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When it comes to walking the talk of city leadership, it just doesn't get any better than Angela Hunt...
Unfair Park - Hunting Down the Garbage Some Sanitation Workers Contend With
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/06/hunting_down_the_garbage_sanit.php
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SingleStop developed a quick one-stop shop at 59 sites across New York. In 15 minutes, the organization's software tools calculate a family's eligibility for a host of benefits—public assistance ... SingleStop counselors then provide families with tailored legal and financial advice...This looks like an amazing organization. My hope is that they begin thinking collaboratively about how to work with the rest of us to roll out their product across the country.
The average family in a SingleStop program recouped $1,800 in tax credits and $5,000 in benefits that they weren't previously receiving
For every $1 invested, the program gives clients $3 in benefits, $4 to $13 in legal counseling, $2 in financial counseling, and $11 in tax credits.
Thanks to Foundation Center's Philanthropy News Digest for this important update on one of the country's largest funders of health & human services:
The United Way of America has announced that it will direct most of its giving toward a ten-year effort to halve the high school dropout rate and number of working families struggling financially while increasing by a third the number of youths and adults considered healthy, the Washington Post reports.
Thanks to Philanthropy Journal for the good news in this article:
Foundations aid struggling familiesSee full story here:
As the economy continues to falter, nearly all U.S. foundations are working in some way to help the families hardest hit, a new study says.
Almost nine in 10 foundations support grantmaking that either directly or indirectly aids struggling families, says the Council on Foundations, based on a survey of its 320 member funders.
Almost one in three foundations has increased its funding in this area this year, and about four in 10 expect another increase next year.
And one in 20 funders added this area to its grantmaking mix this year.
About 15 percent say they are funding efforts directly related to the subprime-mortgage crisis, the study says, and 8 percent expect to increase that assistance next year.
With worries about the stock market looming, more than half of foundations overall, and two-thirds of corporate and independent foundations, say future market declines will not affect their grantmaking.
However, more than half of community foundations expect to give less next year, the report says, and 46 percent anticipate maintaining current giving levels.
NPR reports on the naming of the New Head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeff Raikes.
Good luck, Mr. Raikes. The world's eyes are on you.
No pressure, though: you're only out to tackle global poverty, disease and homelessness.
Quoth the Chairman:
"In the rich world, problems like baldness get funded with billions, whereas the things that really kill lots of people, like malaria and TB, used to get basically nothing. Those are what we're going after in health."That's a big hat you gotta wear, Mr. Raikes. Hope you've got some strong shoulders.
Phil Cubeta' recently blogged an article from Larry James on Gift Hub: Food Bank Visits Up. Here's a complementary piece on Red Orbit:
Food Charities Show Increase for Demand
It's going to take more than charity to end hunger.
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The Dallas Morning News ran an op-ed that said "Keep your dollar, help the homeless." It's an interesting read.
I am torn.
If you take away all my money, my home, my family -- every support system I have -- I am sure that I would really appreciate all that you could give to the Stewpot or the Bridge.
I am pretty certain I could also really use a nice drink or two, preferably in your company.
What do you think?
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Thanks to our friends at the Pursuant Group for quickly re-editing our Destination Home video for today's deadline for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives' "Portraits of Compassion" video story contest.
I cannot praise their work enough. The original video was a very tight 4:36, but I had to cut it down to under 3:30 for this competition. I gave them 24 hours notice... and they still pulled it off. I hope that you enjoy their work, and consider contacting them. Let them know that you saw their work for CDM!
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RAISE Texas was incorporated in 2007. It was formally known as the Texas Asset Building Coalition:
Thanks to a grant from Bank of America, you can just type in your zip code and you will find contact information and the website for the nearest IDA programs, free tax preparation sites, homebuyer education and financial education programs and classes, small business information and technical assistance providers, debt management organizations, and much more.
Go to http://www.covenantcapital.org/html/publicpolicy/search
Thank you to Channel 8 for posting your coverage of Central Dallas Ministries' press conference online here:
http://www.wfaa.com/video/index.html?nvid=232336&shu=1
WHO:
Central Dallas Ministries, CommuniCare; Baylor Health Care System; Abbott, AstraZeneca, Merck, and Novartis.
WHAT:
News conference announcing partnership that will provide no-cost prescription drug program for uninsured families in Dallas.
WHEN:
April 2, 2008 – 11:00 a.m.
WHERE:
Central Dallas Ministries’ Health Clinic, 801 N. Peak Street, Dallas TX
The news conference will announce the partnership between Central Dallas Ministries (www.CentralDallasMinistries.org) and CommuniCare (www.CommuniCare.us), including how the two will work together to serve working uninsured patients in the next year in the Dallas area. This is the first time CommuniCare is moving outside the borders of South Carolina to bring its no-cost prescription drug program to the working uninsured in other states.
Several patients will be available for interviews, as well as the following speakers:
About Central Dallas Ministries
Celebrating its 20th year of service to the community, Central Dallas Ministries is one of the largest, most effective faith-based organizations in North Texas. CDM operates a network of hunger relief, healthcare, housing, legal service, employment training and educational programs serving more than 30,000 people throughout the Greater Dallas area. CDM's health programs alone distributed over 17,000 prescriptions to 2,024 uninsured patients during 2007.
About CommuniCare
CommuniCare is an innovative model of non-governmental healthcare intervention serving more than 14,000 patients in 46 South Carolina counties. This safety net of care provides needed medical information, treatment and medications at no cost to the working uninsured in our state who do not qualify for Medicaid, Medicare or VA insurance. CommuniCare also operates Smiles, five pediatric dental care programs caring for more than 5,000 children from limited income families who would not otherwise have access to oral healthcare. CommuniCare works through a unique network of 2500 volunteer physicians, 11 pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies and hospitals that donate their services and prescription drugs to approved patients.
