Child care

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Parents struggle to find child care for their children as subsidies fail to keep up with demand.  |  Prince George’s County teens get access to safe summer programs.  |  An ad campaign reminds local fathers to “take time to be a dad.”

— Federal subsidies for child care are failing to keep up with rising demand, leaving an increasing number of low-income families struggling to balance work and parenting.  Click here to read how this is effecting parents, particularly low-income, single women.

— Later today, teenagers in Prince George’s County will attend Youth Explosion, a program that promotes safe activities and helps teens find summer jobs.  The program is for kids between 12 and 18 and is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tabernacle Church in Laurel.

— Some local dads say they’re paying attention to parenting messages on bus shelter posters.  The posters say “Take time to be a dad today” and offer suggestions for activities parents and children can do together.  According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, one-third of kids in American grow up in a home without their biological fathers.  Click here to find out why some fathers say the ads are working.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: The D.C. Council passes emergency legislation to help foster families.  |  Why do women still earn less than men?  |  Remembering Dorothy Height and her fight for equality.

— According to the Washington Post, “the D.C. Council passed emergency legislation on Tuesday intended to make it easier for foster families to provide permanent homes for children, especially older ones, who often languish in the child welfare system.”  Click here to learn more about the subsidy that’s being extended to help foster families and children.

— Why do women still earn less than men? Time explored that question as we marked Equal Pay Day.  Click here for the answer.

— For civil rights leader Dorothy Height, equality went beyond skin color.  A day after her death, NBC4 takes a look at her remarkable life and her fight for equality for everyone.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending April 2, 2010)

Posted on by The Spotlight and Opportunity Team

Pregnant Woman_WSJThe latest news, analysis and opinion on the state of low-income women and their families from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity.  This week: Why extreme poverty can lead to pregnancy problems…. Plus, cuts could be made to a monthly stipend that former Florida foster children depend on.

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.  Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.

Here’s this week’s news:

  • The Wall Street Journal reports that women facing difficult circumstances and stress, including extreme poverty, have a higher risk of problems during pregnancy.
  • The Los Angeles Times interviews several low-income immigrant women who miscarried or gave birth to children with birth defects, problems that they attribute to a nearby polluted dump in rural Kettlemen City.
  • The South Florida Sun-Sentinel profiles 21-year-old student Tamarra Lestage.  Lestage would be homeless if not for a monthly stipend given to former foster children, a program which may be cut due to Florida’s budget crunch.
  • The Portland Press Herald highlights the opening of Florence House, a $7.9 million facility that will house 40 homeless women in apartments or semi-private bedrooms.
  • Seven months after being fired from the Hyatt in Boston, Lucine Williams and almost 60 other mostly female former housekeepers still struggle to find work, according to the Boston Globe.

For daily updates and links to past articles, check out “Women and Poverty.”  It’s a section of the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity site with a comprehensive collection of recent news and analysis on women and poverty.  Along with these daily updates, continue to visit Washington Area Women’s Foundation for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty every Friday.  To learn more about Spotlight visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Photo credit: Stephen Maturen for the Wall Street Journal

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Photo Credit: Editor B via Creative Commons

In today’s rundown: Solutions for the high cost of child care.  |  Promising new legislation that will invest in community colleges.  |  The impact of women’s philanthropy.

— For some local parents, the cost of quality child care can account for up to 60 percent of their annual incomes.  While subsidies do exist to help offset the costs, they’re often not enough.  Hyesook Chung, executive director of D.C. Action for Children talks about options.  Click here to listen to what she has to say.

— President Obama spoke to students at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria where Jill Biden teaches English.  The president was there to discuss new legislation that will revamp the federal student loan program and invest billions of dollars into community colleges around the country.  Click here for details.

— The Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner Borromeo Housing Inc. is featured in this video story about women’s philanthropy and its impact worldwide.  Borromeo Housing operates Elizabeth House, the program featured in the piece.  Elizabeth House is an education-first residential program for homeless adolescent mothers.

Got something to say?  Leave a comment below.  Or join us at www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.

Photo credit: Editor B via Creative Commons

What to Eat When You’re Expecting: Podcast Offers Advice, Dispels Myths About What Pregnant Women Should Eat

Posted on by Parents Perspective

Eating for two?  That’s one of the biggest myths of pregnancy.  “Parents’ Perspective,” the award-winning weekly radio program tackles the issues in its “Nutrition for Pregnancy” podcast (available at www.parentsperspective.org).

The most current professional advice recommends that the average pregnant woman needs only 300 calories a day beyond her normal caloric intake.  That’s the equivalent of a glass of milk and a sandwich!  Of course, each woman’s doctor is always the final authority on diet, and caloric intake may vary depending on age and weight.

Also on the podcast, the authors of Eating for Pregnancy, chef Catherine Jones and dietician and perinatal nutritionist Rose Ann Hudson, have lots of tips for expectant moms.  For example, there’s the skinny on “forbidden foods”: predatory fish – which contain high mercury levels – and any unpasteurized cheeses.  Yogurt (pasteurized, of course) is on the “fave foods” list for all ages.  The way it’s made allows even those who are lactose intolerant to enjoy this goody.  And the calcium content of a 6 ounce serving equals 8ounces of 1%-2% milk.

Get everyone involved!
Healthy eating for expectant moms is healthy eating for the whole family.  A day of nutrition-wise eating should include: four servings of dairy products, at least 2 servings of meat, fish, poultry, beans & eggs, 6-9 servings of grains, at least 4 portions of vegetables and 3 servings or more of fruits.  And budget shopping doesn’t have to be nutrient-poor.  Brown rice, sweet potatoes, kale, collard greens and any seasonal fruits are frugal and vitamin-filled additions to the fridge and pantry.

