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

In today’s rundown: Former felons want local lawmakers to “Ban the Box.”  |  Nonprofits use failure to improve their uses of technology.  |  A local resident becomes the first black woman to be appointed to an appellate court in Maryland.

— Former felons and their advocates are urging lawmakers in D.C. to “Ban the Box” — limiting or barring the “have you ever been convicted of a crime” question on applications for jobs and housing.  They say the question makes it difficult for ex-criminals to re-integrate themselves into society and is discriminatory.

— Nonprofits from around the world are openly sharing stories of failures and barriers in order to improve their use of technology.  The New York Times covers one meeting of FailFaire, “a recurring party whose participants revel in revealing technology’s shortcomings.

— Later today, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will swear in the first black woman to an appellate court in the state.  Judge Michele Hotten will serve on the Court of Special Appeals in Prince George’s County. She’ll hear her first case in mid-September.

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

In today’s rundown: “Why girly jobs don’t pay well.”  |  Back-to-school help for students of all ages and circumstances.  |  Ways to fix D.C.’s youth employment program for next summer.

— The underlying economics of caring do not reward women, according to an economist who is taking a look at “why girly jobs don’t pay well” in today’s New York Times. The article explores why more women choose to go into “care work” — jobs for which there’s no economic measure for output (i.e., teaching).

— Linda Dunphy, executive director of Doorways for Women and Families (a Women’s Foundation grantee), has back-to-school tips for children of all ages and circumstancesIn the Arlington Connection, Linda discusses how to handle everything from collecting school supplies to providing a stable environment for homeless families to discussing dating violence with teens.

— After another controversial end to D.C.’s Summer Youth Employment, an op-ed in The Washington Post offers suggestions for fixing the problem-plagued program, making it more effective without going over budget.

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

In today’s rundown: The recession has hurt single women more than anyone else.  And could high youth unemployment lead to a lost generation?

— Unmarried women have been hurt by the recession more than single men or married couples, according to a new study out today.  WAMU spoke to the Center for American Progress about the report, which shows that 61 percent of unemployed women are not married.  Among employed women, those who are single make an average of 12 percent less than married women.

— Youth unemployment worldwide has hit a record high and is likely to get worse.  The International Labor Organization says the world is at risk of having a “lost generation” of workers who have dropped out of the job market.


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

In today’s rundown: Economic security during the “Great Recession.”  |  Plus, billions of dollars in federal money set aside to keep the unemployed from losing their homes.

— Earlier this week, the savings program director from Capital Area Asset Builders (one of our grantees) was on the Kojo Nnamdi Show discussing economic security during the “Great Recession.”  If you missed it, you can listen to that portion of the show here (via Washington Grantmakers Daily).

— The Obama administration has injected $3 billion into programs intended to stop the unemployed from losing their homes.  Two-thirds of the money will go into the Hardest Hit Fund.  The remaining billion will be used as interest-free bridge loans through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Click here for details.

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

In today’s rundown: A Grantee Partner on the Kojo Nnamdi Show.  |  Local prep schools plan to take action when it comes to relationship violence.  |  What the Giving Pledge has to do with you.

— Tune in to the Kojo Nnamdi Show this afternoon to hear Capital Area Asset Builders’ (a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner) Savings Program Director discuss economic security during the “Great Recession.”  Emily Appel will be on WAMU 88.5 at around 1 p.m.

— Deans from local private high schools will get together in October to discuss a crackdown on relationship violence after one former prep school student was allegedly killed by another.  The meeting is in response to the May beating death of 22-year-old University of Virginia student Yeardley Love.  Her former boyfriend has been charged with her murder.

— 40 billionaires have committed to the Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half of their money to charitable causes.  Can those of us who aren’t billionaires follow their examples?  Philanthropic Capital Advisors’ Stephanie Risa Stein says “charitable giving is a basic value for everyone, not only for the wealthy….”

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

Baby Feet by gabi_menasheIn today’s rundown: Infant care in D.C. costs more than public college tuition. | A look at homeless services in the District after money earmarked for needy families was spent on a teen summer employment program. | Elena Kagan is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. | And, for the first time, a woman will head a major US intelligence agency.

— The annual cost of infant care in D.C. is about $11,500, according to a new report out this week.  That’s more than twice the cost of tuition at a public college.  Click here to find out what one organization says the city can do to help struggling parents.

The Washington Post takes a look at what Craigslist says they’re doing to keep ads for underage girls out of the website’s “adult services” section, and what’s actually going on in that section.  Last week FAIR Fund, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, called Craigslist  the “Wal-mart of online sex trafficking.”

Washington City Paper takes a look at homeless services in the District after money for needy families was spent to make up for a shortfall in a summer employment program.  And DC Fiscal Policy Institute, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, has a list of lessons that city leaders can take away from the Summer Youth Employment Program.

