbia owned preschool would still be technically a non-profit, it will be markedly different from the small, non profit that Red Balloon is, and we are concerned that a CU-owned preschool would meet the needs of the community as no commitments have been made about tuition costs, hours, etc. It has become clear that the university will not prioritize the needs of low-income parents, both within Columbia and the wider community.
Our story has been profiled in the New Yorker today! Please share widely, and continue to put pressure on Columbia by calling and writing local elected officials voicing your wish that they actively support Red Balloon. More information, sample letters of support and media clips can be found here: https://savetheredballoon.splashthat.com/
Thank you.
Annapurna Potluri Schreiber,
President, Red Balloon Parent Board