Representatives from WSOS Community Action Commission in Fremont, Ohio and the Welfare Reform Liaison Project (WRLP) in Greensboro, North Carolina participated in the day-long White House Summer Jobs Plus Summit on January 4th. WRLP President and CEO Rev. Odell Cleveland, WRLP former program participant Ish Hinson, WSOS Development Specialist Kerrie Carte, WSOS former summer youth participant Kasey Peterson, and Oak Harbor Village Administrator Robert Pauley were invited to this special summit and proudly represented our national Community Action Movement.

In addition to meeting President Obama, Ms. Carte and Rev. Cleveland had the opportunity to speak with President Obama during their small group discussion session. Our Community Action colleagues also got to speak with DOL Secretary Hilda Solis. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service Robert Velasco, and Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett also participated in the summit. Discussion focused on creating pathways to employment for youth, exemplary corporate partners that provide summer jobs and opportunities, and career opportunities for young people.

From left: Reverend Odell Cleveland, President/CEO, Welfare Reform Liaison Project, Inc.;
Secretary of Labor Hilda L.Solis; and Ishmael Hinson, Visual Media Consultant, Welfare Reform Liaison Project, Inc.

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From left: Sherry Peterson; her daughter, summer youth participant Kasey Peterson; and Kerrie Carte, Development Specialist, WSOS Community Action Commission

Jon Bon Jovi posed with the Petersons and Kerrie Carte

Live Audio Conference—
The Politics of Economic Opportunity:
Will Growing Poverty Affect Election 2012?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 9:30 a.m. – Noon

If you are unable to attend Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity’s upcoming forum in person, you can now join the forum by live audio conference. The event, sponsored by Spotlight with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will examine how the struggles facing growing numbers of low-income families will affect the 2012 elections. The forum will also include the release of new polling data from Spotlight that looks at how voter concerns about growing poverty are influencing perceptions about candidates.

Maureen Bunyan of ABC 7 News and a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists will serve as emcee. The forum will present two panel discussions featuring major national pollsters, political analysts and members of the media. Sterling Speirn, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, will provide remarks.
CLICK HERE to register for the live audio conference.

9:30 am. - Welcome and release of polling data
10:00 am - How will the problems facing low-income Americans influence 2012 election strategy?

Moderator: John Harris Editor-in-Chief POLITICO Celinda Lake President Lake Research Partners Jim McLaughlin President & Partner McLaughlin & Associates

Neera Tanden President Center for American Progress Dave Winston President The Winston Group

11:00 am - How have the country's continuing economic struggles affected media coverage of poverty?

Moderator: Clarence Page Op-Ed Columnist Chicago Tribune E.J. Dionne Op-Ed Columnist The Washington Post Pam Fessler Correspondent, Poverty & Philanthropy NPR

Michael Gerson Op-Ed Columnist The Washington Post Bob Herbert Distinguished Senior Fellow Demos Former Op-Ed Columnist The New York Times

REGISTER NOW

The forum also will be recorded and posted on the Spotlight website
following the event. For more information, please contact Tamanna Mansury at tamanna@thehatchergroup.com.

Community Action addresses the wealth and mobility gap
Send your stories to be included in The Promise magazine

As the unemployment rate grows and jobs remain scarce—factors that are keeping people out of work for months and even years—and movements like Occupy Wall Street have sprung up in communities across the country, the national media and pundits have started taking notice of the wealth and mobility gap between the so-called “99%,” many of whom are struggling to make ends meet, and the “1%” that are the country’s wealthiest.

For the Winter issue of The Promise magazine, Don Mathis will provide an overview of the wealth and mobility gap, and he is looking for examples of how it is affecting your community and how your CAA is addressing it.

For example, you might be seeing more formerly middle class/economically secure families and individuals asking for assistance and utilizing your services—such as food banks— after a job loss. Maybe these people used to be donors or volunteers at your CAA and never thought they’d need assistance themselves. And, as a result, perhaps your CAA has started specific initiatives to address their unique needs that may differ from your regular program participants.

