Economy

Tough economic times don't have to turn you into Scrooge.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

This is a cool Friday afternoon find.  Allison Fine and Marnie Webb have started an online project that is quickly catching on, asking people for ideas about how to give during this holiday season without spending a dime. 

The Give List already has tons of ideas posted, from Goodsearch (which is an easy online way you can even help The Women’s Foundation without spending a cent) to fun events that give back to helping a neighbor in need shovel their walk.

Check it out to post your idea or resource, or to find a way to give–what we call around here "beyond the check"–this holiday season.

As someone said to Allison and Marnie, “Just because I’m poor doesn’t mean that I have to be stingy!”

Well said.  Now, ready, set, give!

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Transportation is key to getting low-income families to work and out of poverty.

Posted on by Gwen Rubinstein

In the best of times, lack of transportation is a serious barrier to employment for low-income, single working mothers.

And now is not the best of times.

According to the congressional Joint Economic Committee, the current economic downturn threatens women’s employment more than ever, with women-headed families being particularly squeezed.

So whether an economic stimulus package focuses on creating jobs in infrastructure, public works or the “green economy,” it must include support for transportation–including for car ownership–for low-income workers to help them obtain and retain any new jobs created.

Consider:

  • Low-income workers are less likely to own an automobile than other Americans. Nationally, 7.8 percent of all U.S. residents did not have access to a car in 2000, compared to 20.4 percent of poor U.S. residents.
  • Many construction jobs are not accessible by public transportation, both because of hours (generally not the traditional 9-5 work day) and location.
  • Research has shown that for low-income (and minority households), car ownership is positively correlated with improved access to jobs, higher household incomes and more weeks worked per year.
  • Low-income single mothers are more likely to make sequential trips, such as to daycare and then to work, which are not easily supported on public transportation.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a documentary this year called Pursuit of the Dream: Cars & Jobs in America that looks at these issues in more depth.

Unfortunately, little public support is currently available for car ownership for low-income individuals, including women. What support is available can also be difficult for community-based organizations working with low-income, women-headed families to obtain.

Public programs, including the existing Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program, must be expanded – both financially and in their scope – to meet the full range of transportation needs of low-income, women-headed families.

Private programs —such as Vehicles for Change and Opportunity Cars – must be expanded through government funding and increased car donations from private citizens.

It is time for all of us to stop overlooking this important barrier to work for low-income women with children.

Gwen Rubinstein is a program officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending November 28, 2008)

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.

Here are the holiday week’s top stories on women and poverty. The round-up will normally appear on Fridays:

• In an Op-Ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, a sociologist argues that the abortion debate must recognize the connection between poverty and abortion.

• The Sacramento Bee reports on two low-income counties with low rates of mothers seeking prenatal care.

• The Buffalo News says that legislators must ensure WIC benefits for local mothers and their children.

• Teen mothers are struggling to get by, according to the Salem Statesman-Journal.

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.

Cuts in jobs available to Urban Alliance internship program hits home for me.

Posted on by Tia Felton

When I saw Philip Rucker’s piece, "Economy Slices into Internship Programs," in the Washington Post, it really hit home for me.  I’m currently an intern with Urban Alliance (also a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation), and I saw the impact of the economic downturn on the program firsthand.

By joining the Urban Alliance foundation during the summer of my junior year, I became one of the lucky ones promised a job.  My summer days were spent working full time in one of the offices owned by Sonnenschein Law firm. The experience was wonderful and the pay not only pleased me, but also my mother, who could spend her earnings on other household necessities without worrying about having to set aside funds for my own personal summer activities.

When the last day of summer work came to an end, I was informed that I would begin my fall internship mid-September.  But, somehow between mid-August and the time the time I was supposed to resume work, troubles began. 

Weeks continued to go by throughout the fall, and as I saw new interns with their starting dates and job sites, I realized that I still did not receive mine.  Finally, I received a call saying that I should report to Washington Area Women’s Foundation at 2:00 p.m. on November 10, 2008–two months after what my initial start date was meant to be.

While reading the Washington Post article suggested to me by my mentor, Lisa Kays, at The Women’s Foundation, I later found out that the reason for my delayed job site was not only due to poor organization skills, but also the economy’s falling.  I was one of the lucky ones who was promised and job and actually received one.

Several students were turned down from the organization after months of training because businesses in the Washington area simply cannot afford interns. Fannie Mae, which is where several of my peers worked this summer, took on no interns this fall season.  I know this internship meant a lot to the students, especially with the overwhelming expenses of senior year: class fees, trips, prom, spending funds, and other items that express school spirit like year books, hoods, shirts, etc.

During this time every little cent counts.

