September 24 , 2009
The Community Action Partnership is in the
2009 Combined Federal Campaign.
Our CFC number for designating donations is 80371.
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Senate Confirmation of
Carmen Nazario as Assistant Secretary for Children and FamiliesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Carmen Nazario as Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. In that role, she will oversee the Administration for Children and Families within HHS.
"Carmen Nazario has a distinguished record of more than 40 years working in human services at every level of government, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors," said Secretary Sebelius. "She has devoted her career to developing and implementing programs that promote the well-being of children and families, and she will build on that important work as Assistant Secretary for Children and Families."
Bio | Until her recent nomination, Carmen Nazario was an Assistant Professor at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, where she taught social policy and coordinated the Social Work Practicum at the School of Social Work. Nazario has vast experience in public service with a focus on improving services to children and families within the United States and around the world, dating back to 1968. From January 2003 - December 2008, she served as Administrator of the Administration for Children and Families for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where she led an agency of 4,000 staff with a budget of over $220 million. Prior to that, she served as the Senior Resident Investigator for the Jordan Poverty Alleviation Program, where she developed and implemented a national poverty reduction strategy for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and advised leaders in the nation on the delivery of social services. During the Clinton Administration, she first served as Associate Commissioner for Child Care in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families and later became the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Nazario joined the Clinton Administration after serving as Secretary of Health and Social Services for the State of Delaware from 1993-1997, and, prior to that, she was the Director of Social Services in Norfolk, Virginia, and Loudon County, Virginia. Nazario has held a number of national leadership roles, including Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American Public Welfare Association, President of the National Council of Local Public Welfare Administrators, and Secretary of the National Council of State Human Service Administrators. Nazario is from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She received a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico in 1967, and was awarded her Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work in 1973.
H1N1 Flu: A Guide for Community and
Faith-based OrganizationsHHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released an easy-to-read, 30 page “H1N1 Flu: A Guide for Community and Faith-based Organizations.” HHS recognizes that Community Action Agencies have earned the trust of people in the neighborhoods and communities they serve. You can download a copy of the guide at www.flu.gov or at www.hhs.gov/partnership or just click here.
To sign up for the HHS listserv for future information, go to www.hhs.gov/partnership and click “Join the Mailing List” under the “Newsletter” box on the left-hand side of the screen.
NUMBER OF UNINSURED IN AMERICA
Thanks to Debbie Weinstein and our other great colleagues at the Coalition on Human Needs, here’s a strategy for your consideration to help generate some thoughtful media interest on the impact of poverty in your community.
Light the Way with New Lighting Fixtures
at a Fraction of Their Retail CostOur friends at Gifts-in-Kind have received an extraordinary donation of new indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, from track lighting and wall sconces to motion-sensor lights and ceiling fans. Don't miss this opportunity to order high-quality products to illuminate new and renovated homes, shelters, offices and community centers both indoors and out - any housing program that supports people or a community in need. Perfect for nonprofits dedicated to building or refurbishing homes or community structures. Click on the link for the application form and additional information on ordering the lighting for your agency.
You can read more about this particular donation at the following link: http://www.giftsinkind.org/lighttheway.htm
SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS
Thanks to Shadi Houshyar at First Focus, the Partnership joined with many other national organizations in support of "H.R. 3531, the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections for Separated Children Act,” introduced by Rep. Lynn Woolsey. Increased ICE enforcement has resulted in thousands of children being separated from their parents. It is difficult for parents to make arrangements and maintain communication with their children from immigration detention. In the most serious cases, children end up in foster care or may even have parental rights terminated. The proposed HELP Act would provide critical, nationwide protocols to protect the rights of vulnerable populations and help keep children with their parents or caregivers. Our letter to Congress appears below.
August 28, 2009
RE:
Support for H.R. 3531, The Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections for Separated Children Act
Dear Member of Congress:
We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to support the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections for Separated Children Act, sponsored by Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). This bill would implement critically needed reforms to protect children, families and communities impacted by immigration enforcement.
Enforcement activities conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) and local law enforcement agencies operating under agreement with ICE too often result in unnecessary harm to children, families and communities. In recent years, ICE has arrested and detained hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have jobs, homes and U.S. citizen children. Parents who are detained are separated from their children, sometimes permanently, and always at great cost to the family’s well-being and the community.
At a time when immigration enforcement is expanding, the HELP Separated Children Act would provide critical, nationwide protocols to help keep children with their parents or caregivers and out of the foster care system while their parent’s or caregiver’s case is pending by ensuring that vulnerable populations apprehended during immigration enforcement activities are identified and treated with dignity.
When ICE or its surrogates apprehend a parent or caregiver there is no requirement that they be given the opportunity to make childcare arrangements. Furthermore, once they are detained, there is no requirement that parents or caregivers be informed of the location of their children, nor are there any procedures in place to inform children or dependents of the whereabouts of their parents and caregivers. Many parents and caregivers are deported and are unable to arrange to have their children join them in their home country. When children are left behind at any stage in the process they have a high likelihood of ending up in the foster care system.
The HELP Separated Children Act establishes guidelines to regulate immigration enforcement activities to ensure they do not compromise the well-being and unity of children and families. Specifically, the legislation would regulate the initial processing of each individual apprehended, and require the involvement of state and local social service agencies, working in cooperation with local community organizations, to coordinate screenings for vulnerable populations.