Send us your stories:

• Submit a compelling tidbit based on the description above. Feel free to also include a quote from your Executive Director, Board Chair, or program manager.

• Please include 1-2 related photos and captions. The photos should portray “Community Action in Action”—people, projects, works-in-progress (no ribbon-cuttings, political “photo ops,” or meeting shots please). Photos with program participants are preferred.

• Email your responses and photos (cc photos to dstewart@communityactionpartnership.com) to Don, dmathis@communityactionpartnership.com, with the subject line “wealth and mobility gap.”

• Deadline for entries is Monday, January 23 by 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

From our colleagues at the U.S. Department of the Treasury*, Financial Management Service, here is an important reminder about the mandatory switch from paper checks to electronic payments for federal benefits and why it is more convenient for the recipients. Please share with your program participants if applicable.

*The Partnership is a national partner with Treasury’s Go Direct campaign, which is helping to raise awareness of the new electronic payments system for federal benefits.

Winter Storms Can Be Hazardous to Federal Benefit Checks: Encourage Your Program Participants to Switch to Electronic Payments

All federal benefit check recipients are required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to switch to electronic payments by March 1, 2013. It’s important that we urge the people we serve to switch now instead of waiting for the deadline.

The winter months are the perfect time to highlight the reliability and convenience of electronic payments. Ice, snow and subzero temperatures can leave people trapped in their homes and temporarily halt mail delivery. When this happens, people who rely on paper federal benefit checks can be stuck without access to their money, making an already difficult situation even worse.

By encouraging people to switch to electronic payments, we can help ensure that they get their money on time no matter what winter brings. With electronic payments, money is there on payment day and there’s no need to make a trip to cash or deposit a check.

The Treasury Department recommends two electronic payment options: direct deposit to a bank or credit union account or the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card account. People can make the switch by going to www.GoDirect.org or by calling the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at (800) 333-1795.

For information and to download free materials to help you share this important message, visit www.GoDirect.org and the online Winter Weather Tool Kit, http://www.godirect.org/partners/toolkits/community/winter-weather-tool-kit/.

 

Obama Administration Announces 2011 Promise Neighborhoods Grant Winners
20 Communities Secure Funding to Plan, Implement Cradle-to-Career Education Model
December 19, 2011

Senior officials from the Obama Administration announced today that five organizations will receive the first round of Promise Neighborhoods implementation grants, and another 15 organizations will receive a second round of planning grants. Grantees, comprised of nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and an Indian tribe, will put school improvement at the center of local efforts to revitalize underserved neighborhoods.

More than 200 organizations from 45 states, as well as American Samoa and Puerto Rico, applied for 2011 Promise Neighborhoods planning and implementation grants.

“I commend all communities that are putting education at the center of efforts to fight poverty in urban and rural areas,” said Melody Barnes, domestic policy advisor to President Obama. “The goal of Promise Neighborhoods is to provide the resources and support young people need to succeed while transforming distressed neighborhoods into communities of opportunity.”

The five new implementation grants will be awarded a first-year grant of up to $6 million, totaling up to $30 million across the life of the grant, which will support implementing plans to provide cradle-to-career services that improve the educational achievement and healthy development of children. The second round of $500,000 planning grants will fund planning activities to transform 15 new communities into Promise Neighborhoods.

“Promise Neighborhoods recognizes that children need to be surrounded by systems of support inside and outside of the classroom to help them be successful in school and beyond,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The 20 grantees announced today are spread out across the country, reflecting a broader nationwide movement to revitalize struggling communities by providing better access to health care, social and safety services partnered by great schools.”

The Promise Neighborhoods program aims to address significant challenges faced by students and families living in high-poverty communities by providing resources to plan and implement a continuum of services from early learning to college and career. Plans include a range of services from improving a neighborhood’s health, safety, and stability to expanding access to learning technology and Internet connectivity, and boosting family engagement in student learning.