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Here's an editorial from the New York Times that is likely going to ruffle a few feathers.
How Immigrants Saved Social Security
Immigration is good for the financial health of Social Security because more workers mean more tax revenue. Illegal immigration, it turns out, is even better than legal immigration. In the fine print of the 2008 annual report on Social Security, released last week, the program’s trustees noted that growing numbers of “other than legal” workers are expected to bolster the program over the coming decades.
One reason is that many undocumented workers pay taxes during their work lives but don’t collect benefits later. Another is that undocumented workers are entering the United States at ever younger ages and are expected to have more children while they’re here than if they arrived at later ages. The result is a substantial increase in the number of working-age people paying taxes, but a relatively smaller increase in the number of retirees who receive benefits — a double boon to Social Security’s bottom line.
We’re not talking chump change. According to the report, the taxes paid by other-than-legal immigrants will close 15 percent of the system’s projected long-term deficit. That’s equivalent to raising the payroll tax by 0.3 percentage points, starting today.
That is not to suggest that illegal immigration is a legitimate fix to Social Security’s problems. It is another reminder, however, of the nation’s complex relationship with undocumented workers. Would the people who want to deport all undocumented workers be willing to make up the difference and pay the taxes that the undocumented are currently paying?
It is also a reminder of Social Security’s dynamism. As society and the economy evolve, so does the system, responding not only to changes in immigration and fertility, but also in wage growth and other variables. As such, it is adaptable to the 21st century, if only the political will can be found to champion the necessary changes. Those include modest tax increases and moderate benefit cuts that could be phased in over decades — provided the country gets started soon.
Featuring the stories of some of our formerly homeless neighbors who now have housing through Central Dallas Ministries. This video debuted at the Urban Ministries Prayer Breakfast with Tom Leppert, the Mayor of Dallas.
This is the second year that we've presented a video at the Prayer Breakfast related to homelessness. Last year, when we were joined by the candidates for Mayor (including Tom Leppert), we presented this video that includes interviews of people who are still living on the streets.
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Thanks to pegasusnews.com for connecting us to Michael Davis of Dallas Progress and his article:
Superstars on the Rise
Michael is not a fundraiser. But he understands that we must argue for a shift of resources -- financial capital, social capital and human resources -- before we can drive change in depressed communities like Turner Courts.
Keep up the good fight, Mike. And thanks for citing Central Dallas Ministries' Dr. Janet Morrison and her blog, Janet Morrison's Community Dialogue, in your article.
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I received this email from my dear friend, Sonia "Hardest Working Woman Not in Showbiz" White, who is the director of CDM's Nurture, Knowledge and Nutrition program. NKN will distribute over 600,000 meals to low-income youth through a network of over 160 after-school and summer youth programs.
If you operate a youth program, you should visit the NKN site to learn how Sonia might be able to pay for 100% of your food costs.
Anyway, back to Sonia's email.
Sonia is a tireless advocate for the poor, paticularly children. She inspired me to submit my recent application for the Bread for the World's Hunger Justice Leaders program (see my blog here).
Here is her email:
I have always been offended by people using the term "food-insecure" rather than "hungry" because I felt it was an attempt to make something that didn't sound so nice sound a little less offensive...
From now on, I am making it a point of not using the term "food insecure". Let's call it what it is!!!
Blue Collar, Bare Cupboards -- In These Times
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3574/blue_collar_bare_cupboards/
This op-ed in today's Dallas Morning News by Rev. Gerald Britt is well worth reading. One of the major difficulties that fundraisers for social service organizations face is the inability to raise funds throughout the year, not just in "the season of giving."
We all need to find ways to ask our donors the questions that Rev. Britt asks below. And, even more importantly, we need to work at helping them to understand the importance of their answers.
Have you ever had someone come into your day very briefly, only to to have them leave an indellible mark on your life? Robert Egger, Founder of DC Central Kitchen, is one such person for me.
I have only met Robert once, when I was at an AFP conference in San Antonio, Texas. He delivered the most rockin' presentation of the entire week. I spoke with him for a few minutes afterwards, and will never forget his passion and genuine drive to change our world.
He has a fantastic blog, both in terms of content as well as delivery. He is travelling the country, and his blog features his writing as well as videos he has recorded. It is definitely worth checking out.
Here is a video from his recent trip to Austin, Texas. He makes some great points about the problems within the "poverty industry":
» RobertEgger.org » Is Your House Rockin? (Video)
WARNING: This is possibly one of the most addictive games I've ever played.
FreeRice
How to Play
A new report from the Internal Revenue Service shows the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans earned a record 21.2 percent of all income in 2005 — up from 19 percent in 2004.
Meanwhile, the bottom 50 percent earned 12.8 percent of all income, down from 13.4 percent in 2004. According to the IRS, the median tax-filer’s overall income fell 2 percent between 2004 and 2005.
(sigh)
Charity is not enough. See the string here:
http://www.gifthub.org/2007/11/from-history-ne.html
As I read Trent Stamp's most recent blog, I recalled an earlier post from Slate Magazine's Darshak Sanghavi entitled, "Is it cost effective to treat the world's poor?"
(a good read in its own right)
In his blog, Trent Stamp's Take, Mr. Stamp describes how "U.S. lawmakers recently held hearings to announce that foundations need to do a better job of giving funding to people living below the poverty line, especially minorities and those living in rural communities. Some members of Congress even advocated changing the tax code so that only donations to groups that serve the poor were fully tax-deductible. According to our elected leaders, our poor are not being served by foundations and high-end donors who have abandoned them for other causes."
His full post, "We're All to Blame for this Travesty," is well worth your time.
DISCUSSION: What do you think is the best approach to poverty?