— Over the weekend, Elena Kagan was sworn in as the 112th justice of the Supreme Court. She’s the fourth woman to be named justice in the history of the high court.

— The first woman to head a major U.S. intelligence agency is being instated today.  Letitia A. Long will be the director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.  Click here for details.

Photo Credit: gabi_menashe via Creative Commons.

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

In today’s rundown: A grantee pushes for more affordable housing in Montgomery County. | A free health clinic opens its doors for the day in D.C. | A look at working moms and their places in the workforce. | The nine Cs of women’s philanthropy.

— CASA de Maryland, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, is pushing Montgomery County leaders for laws that would keep rent from rising in Silver Spring near the planned light rail Purple Line.  A large number of Hispanic residents live in the neighborhood around the planned construction area.  The Washington Examiner has obtained a letter that CASA wrote to Montgomery County officials warning them that soaring housing prices would displace residents.

— A number of D.C.’s 57,000 residents who don’t have health insurance will be able to get free medical care today at the Washington Convention Center.  Doors to D.C.’s largest free clinic open at 11 a.m.  Patients wi’ll be offered free cholesterol tests, EKGs, diabetes testing and HIV tests.

— In the next decade, 30 million women will benefit from the new healthcare reform law, according to a brief issued by the Commonwealth Fund.  The brief reports that the law will stabilize and reverse health care costs that had been on the rise because insurance industry standards had assessed women as more high-risk than men.

— “Women do almost as well as men today, as long as they don’t have children.”  The New York Times takes a look at men, women and being a parent in the workforce.

— With women earning and controlling more money than ever before, Women & Co. takes a look at women’s philanthropy and the nine Cs of women’s giving.

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

In today’s rundown: A Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner is highlighted for helping women find “untraditional” jobs.  The D.C. Council rejects a plan to fund a youth employment program with money from homelessness services.  A free health clinic is being held in D.C. tomorrow.  And The NonProfit Times releases a top 50 list.

— CASA de Maryland, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner, is featured in this Voice of America article for using construction training to help women increase their self-esteem and find better-paying jobs.  And you can check out a video version of the story here:

DCist reports that the D.C. Council has voted down the mayor’s proposal to extend this year’s Summer Youth Employment Program.  Money for the proposed extra week for the program would have come from the city’s fund for homelessness services.

— More than 1,200 people are expected at tomorrow’s free health clinic at the Washington Convention Center.  Appointments can be made online, by phone and walk-ins will be accepted.  Click here for more details.

The NonProfit Times has released its “Top 50 Power & Influence List.”

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

In today’s rundown: A Grantee Partner testifies about the unique challenges formerly incarcerated women in D.C. face.  The same Grantee Partner — Our Place DC — also discusses how the female condom could empower women.  And tax holidays for back-t0-school shopping are coming up in Maryland and Virginia.

— Earlier this week, Ashley McSwain, the executive director of Our Place DC — a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner — testified before a House subcommittee at a hearing called “Federal D.C. Code Felons: Unique Challenges in Prison and at Home.”  Our Place DC helps formerly and currently incarcerated women return home from prison.  Click here to watch a webcast of the hearing.

— Our Place DC was also featured in a WAMU story about the efforts to hand out 500,000 female condoms in D.C. by the end of the year. In the story, Ashley McSwain talks about why the female condom gives women more control over their sex lives.

— Shoppers in Maryland and Virginia will be getting a tax break — just in time for back-to-school shopping.  From August 8-14 in Maryland, clothing under $100 will be tax exempt.  And August 6-8 will be a sales tax holiday on some school supplies and clothing in Virginia.  Click here for more details.

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

Money Woman_emdotIn today’s rundown: Women, along with everyone else, are confused by their finances.  |  Medicine may not be enough in the battle to fight HIV and AIDS.  |  A stalking victim comes to D.C. to push for tougher anti-stalking laws.

— A growing number of American women control the finances of their households, but many are not confident in their fiscal management abilities, according to a new study out this week. But as Jezebel.com points out, we’re not the only ones confused by finances.

— The news of a vaginal gel to prevent the transmission of HIV was hailed as a breakthrough when it was announced at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna last week.  But some argue that creating a medical solution to the spread of the virus isn’t enough.  They say it’s just as critical to find solutions to the social issues that surround HIV.  Click here for details.

— ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews was in D.C. this week to support the Simplifying the Ambiguous Law, Keeping Everyone Reliably Safe (STALKERS) Act of 2010.  The purpose of the bill is to strengthen current federal anti-stalking laws.  Andrews was stalked by a man who followed her across three states and filmed her through the peephole of her hotel room doors.  Click here to read more about the proposed legislation.