President Obama recently highlighted Promise Neighborhoods in the Creating Pathways to Opportunity report that describes steps the administration has taken to reverse the growing income gap and create opportunity for all Americans. The program is also at the center of the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), which seeks to align federal housing, education, justice, and health programs with the overarching goal of transforming neighborhoods of concentrated poverty into neighborhoods of opportunity.

In an effort to integrate public service programs, Promise Neighborhoods applicants received competitive points for targeting neighborhoods participating in Choice Neighborhoods or Hope VI, affordable housing transformation programs supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with the U.S. Department of Education to align housing, neighborhood development, and education resources to expand opportunity in some of our most distressed communities,” said U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan.

Each of the five Promise Neighborhoods implementation grantees will also be eligible for funding from the Department of Justice to support and expand their public safety strategy.

“Students, families, teachers and principals need support to create safe environments in our nation's schools,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. “The Department of Justice is committed to working with these grantees and their public safety partners to coordinate investments and initiatives that prevent and reduce crime throughout Promise Neighborhoods.”

Promise Neighborhoods, launched in 2010, made available a total of $10 million for one-year planning grants to 21 communities across the country. The 2011 grants announced today will reach an additional 16 communities. Between both rounds, 18 states and D.C. will have plans in place to help revitalize disadvantaged neighborhoods. Congress passed an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2012 that includes another $60 million for Promise Neighborhoods.

To learn more, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html.

A complete list of 2011 Promise Neighborhoods grantees follows.

The five Promise Neighborhoods implementation grantees are:

• Westminster Foundation (Buffalo, N.Y.)
• Northside Achievement Zone (Minneapolis, Minn.)
• Berea College (Clay, Jackson, and Owsley Counties, Ky.)
• United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County, Inc. (San Antonio, Texas)
• California State University – East Bay (Hayward, Calif.)

The 15 Promise Neighborhoods planning grantees are:

• Mission Economic Development Agency (San Francisco)
• Reading and Beyond (Fresno, Calif.)
• Mercer University (Macon, Ga.)
• Community Action Project of Tulsa (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Elmezzi Foundation (New York)
• South Bay Community Services (Chula Vista, Calif.)
• Black Family Development (Detroit, Mich.)
• Children Youth and Family Services (Charlottesville, Va.)
• CAMBA (New York)
• SGA Youth and Family Services (Chicago)
• Ohio University (Glouster, Ohio)
• Meriden Children’s First (Meriden, Conn.)
• Martha O’Bryan Center (Nashville, Tenn.)
• Catholic Charities of Albany (Hudson, N.Y.)
• Campo Band of Mission Indians (Campo, Calif.)

Thanks to Kristy Anderson, MPP, and our great colleagues at the American Heart Association for their leadership on this issue. Childhood, youth obesity disproportionately hurts low-income students and young people.

---

January 9, 2012

The Honorable Tom Harkin, Chairman
The Honorable Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi:

The undersigned organizations thank you for including provisions in your committee mark for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2011 that support quality physical education and nutrition education in our nation’s schools. These programs help provide a sound foundation for the development of healthy and productive adults.

Childhood obesity in the United States is at epidemic proportions. The number of overweight pre-schoolers jumped 36 percent from 1999-2000 and nearly one in three children are obese or overweight.
Since children spend the majority of their time in school, it is critical that our educational institutions support and encourage activities and curricular instruction that allow students to be physically active and obtain the knowledge and skills they will need to enjoy a lifetime of good health. Furthermore, research has found a strong correlation between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and higher academic performance.

National guidelines recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, and preferably every day of the week, with 30 minutes of it taking place during the school day. However, only 3.8 percent of elementary, 7.9 percent of middle, and 2.1 percent of high schools currently provide daily physical education or its equivalent for the entire school year. Twenty-two percent of schools do not require students to take any physical education at all.

