Author: Mariah Craven

Food Stamp Facts

Posted on by Mariah Craven

As a long-time user of the internet, I know better than to read the comments section of news websites. While these sections can sometimes provide interesting insight, they also bring out some pretty insensitive people who say things they probably wouldn’t if the internet weren’t anonymous. I’m well-armed with this knowledge, and so I have no idea what possessed me to glance at the comments below a recent news story about a woman with a toddler and a newborn baby who’d been sleeping in a Metro station after being evicted from their home.

This family’s predicament is a sign that something in our community is deeply amiss; but the outcome is testament that the residents of this region are capable of incredible things.  Someone stepped forward to put the family up in a hotel room and helped the mother begin to navigate the complicated process of applying for benefits like food stamps. To most people, that would be the start of a happy ending. Not for people like “Neil64,” who weighed in in the comments section with this gem: “I have witnessed food stamp recipients having parties with their stamps while eating out every night.”

That sound you just heard was a needle scratching a vinyl record and me banging my head against my desk. As much as I want to throttle sit Neil64 down for a good talking-to, he brings up a good point (bear with me). This week, some of the staff at The Women’s Foundation, along with many others across the community, are taking part in the Food Stamp Challenge. Organized by DC Hunger Solutions (a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner), the exercise challenges participants to live on $30 worth of food for an entire week. $30 per week per person is the average food stamp benefit in DC.

Since the challenge began, I’ve become aware of just how many myths are out there about food stamps (also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP). We’ll get into how ridiculous the idea of a food stamp party is in a moment. But first, let’s talk about five food stamp myths.

  1. Benefit recipients cheat the system by selling their food stamps.
    Instances of SNAP fraud have dropped over the last two decades from four cents on the dollar to one cent on the dollar. In 2010, there were 195 convictions for SNAP fraud. That’s a tiny number compared to the more than 46 million Americans who receive food stamp benefits.
  2. “I was in the checkout line at the grocery store and I saw someone using food stamps to buy a whole bunch of alcohol and cigarettes.”
    I’ve heard this one so many times I can’t help but wonder how these busybodies manage to get their own groceries on the conveyer belt, since they seem to be monitoring those ahead of them so closely. SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes and tobacco.
  3. People use food stamps to buy junk food. Also, lobsters.
    The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 designates any food or food product for home consumption as eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. That includes food that the people behind you in line (the ones itemizing your purchases and making note of your method of payment) might not approve of. A report from the federal government also states that there’s no evidence that food stamp recipients are more likely to choose “unhealthy” foods than people who don’t use the program.
  4. SNAP costs too much and is taking money away from important federal programs.
    According to Dr. Susan Blumenthal, in 2011 SNAP cost the federal government $78 billion. That’s just 2.11 percent of the government’s $3.7 trillion budget. She also points out that for every dollar spent on SNAP, $1.84 in economic activity was generated.
  5. People on food stamps are lazy/hipsters/entitled students/welfare schemers.
    People from all walks of life rely on food stamp benefits to keep from going hungry. Nearly half of the beneficiaries are children and eight percent are senior citizens, reports the USDA. More than 40 percent of food stamp recipients live in households where a family member is employed.

This brings us back to Neil64, what he’s “witnessed,” and what we’re learning from the Food Stamp Challenge. It’s really hard to eat on just $4.30 a day. It’s not a party, and there are very few options for “eating out” once during the week, much less every night. Plus, in this region, restaurants cannot accept food stamps.  By participating in efforts like the Food Stamp Challenge and educating ourselves with real facts, it’s possible to recognize the myths and participate in an honest discourse about the benefits of these programs and how they can be improved.

In a time of incredible economic uncertainty, food stamps help many families stay afloat. If they can help keep a woman, a toddler and an infant in a safe, warm home, then it’s time for us, as a community, to embrace and support the difference they can make.

Mariah is the director of communications and marketing at the Foundation.

Why We Need More Conversations About Higher Ed Options

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Graduation caps and gowns Bien StephensonIn New York City this week, NBC’s third annual Education Nation summit was held, featuring three days of panel discussions with the nation’s leading experts on education, including former and current secretaries of education, educators, and policy makers. A lot of great resources, including case studies and videos are posted on the Education Nation website, and I’m still working my way through them. There’s one topic, however, that I’ve been searching for and haven’t been able to find yet – a discussion on the impact of community colleges on low-income students.