Being a part of the Urban Alliance family, above anything else, has given me great experiences, memories and opportunities.  I have had the chance to work in bigger office spaces where you e-mail more to communicate, and I have also had the chance to work in smaller office spaces where people are more warming to you, which is where I am currently working now.

I know that both experiences will help me through my college years and also my working years.

I am very thankful to have been chosen for this, and only wish that those who were not could have experienced it as well.  It is truly a shame that they could not.

Tia Felton is a senior at McKinley Tech High School and an intern at The Women’s Foundation through Urban Alliance.  When she graduates from high school this year, she hopes to go to college and eventually to become a lawyer.

To learn more about the Urban Alliance internship program, click here.

Child care: A sound investment even in this time of economic uncertainty.

Posted on by HyeSook Chung

All the jurisdictions in the region are in the midst of budget cuts to fill huge budget shortfalls.  All around us is gloom and doom news about funding.

Yet, to my delightful surprise – the chair of the D.C. City Council, Vincent Gray, wrote an OP-ED piece in the Washington Informer highlighting the sound investment in Pre-Kindergarten education as a way to invest in children, families and the city overall.

For D.C., the Pre-Kindergarten Enhancement and Expansion Amendment Act will ensure every three and four-year-old in the District has access to high-quality pre-kindergarten.

The hope that every child in the District will receive quality early education to ensure they are prepared to succeed in school and life is so exciting.

We need more key leaders in government and business to stress the importance of funding what is absolutely necessary for a sound future. There is a solid case for investments in early care and education.

So at this time of financial crisis, thank you to those who are advocating for such investments for your commitment to ensure the District’s children are going to be afforded the quality early learning opportunities they deserve!

HyeSook Chung is The Women’s Foundation’s Early Care and Education Program Officer.

Friday Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending November 21, 2008)

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.

Here are this week’s top stories on women and poverty:

• Job cutbacks are causing parents to consider sacrificing daycare, as noted by The Chicago Tribune.

• “A Welcome Drop”: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports a significant reduction in local teen pregnancy.

• The Washington Post calls attention to the role of poverty in a changing debate on abortion.

• According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the souring economy leads to divorce and affects child support payments.

• Social Security is called a “women’s issue” in a story by The Telegraph Herald.

• The Oregonian argues that government job growth programs must focus on jobs for women.

• Families and working moms are among Dallas’ growing homeless population, according to The Dallas Morning 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.

Friday News Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty

Posted on by The Spotlight and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity and The Women’s Foundation are teaming up to provide the latest news, analysis and opinion on the state of low-income women and their families!

Spotlight, 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 each week.

The country’s economic downturn has taken a particularly harsh toll on low-income families. During this past campaign season, Spotlight tracked the growing focus on the issues of poverty and economic opportunity by candidates running for office. Now, with the transition to a new president and Congress, Spotlight has re-launched its Web site to ensure that our political leaders take significant actions to follow though on their pledges.

Our new site features a section focused on the role of family well-being in fighting poverty, including key research, analysis and news on efforts to strengthen America’s poor working families, the majority of which are headed by single mothers. We will also continue to highlight these issues in our “Exclusive Commentary” section. Just this week, Andrea Kane, senior director for policy and partnerships at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, contributed a piece detailed the link between poverty and unplanned pregnancy.

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

Here are this week’s top stories on women and poverty:

o Single working moms have had it toughest, reports the New York Times, in a piece about how the working poor have been especially hard hit during the economic crisis.

o The Contra Costa Times covers a dispute between California and the federal government that may imperil a successful family planning program for the poor.

o The economic downturn is creating tension within working families (from the Toledo Blade).

o The Wichita Falls Times-Record writes about a child care agency that helps single working parents provide for their kids during a meager holiday season.

o Parents, many of them single moms, have been forced to pull kids from day care during the economic crisis, according to the Buffalo News.

o The Kansas City Star covers a study of women’s career and financial literacy.

o The Detroit News says that the growing homeless population includes large numbers of pregnant women and families.

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.

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

Low-income residents are hit by cuts to D.C.'s budget.

Posted on by Debbie Billet-Roumell

Monday was a set-back for low-income residents in Washington, D.C.  For those of you that have not followed the events of this past week, here is a brief re-cap:

On Friday November 7th, the DC Council announced a proposal to cut $16 million from the FY 2009 budget to address the $131 million budget short fall as well as to anticipate worsening economic times. The Council is also creating a $50 million reserve if the economy continues to decline. The Council’s proposal passed.

Mayor Fenty had already proposed a budget to close the budget gap by not filling vacancies as well as looking for other cost saving measures. The Council’s budget includes the proposed changes in the Mayor’s budget as well as many additional cuts noted below.