Physical education programs are essential to protecting the health of the nation’s children, but they are only part of the equation. Students also need to learn about good nutrition habits so they can balance calories with physical activity. Research has shown that many children do not achieve caloric balance, which can lead to excess weight gain and obesity. We commend you for the including the following in the committee mark that will help to provide both quality physical education and nutrition activities.

• Under the newly consolidated Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students State Grants, states that receive a grant shall be required to establish a statewide physical education requirement consistent with widely-recognized standards.

• States that accept grant funding will also be required to collect and/or use existing available data that allow school personnel to examine, measure, and improve school-level conditions for learning.

• Physical education indicators will inform school personnel as well as parents about the quality of their school’s physical education program and if necessary, take appropriate corrective actions.

• Grant recipients will be required to allocate not less than 20 percent of the funds to promote physical activity, education, fitness, and nutrition.

Thank you again for championing programs that incorporate physical activity and nutrition into the school environment. We believe that incorporating health in an education bill is a win/win for students– both physically and academically. We look forward to working with you to preserve and strengthen these measures as the bill moves forward in the legislative process.

Sincerely,

A World Fit For Kids! Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Action for Healthy Kids Active Network Alliance of the American Dental Association American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation American Association on Health and Disability American Council on Exercise American Diabetes Association American Heart Association American Institute for Cancer Research American Medical Athletic Association American Public Health Association American Running Association American Society of Bariatric Physicians Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Association of State & Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors California Center for Public Health Advocacy CANFIT Center for Science in the Public Interest Chicago Healthy Schools Campaign Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition Community Action Partnership Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children Consumer Federation of America Defeat Diabetes Foundation Directors of Health Promotion and Education Earth Day Network El Camino Children and Family Services Everlast Climbing First Focus Campaign for Children Fitness Forward HopeLab

Indiana Rural Health Association International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association KaBOOM! League of American Bicyclists Marathon Kids MEND Foundation MYZONE National Association for Sport and Physical Education National Association of Chronic Disease Directors National Association of County and City Health Officials National Association of School Nurses National Athletic Trainers’ Association National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity National Congress of Black Women, Inc. National PTA National WIC Association Obesity Action Coalition Ohio Public Health Association Papa Ola Lokahi (Native Hawaiian Health Board) Partners for a Healthy Nevada Playworks Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Safe Routes to School National Partnership Save the Children School Nutrition Association Shape Up America! South Carolina Eat Smart, Move More Coalition SPARK Programs Street Soccer USA The Cooper Institute TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy Trust for America's Health United Fresh Produce Association United States Tennis Association Up2Us Zamzee

 

Statement by Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs:

The nation is fortunate that Cecilia Munoz is assuming the role of Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Cecilia is a lifelong advocate for justice and opportunity for immigrant families. While at Catholic Charities in Chicago in the 1980s, she helped thousands of families under the Reagan era legalization program. Later, as a senior vice president at the National Council of La Raza, Cecilia was a tireless defender of low-income children and families and a leader in the community of human needs advocates. Her work was recognized by the MacArthur Foundation in 2000, when she received one of their prestigious Fellowships (commonly known as the MacArthur "genius" grants) for her human rights achievements. She has continued her advocacy as the Obama Administration's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and will have even more opportunities in this new and important appointment.

I know I am joined by a great many human needs advocates in boundless admiration for Cecilia Munoz, and confidence that her work at the Domestic Policy Council will be marked by her deep concern for the millions of American families struggling to climb into the middle class, or not fall out of it. An essential part of that concern is Cecilia's commitment to tear down barriers now preventing millions of immigrants from full inclusion in the American community. We share these goals, and look forward to working with Cecilia and the Obama Administration to bring them closer to realization.