The HELP Separated Children Act would also establish a protocol for the release of designated vulnerable individuals, either into the community on bond or parole, or into non-custodial alternatives to detention programs. This bill would save taxpayers millions of dollars and enable members of these vulnerable population groups to return to their families and communities while they go through the immigration system.
Additionally, the HELP Separated Children Act limits enforcement activities in safe zones and the involvement of children in enforcement activities, and would help family members locate those who are detained. It would also ensure that U.S. citizen and lawfully present children in the foster care system as a result of their parent, guardian or caregiver’s detention or deportation receive appropriate care and would provide for improved coordination and communication between all the entities involved in the care of separated children and the custody of their parent or caregiver.
We urge you to support this legislation to restore our nation’s commitment to family values, human rights, due process, and civil liberties. The federal government’s current apprehension methods and detention and removal policies have resulted in traumatized children and broken families. The HELP Separated Children Act will ensure that, as we enforce our laws, we protect the sanctity of the family in American society and uphold our values as a just and dignified nation.
Sincerely,
National Organizations
America’s Promise Alliance
ACLU
Alianza: National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence
American Families United
American Immigration Lawyers Association
American Muslim Voice
American Psychiatric Association
American Humane Association
Amnesty International
Asian American Justice Center
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Children’s Alliance
Children’s Defense Fund
Church World Service, Immigration and Refugee Program
Coalition on Human Needs
Community Action Partnership
Dominican Sisters of Houston
Family Violence Prevention Fund
First Focus
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center
Foster Care Alumni of America
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Human Rights Watch
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Immigration Equality
Jubilee Campaign
Kids in Need of Defense
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
Legal Momentum
League of United Latin American Citizens
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Mental Health America
NAACP
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Sheperd
National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC)
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
National Association of Social Workers
National Center for Adoption Law & Policy
National Council of La Raza
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Immigration Forum
National Immigration Law Center
National Foster Care Coalition
NETWORK
Physicians for Human Rights
Salvadoran American National Network
School Social Work Association of America
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sojourners
South Asian Americans Leading Together
The Advocates for Human Rights
The Episcopal Church
The Florence Project
The National Advocacy Center of the Good Shepherd
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
USCCB
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
Voices for America’s Children
Welcoming Immigrants Network
William C. Velasquez Institute
Women’s Refugee Commission
World Organization for Human Rights 2009About 75 state and regional organizations also signed this letter.
Join now for 2010 and get the discounted membership rates!
Thank you for your great support and involvement in 2009. The year has been an exciting one and the outreach to other national organizations, foundations, and the Obama Administration has been stronger, effective, and positive! We need to you standing with us this coming year as we
undertake even greater partnerships and initiatives! Your agency membership is a critical force behind the Partnership's strength. Take a moment to renew your membership for the coming year.The Convention special discounted rate is still available for the 2010 Community Action Partnership membership. Please get a "head start" on your benefits and services for 2010 - including discounted registration for the 2010 Management and Leadership Training Conference in New Orleans. We have not increased our membership dues for 2010 - and you will save on the rates if you respond by October 31st. Thank you!! If you have any questions about membership, please contact Sranda Watkins at (202) 449-9773 or SWatkins@communityactionpartnership.com
Click here to download the Early Membership form with the discounted rates!
Begin the New Year with in-depth learning and sharing of ideas with your colleagues. Our 2010 Management and Leadership Conference will take place at the New Orleans Marriott and will include sessions on:
Head Start
Green Jobs
Job Creation
American Recovery and Reinvestment ActWe will have time set aside for networking round table discussions. Programs, management requirements and techniques are changing and evolving quickly. Learn about best practices, management updates, program developments, and other new ideas from your colleagues in Community Action.
We also will be planning a special Community Service afternoon as part of the 2010 Conference to help continue efforts to rebuild after Katrina. Please watch the eNews and the Promise magazine for additional details. Hotel and registration information will be available by October.
The Partnership left its mark in Philadelphia —look at this flyer about Community Service Day at the zoo! Those are some of the volunteers who made it such a success.
As noted in a previous e news, Larry Koziarz, the Partnership’s former director of training & technical assistance is moving to a part-time position, focusing on our Pathways to Excellence program. The Partnership is looking for a full-time T&TA director who will have major responsibilities in helping us strengthen Community Action in a wide variety of ways. If you or someone you know is interested, please read the job announcement below which will appear in The Washington Post on Sunday, September 20th. Applications are being accepted immediately (no phone calls) and we are looking to fill this position as soon as possible.
Director of Training & Technical Assistance
National, non-profit anti-poverty membership assn seeks candidate with minimum 5 years experience in Community Action or related field to head up national T&TA efforts. Must have strong writing, analytic, organizational, computer & communications skills, experience with federal & state funding and training programs & models, travel required, must work well under pressure, Bachelor’s required, Master’s degree preferred, send resume, writing sample, 3 references, salary requirements to Don Mathis, Community Action Partnership, 1140 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1210, Washington, DC 20036. No phone calls.
Community Action Partnership is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Promise Fall issue deadline – October 9For the Fall issue, we are especially looking for details and photos from your back to school events (backpack giveaways, clothing drives, etc.) How did your CAA help parents send their kids back to school in this challenging economy?
Please also send us your news releases and articles on new staff appointments, awards that employees have received, and best practices. You’re helping people and changing lives and making your community a better place to live, why not share this information with your colleagues across the country?
Email your information and photos (in JPG format at 300 dpi) to Lisa Holland, lholland@communityactionpartnership.com by Friday, October 9.