Many advocates made calls and met with Council members and their staff.  We were successful in restoring some of the funds for Housing First as well as new housing/programs for domestic violence victims.

The DC Women’s Agenda continues to work with other advocacy groups to have the money restored. The DC Council will meet in legislative session on Tuesday, November 18th and all persons concerned about the cuts should attend.

Current cuts:

  • $2 million for the rent supplement program that would have provided 150 units of affordable housing at a time when there are over 26,000 DC residents on the housing assistance waitlist;
  • $1.3 million for a Temporary Assistance to Needy Families cash assistance increase for some of the District’s most vulnerable families at a time when energy costs are increasing by 29 percent and prices for basic food items are increasing by 11 percent. TANF recipients have already begun to receive the 2009 increase of $9.00 per month;
  • $12.4 million from the Housing First Fund which will result in nearly 400 individuals already placed in permanent supportive housing to lose their homes within 6 months. In addition, no homeless families will be able to be served under the program. A PORTION OF THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN RESTORED; and, 
  • $19 million for the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), which will reduce the amount of funding for low- and no-interest loans that help low-income first-time homebuyers purchase homes in the District.

The following measures will not be cut:  

  • $20 million business tax break enacted in FY 2009;
  • $141 million in tax cuts provided to DC’s wealthiest residents several years ago.

To learn how you can take action or learn more about these issues, contact me at DBRoumell@wowonline.org.

Debbie Billet-Roumell is the coordinator of the DC Women’s Agenda, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation that is a coalition of advocacy organizations, service providers, and individuals working to promote the advancement of equality, safety and well-being for women and girls in the District. It is chaired by the DC Employment Justice Center and Wider Opportunities for Women.

Conversation on poverty in Montgomery County generates more than just talk.

Posted on by Sharon Levin

Last week, I was one of the lucky people who participated in the “Conversation on Poverty in Montgomery County” that Rebecca Wagner, Executive Director of Interfaith Works, blogged about last week.

The session that I attended was wonderful.

The room was filled with a cross-section of the Montgomery County community — concerned citizens, religious leaders, government representatives, philanthropists, advocates, direct service providers–the list goes on. And, everyone was committed to having a very serious conversation about poverty in Montgomery County.

Now, I must make a confession. Generally, I am not a big fan of facilitated meetings like this. Far too often, they consist of hours of talk that often veer off subject and lead to nothing happening.

And a year later, we have the same meeting and the same discussion again.

The conversation that Rebecca organized was just the opposite.

I participated in in-depth discussions about the challenges of bringing attention to the needs of the poor in Montgomery County when the public perception is that there isn’t much poverty in the County because it is so wealthy.

Sadly, the fact is that there are tens of thousands of people living below the federal poverty line in Montgomery County. And, because the cost of living in the County is so high, there are even more people who live there but cannot afford to support themselves and their families.

In addition, the County is very large and its population is very diverse (we tend to forget that there are still farms in Montgomery County), which poses unique obstacles to providing services that are accessible and appropriate. And, the demographic make-up of the County has been changing rapidly, which makes it hard for service-providers to keep up with the need.

The great news is that these Conversations have accomplished Interfaith Works’ goal – as a result of these convenings, other meetings are going to be held.

Most notably, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is going to host a meeting on October 10th to discuss an agenda to address these problems. For more information about this meeting, please contact Diana Day at the County HHS.

Here at The Women’s Foundation, this conversation feeds into our work in many ways.  It sets the stage for some meetings we will be holding on women and poverty later this year. It informs us of the needs in the County as we formulate our funding priorities for the next year.  And, it gives us the opportunity to learn about the work being done by nonprofits that we may not have worked with yet.

All in all, the Conversation on Poverty was a true success.

Sharon Levin is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Policy Advocacy.

Grantee Partner explains why the color green can wake up a nation.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Earlier this week, Deborah Avens, executive director of Virtuous Enterprises–a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation–offered a blog post highlighting her take on the recent news around the economy. 

Deborah explained in her post, "Why the Color Green Can Wake up a Nation," "’We must act now!’ are four words that have gained great momentum to bail out financial institutions (green giants) on the verge of bankruptcy or closure. These words have radically shaken the corporate giants and current administration from a deep sleep because they no longer see green, but red.  The words, ‘We must act now’ did not gain its popularity from the failing financial institutions. These words have been quite popular among advocates that have been working to restore the vitality of our debilitating communities due to spiritual, economical, and social woes.

To read the full post with examples of some of the most urgent issues that Deborah sees impacting low-income families every day, as well as posts on other topics–particularly those affecting women–visit her blog, Sister Table Talk.