HEARTWOOD: SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA'S ARTISAN GATEWAY NAMED TO
USA TODAY TOP 10 LIST
American Style magazine and USA Today name the "10 great places to shop at crafts galleries"

Completed by Spectrum Design in June 2011, Heartwood: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway has been named to USA Today's list of '10 great places to shop at crafts galleries' by American Style magazine. The 30,000 sq. foot facility in Abingdon, Va. is designed to celebrate the heritage of Appalachian arts and crafts. developer and owner, People Incorporated is the developer and owner of Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway. Located in Abingdon, Virginia, the 30,000 square-foot building sits on eight acres alongside Interstate 81. The LEED Certified building will feature artisan galleries, a premium restaurant and food court with locally supplied organic fare, video portraits of musicians, craftspeople, and places to visit. Rob Goldsmith, Region III Representative on the Partnership board of directors, is the President and CEO of People, Inc.

In the USA Today article, Wendy Rosen, editor of American Style magazine explains why Heartwood was chosen:

"You can get something to eat and do some great shopping as well," Rosen says. She suggests checking out the walking sticks, fiber art and furniture, which only large stores such as Heartwood have the space to carry."

In addition, Heartwood received a statewide First Lady's Opportunity Hall of Fame award from Maureen McDonnell on Friday. The awards are part of The First Lady's Initiatives Team Effort (FLITE), which Mrs. McDonnell launched last year to recognize programs, activities, organizations and individuals who embody the ideal of creating a Commonwealth of Opportunity in their communities.

Earlier this year, Heartwood was also named a Top Summer Getaway by The Washington Post.
For more information about Heartwood, visit www.heartwoodvirginia.org.

 

Audit Audacity
Date: January 26, 2012
Time: 2:00 P.M. EST
Length: One hour
Pricing: Free to attendees

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Speakers
Terence Cook, MPA and Scott Goldberg, CPA
Scott Goldberg

Biography

Terence Cook has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and local government, both in his native Great Britain and internationally. Prior to joining FMA, Terence was Director of Finance and Operations at the Stonewall Community Foundation where he managed all aspects of the fiscal, I.T. and H.R. functions of a charitable foundation, granting $1,000,000 per year to LGBTQ community-based organizations.

Scott Goldberg has an extensive background in advising his clients in best business approaches to diversified accounting and management issues. As a member of MBAF ERE’s Non-Profit Services Group, his expertise encompasses serving non-profit organizations such as charter schools, charitable, cultural and health and welfare organizations, including audits of federal awards in accordance with OMB Circular A-133 and other third-party reimbursements.

Summary:
The training will cover tips, tools and tactics to prepare organizations for successful completion of an A-133 audit. Cook and Goldberg will present key concepts vital in navigating the audit mine field. The webinar will also be interactive in nature and offer the opportunity to ask real-time questions.

Attendee Takeaways:
• A better understanding of A-133 audits and how to prepare for them.
• Basic tools to assist in preparing and completing an A-133 audit.

Who Should Attend:
• Executive Leadership
• Board Members

 

CCAP-Executive Skills Portfolio

Join us for a Webinar on January 20
REGISTER NOW!

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/732648600

This webinar will provide attendees an overiew of the Executive Skills Portfolio, the second of three steps in the CCAP process. Jim Lopresti will provide an overview of the ESP and provide time for questions and answers.

Title: CCAP-Executive Skills Portfolio
Date: Friday, January 20, 2012
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

 

Be a part of the future of Community Action!

Why Join Community Action Partnership?

Agencies like yours continue to shape the vision and the future of Community Action. A strong network puts you in touch with your colleagues across the country and gives your agency a unified voice... and a vital communications link to federal agencies and other organizations, both public and private, that share or support the mission and the Promise of Community Action.

Your energy and involvement have helped to keep Community Action Partnership responsive to your needs and built the strongest Community Action Network ever. Membership gives you more than ever before ... access to training, publications, educational resources, and management tools which help you run a CAA more productively.

Take an active part in your network. Complete your application and become a member of Community Action Partnership today. Click here for the 2012 Membership form.