It’s a topic that’s been at the forefront of my mind in the past few weeks – ever since the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, when both Ann Romney and Michelle Obama talked about the costs of college. Romney spoke about how much more difficult it is in the current economic climate to save money for college. The First Lady recalled being “so young, so in love and so in debt” from student loans when she and President Obama were first married.

Given those facts, I think that it’s important to have more conversations about the far less terrifying alternatives out there than tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt. Community colleges often offer affordable options for students for whom massive loans may not be a possibility. In addition to being lower in cost, community colleges provide adult learners with the skills and credentials they need to improve their career and earnings prospects, or prepare them to spend a shorter time in traditional four-year schools.

Nationwide, the average annual tuition and fees at community colleges was just over $2,900; tuition and fees at four-year colleges averages about $8,200. Encouraging students, families and the government to invest resources into community college degree programs with career potential will open doors for students who may not have otherwise have pursued an education beyond high school.

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, these schools “are the gateway to postsecondary education for many minority, low income, and first-generation postsecondary education students.” These institutions are particularly valuable for women, who make up the majority of community college students (57 percent) nationwide. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, notes that for single mothers, “postsecondary degrees with high labor market value are especially valuable for ensuring family economic security and future opportunities for their children.”

And a local student summed it up best, telling The Women’s Foundation: “my daughter motivates me to finish college because if she sees what her mother has done then she will probably follow in my footsteps.”

Everyone seems to be in agreement that, these days, it’s important to have some sort of post-secondary education or additional training in order to sustain families in careers where there’s room for growth. However, there are multiple paths for getting there and not all of them lead to a mountain of student loan debt.

Be Inspired at the 2012 Leadership Luncheon

Posted on by Mariah Craven

With just two months to go before the annual Leadership Luncheon, Washington Area Women’s Foundation is gearing up for another great opportunity to connect with the community and share how, together, we can transform the lives of women and girls, the DC region, and the world! In this interview on Comcast Newsmakers, Foundation President Nicky Goren gives us a sneak peek at this inspiring and informative event.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please click here. And to be notified when individual tickets go on sale, be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter by clicking here.

Inclusion Can Help DC in the HIV/AIDS Fight

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Last week The Washington Post carried a devastating headline: “HIV infection rate skyrockets among some D.C. women.” The women the headline referred to were heterosexual, low-income African American women. The HIV infection rate for them nearly doubled in two years, going from 6.3 percent to 12.1 percent, according to a new study released by the DC Department of Health.

The Washington Blade covered the same story but had a completely different angle. Their headline read “Report: D.C. HIV rates continue to drop.” The difference in coverage highlights the fact that while progress is being made in the fight against HIV in DC, black women living in poverty are being left behind.

When the DOH study was made public, Mayor Vincent Gray announced that headway was being made because “we are getting people diagnosed with HIV infection earlier and directly into care with our treatment-on-demand policy.” But these tactics clearly aren’t working for everybody. When so much of the population can’t be part of your success story, it’s time to question just how successful you’re being. It’s time to change the way we’re addressing and talking about the problem.

A report released by Washington Area Women’s Foundation in 2010 explored how advocacy can improve services for women with HIV/AIDS. “The AIDS epidemic has a unique impact on women, exacerbated by their role in society and their biological vulnerability to HIV infection,” the report said. “Women and girls living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS… continue to experience barriers to care including: fragmentation in the HIV medical care delivery system, cultural barriers, organizational procedures insensitive to the needs of women and girls, and lack of information about services. Race, poverty, language, sexual orientation, and class intensify these barriers.”

By taking the unique needs of low-income African American women into account when tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic in DC, city officials and policy makers can have real, lasting impact for all residents no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation or income. The Women’s Foundation encourages DOH and the mayor to include low-income black women in all future conversations about the most effective ways to reverse the rising HIV infection rate in DC and beyond.

On June 27th, National HIV Testing Day, The Women’s Collective (a Grantee Partner of Washington Area Women’s Foundation) held a community conversation with a representative from the DC HIV/AIDS Hepatitis, STD & TB Administration to discuss the report in further detail with nonprofits and women in the community. The event was a chance to ask questions, discuss possible solutions and meet allies. Parked right outside was a van that serves as The Women’s Collective’s mobile testing unit, where women were signing up to get HIV tests. Events and opportunities like these can and should be part of DC’s success story.