Salivating for more?  The “Parents’ Perspective” website is rich with go-to material on all kinds of child-rearing issues.  Meantime, hand out the popsicles and Italian ice to the ladies with the big tummies, and tell them to stay hydrated!  And this season, here’s to good health for all!

Parents’ Perspective is a weekly radio show where experts are interviewed about a wide variety of child-rearing topics.  You can listen and learn more by going to www.parentsperspective.org.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending September 25, 2009)

Posted on by The Spotlight and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.

For daily updates and links to past articles, check out “Women and Poverty.” It’s a new section of our site with a comprehensive collection of recent news and analysis on women and poverty.

Along with these daily updates, continue to visit TheWomensFoundation.org for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty every Friday.

Here’s this week’s news:

• Andrea Castaneda is one of several mothers participating in a Head Start program that seeks to help impoverished families replace unnecessary trips to the emergency room with home care, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

• Deborah Stiell, a 55-year-old low-income grandmother, has cared for her three grandchildren their entire lives. She tells the Detroit News that, like many grandparents in her situation, she struggles to pay the bills.

• The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that thanks to increased state funding, a clinic run by the University of Tennessee College of Medicine’s obstetrics-gynecology department has been able to reach out to more low-income patients, resulting in a 20 to 35 percent increase in patient visits.

• The Boston Globe celebrates the achievements of Elisabetta Mitrano, who lifted her family from poverty by opening a salon that would allow her children a better upbringing than she had.

To learn more about Spotlight visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org  

To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here. 

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending August 14, 2009)

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.

For daily updates and links to past articles, check out “Women and Poverty.”  It’s a new section of our site with a comprehensive collection of recent news and analysis on women and poverty.

Along with these daily updates, continue to visit TheWomensFoundation.org for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty every week.

Here’s this week’s news:

To learn more about Spotlight, visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.

Stepping Stones Research Update – July 2009

Posted on by Liza Getsinger

As part of our ongoing commitment – in partnership with The Urban Institute – to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below a summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families. This research is summarized and complied for The Women’s Foundation by Liza Getsinger of The Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC.

Below are excerpts of the research update.  For the full research update, including summarized key findings, click here.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News

The National Council of Negro Women conducts a study to identify potential lending disparities in gender and race among African-American, Hispanic, and Caucasian borrowers, particularly as the foreclosure crisis spreads.  (Full text) 

Jobs and Business Ownership News

The Brookings Institution publishes research on the extent to which the recession has affected urban and suburban communities across the country and looks looks within the nation’s 100 largest metro areas to examine recent unemployment trends in their cities and suburbs. (Abstract) (Full text)

Child Care and Early Education News

A new Child Trends study commissioned by the Council of Chief State School Officers finds disparities between poor, at-risk children and more advantaged children as early as 9 months of age–extending prior research that primarily focuses on disparities at kindergarten entry and beyond. (Abstract) (Full text)

Health and Safety News

The Urban Institute identifies ways to reduce obesity using many of the same strategies used in the war against tobacco.  (Introduction) (Full text)

Other News and Research

The Economic Mobility Project investigates neighborhoods and the black-white mobility gap, including whether neighborhood poverty in childhood impacts the ability of both black and white adults to move up or down the income ladder relative to the position their parents held and whether changes in neighborhood poverty rates experienced by black children affected their adult incomes, earnings, and wealth. (Abstract) (Full text)

Stepping Stones Research Update – May 2009

Posted on by Liza Getsinger

As part of our ongoing commitment – in partnership with The Urban Institute – to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below a summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families.

This research is summarized and complied for The Women’s Foundation by Liza Getsinger of The Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News
The Urban Institute looks at the likelihood that nonelderly individuals in families with children experience substantial drops in family income and recoveries from such drops. (Intro) (Full Text)

Jobs and Business Ownership News
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research looks at wage differences between men and women across several different occupations. (Full Text)

Child Care and Early Education News
ChildTrends shows research findings on the link between program quality and children’s outcomes among state and federal government invested programs in early care and education. (Intro) (Full Text)

Health and Safety News
The Kaiser Family Foundation explores how problems obtaining oral health and dental care disproportionately affect low-income and minority children. (Intro) (Full Text)

Other News and Research
The Urban Institute documents the extent to which foreclosures in Washington D.C. have occurred in renter-occupied homes and apartments, and outlines several policy options for helping renters during this difficult period. (Abstract) (Full Text)

What do I have in common with Shakira?

Posted on by HyeSook Chung

Shakira has made early childhood development a priority!

And I like to think I have helped make it a priority in the Washington metropolitan area.

Shakira has made policy a focus — policies that have long lasting impact on children’s well being such as nutrition, medical care and early education.

I like to think the Early Care and Education Funder’s Collaborative’s focus on advocacy will make long lasting impact on the well-being of children in low-income communities in the region!

Shakira believes in collaboration and thinks that private charities cannot do it alone!  She thinks public government implementing many of the early childhood programs should be partners in creating long-term change.

I like to think that the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative is a model of collaboration working in partnership with the public government to make long-term systemic changes.

Shakira has made the least glamorous issue fashionable – how can early childhood development and teaching very young poor children be glamorous to those who have influence?

I like to think I helped make early childhood development “fashionable” here at The Women’s Foundation.  It has been an important issue for the region for many years, and now a priority for The Women’s Foundation!

Would you ever think that Shakira and I were kindred spirits — motivated by the same hope that every child, especially in desperate situations — receive quality early education to ensure they are prepared for school, but more importantly for life?

Well, think again!  When it comes to early care and education, Shakira and I are on the same page!

HyeSook Chung is The Women’s Foundation’s Program Officer for Early Care and Education.  (And from now on, her nickname at the office will be Shakira.)