In today’s rundown: A message from the new president of The Women’s Foundation.  | Maryland is in the top 10 worst states for foreclosures.  | Is this the “year of the woman” in politics?

— Nicky Goren, the new president of The Women’s Foundation, was featured in a commentary on WAMU this morning.  Click here to listen to what she has to say about the future of Washington Area Women’s Foundation.

— Foreclosure filings in Maryland have jumped 65 percent since May of last year, making the state the 10th-worst in the country for foreclosures.  Virginia was ranked 17th worst.  Click here for details.

— After a number of prominent women politicians won in this week’s primary elections, some began calling this the “year of the woman.”  But as Anne E. Kornblut writes in the Washington Post today, “something even more remarkable occurred: The candidates’ gender never became much of an issue.”  Click here to read more.  And click here to read a blog post on the primaries from Gwen Rubinstein, The Women’s Foundation’s program officer.

Do you have an opinion on the primaries or any other topic? We accept guest blog posts!  If you’re interested in sharing your thoughts, please email mcraven@wawf.org.

In today’s rundown: The head of D.C.’s HIV/AIDS administration abruptly resigns.  |  D.C.’s emergency family shelter is at full capacity.  |  A strong showing for women politicians in yesterday’s primaries.

— The director of D.C.’s HIV/AIDS administration has abruptly resigned.  Shannon Hader headed the HIV/AIDS administration for three years, becoming the longest-serving director in almost a decade.  She’s credited with turning around an agency that was once called “dysfunctional bordering on comical” by one city official.  According to this article in the Washington Post, “Hader’s resignation is effective July 15, days after she is schedule to return from personal leave to undergo unspecified surgery.

— The emergency family shelter at D.C. General is at full capacity, reports Washington City Paper.  By the end of last month, the shelter was housing 134 families and 246 children.  The capacity has been set at 135 families.  One man who has been living there for months with his family tells the paper that the air conditioning system doesn’t work, trash is piling up and there’s a flea infestation.  Click her for more, including how the city handled the situation when the shelter became overcrowded in March.

— Women politicians had a strong showing in primaries held in a dozen states yesterday.  California Republicans put two women at the top of the GOP ticket for the first time, nominating Carly Fiorina for Senate and Meg Whitman for governor.  State Rep. Nikki Haley moved closer to her goal of becoming South Carolina’s first woman governor.  In Arkansas, Sen. Blanche Lincoln beat her Democratic primary challenger in a runoff.  In Nevada, the Tea Party-backed candidate Sharron Angle moved into position to face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the fall.  Currently, Congress is 14 percent female and there are six women governors.

Photo Credit: FightHIVinDC via Creative Commons

In today’s rundown: The number of children living in poverty will reach its highest rate in two decades this year.  A look at the growing impact of women as donors.  Why giving circle participation is on the rise.

— The rate of children living in poverty this year will climb to nearly 22 percent, the highest rate in two decades, according to an analysis by the Foundation for Child Development.  The foundation’s Child and Youth Well-Being Index tracks 28 key statistics, like insurance coverage, parents’ employment, infant mortality and preschool enrollment.  Click here for more details.

— With more women controlling more wealth in the U.S. than ever before, the impact of women as donors is on the rise.  According to this piece on Huffington Post, women in the U.S. give to charity, on average, nearly twice as much as men.  And nonprofits — like The Women’s Foundation! — are focusing on creating economic opportunities specifically for women and girls as a way to solve poverty.

— Boston.com reports on a rise in giving circles that began in the 1990s and looks at why they’re so popular among women.  One giving circle member said she preferred giving money at a small event, rather than a “fancy fund-raiser.”  For more information on giving circles at The Women’s Foundation, please click here.

In today’s rundown: An account typically used to help low-income individuals buy homes is being successfully used by small business owners.  |  How Fairfax County is working to end homelessness.  |  A new campaign is offering the LGBTQ community access to resources to prevent domestic violence.

— IDAs — they aren’t just for homeowners.  According to the Wall Street Journal, individual development accounts are being used by people who are starting small businesses.  Entrepreneurs in industries with low start-up costs — like day-cares, catering and landscaping — are finding the most success using IDAs.  Click here to read more.

— The Washington Post recently wrote about successful efforts to help Fairfax County residents avoid homelessness. Now, the National Alliance to End Homelessness is taking blog readers inside those efforts and discussing the county’s plan to end homelessness in 10 years.  Click here to read more.

— Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE), a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, is using a new campaign to raise awareness about domestic violence in the LGBTQ community.  “Show Me Love, DC!” provides statistics that show that LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk of dating violence than straight people in the same age category.  The campaign website, www.ShowMeLoveDC.org, also provides resources for support.

In today’s rundown: A look at some of the barriers low-income women face during the recession.  |  The D.C. Council has passed a budget, but not everyone’s happy about it.

— The Women’s Foundation’s Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat participates in a webcast that explores the barriers low-income women are facing during the recession.  Check out the video below to hear what she has to say along with Chicago Foundation for Women’s Shelley A. Davis.

— The D.C. Council has passed the budget, which is now awaiting the signature of Mayor Adrian Fenty.  It appears that very few council members are happy with the final product.  Click here for details.