Women's Foundation Receives AAAA Kennedy Service Award

Posted on by Mariah Craven

This month, Washington Area Women’s Foundation was the recipient of the American Association for Affirmative Action’s Edward M. Kennedy Community Service Award.  The award is presented to an individual or organization that demonstrates an outstanding commitment to community service.  In the clip below, Foundation President Nicky Goren accepts the award and talks about its significance and the work of the Foundation.

U.S. Lags in Rankings of Best Places to be a Mother

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Where would you rank the United States on a list of the best places in the world to be a mother?  Would you be surprised that in a recent study, the U.S. didn’t crack the top 10 countries? Or even the top 20?  According to Save the Children’s 2012 Mothers’ Index, the U.S. placed 25th on the list.  That’s a six spot improvement over last year’s ranking, but still below countries like Norway (#1), Australia (#7), Slovenia (#13), Greece (#20) and Belarus (#24).

“A woman in the US is more than seven times as likely to die of a pregnancy-related cause in her lifetime than a woman in Italy or Ireland,” said Carolyn Miles, president & CEO of Save the Children.  “When it comes to the number of children enrolled in preschools or the political status of women, the United States also places in the bottom 10 countries of the developed world.”

The U.S. is also one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t guarantee working mothers paid leave.

My initial reaction to the findings of the study was shock. Surely in a nation with more wealth, knowledge and opportunities than most, mothers would be provided with excellent healthcare, access to early education and prospects to lead their communities.  The truth is, however, that these opportunities aren’t open to everyone, and the proof is right here in our own region.

A report published by Washington Area Women’s Foundation shows that our region is marked by significant disparities in receipt of prenatal care.  And once women in our region give birth, they often find that early education is expensive and sometimes ineffective.  Across the DC metro area, center-based child care can account for one-third to half of a single mother’s income.  And even though research has shown that preschool programs are crucial to the future educational success of children – especially those who live in low-income households – enrollment in public preschools remains low.  Just 14 percent of four-year-olds in Virginia, 35 percent in Maryland and 40 percent in DC were enrolled in public preschools.

This spring, motherhood briefly became a hot button issue in the presidential campaign.  Presidential candidates noted that it is a tough and important job and one candidate’s wife called motherhood a “glorious” crown.  It’s only been a few weeks, but the campaigns have already moved beyond the motherhood rhetoric, leaving a serious unsolved problem behind.  A better support system for mothers and their children would go a long way in making the U.S. a better place for us all.

Walk in Their Shoes

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Nicky Goren, president of Washington Area Women’s Foundation, recently participated in “Walk in Their Shoes,” an event organized by Vehicles for Change, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner.  The event highlighted the importance of reliable transportation for families in the DC metro area. Nicky and Fabian Rosado, a Vehicles for Change board member, joined Renee Scarlet on her morning commute. Renee shared with them how long and difficult the commute from home to work was before she purchased an affordable van from Vehicles for Change.  Here are the highlights from their journey:

2012 Early Learning Summit

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Last week, the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative at Washington Area Women’s Foundation held the inaugural Early Learning Summit to bring together educators, advocates and researchers to explore the most pressing social, economic and environmental trends impacting early learning.

The main takeaways, according to Maya Garrett, the Foundation’s ECEFC Program Officer and event organizer, were:

  • Quality early childhood education is a key component for education and workforce success.
  • In order for school systems to prepare young children for kindergarten their must be a holistic framework that focuses on the emotional, physical, and economic well-being of the child.
  • Corporations who are funding early care and education work see their funding as an investment in the economic well being of the Country.  They are supporting the next generation of employees

Many of the highlights of the summit were captured by social media. Click here for a quick overview of the day’s events.

Women’s History Month Q&A of the Day – March 30, 2012

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Q: Which First Lady of the United States was an advocate for civil rights, worked to enhance the status of women, but opposed the Equal Rights Amendment?

A: First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was an international author, speaker, politician and activist.  An advocate for civil rights, Roosevelt worked to enhance the status of working women, however, she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed that it would adversely affect women.

Women’s History Month Q&A of the Day – March 29, 2012

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Madame_CJ_WalkerQ: Who is the woman who’s listed in the Guinness Book of Records for being the first woman to become a millionaire by her own achievements?

A: Madame C.J. Walker was a hair care entrepreneur whose hair and beauty products for African American women made her the first woman to become a self-made millionaire.  She used her wealth to become a philanthropist, donating to the NAACP, the YMCA, schools, orphanages and retirement homes.  She made the largest contribution to save the Anacostia home of Frederick Douglass.