From the blog of Annemarie Harris:

I just emailed Senators Stabenow and Levin asking them to improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which provides young children with access to nutritious meals. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation that would improve young children's access to nutritious meals in child care centers, family child care homes, and Head Start and Early Head Start programs. With your help, we can gain support for the Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 (S. 2749). Please take action yourself and spread the word! For more information, check out National Women's Law Center.

Labels: advocate, Annemarie_Harris, basic needs, food

Support our high school turnaround efforts. Advocate for policy changes that can turn around our poor performing schools and make us competitive for federal funding. Write a letter today.

Labels: advocate, Educational_Preparedness, monthly enewsletter

In July, President Barack Obama and Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, announced guidelines for the Race to the Top Fund. This fund is a $4.3 billion competitive grant program rewarding states that have invested in education reform in the past and incentivizing states that want to create education reform initiatives in the future.

To receive a grant, states must meet certain guidelines:

• Adopt internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace
• Recruit, develop, retain, and reward effective teachers and principals
• Build data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve
• Turn around our lowest-performing schools

Click here to continue reading.

Labels: advocate, Educational_Preparedness, monthly enewsletter

Providing proper developmental support to children ages 0-5 is critical to their long-term success. Research shows that 90 percent of the brain develops in the first three years of life, making it the best time to reach a child and provide a solid foundation.

Yet, the Michigan Senate has proposed making deep cuts to Michigan’s early education programs as the legislature works through the difficult task of balancing the state's 2010 budget. The legislature is in no envious position; they are faced with a crippling budget deficit, and balancing it isn't going to be easy.

A lot of tough choices must be made, but they can't be made at the expense of our children.

Click here to continue reading.

Labels: advocate, Educational_Preparedness, monthly enewsletter

Studies show 90 percent of the brain develops in the first three years of life. Providing proper education opportunities in those critical years is important to a child’s long-term success.

However, the Michigan Senate has proposed eliminating critical early education programs as the legislature works through the difficult task of balancing the state’s 2010 budget.

A lot of tough choices must be made, but they can’t be made at the expense of Michigan’s children.

How you can help
Contact your legislators and urge them to avoid cuts to early education programming.

Labels: advocate, Agenda_for_Change, Educational_Preparedness

United Way of America is looking for the next LIVE UNITED story. Winners will be featured in next year's national ad campaign. From their site:

How do you LIVE UNITED? Grab the closest camera and make a short video explaining how you're working to improve the education, income and health of people right where you live. Submit your video to the LIVE UNITED Story Search and you could be featured in United Way's national ad campaign in 2010.

Here's how:

• Record your story in no more than 2 minutes of video.
• Upload the video between now and September 30.
• Get your friends to vote for your story.

Don't know how to make a video? It's easier than you think! You can use a camcorder, a cell phone, a digital camera, a computer or anything else that records video. Stories will be judged on substance, not production quality, so don't sweat the details.

Labels: advocate

There has been a lot of activity in both the Michigan & U.S. Legislatures this past month! Thank you all for taking action and speaking out! Be sure to thank your elected officials that voted for the passage of this key legislation as well as the sponsors and co-sponsors.

Auto Loans
The Auto Industry Bridge Loan Act was not approved by members of Congress before the recessed for the holiday and ending the session of the 110th Congress. Realizing that immediate action was needed, President Bush permitted the use of $13.4 billion in Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) funds to be used for short-term, low-interest loans for GM & Chrysler, with another $4 billion pending in February (with approval from Congress).

Financial Literacy Bill (SB 834)
The bill that will allow financial literacy courses to count towards meeting the state’s high school graduation requirements has been signed into law and is now Public Act 316 of 2008.

Click here to continue reading.

Labels: advocate

Under the circumstances... I feel a need to write this Blog in an "informal" style. Unfortunately, too many professional politicians, lawyers, and others have made the understanding of politics and public policy too confusing and complex for most people when, in reality, it's all very simple.

Let us first review the definition of "Public Policy":
1. the fundamental policy on which laws rest, especially policy not yet enunciated in specific rules.
2. the principle that injury to the public good or public order constitutes a basis for setting aside, or denying effect to, acts or transactions.

So, why then, are numerous acts, laws and resolutions that affect so many residents introduced, discussed and passed that are disliked by so many residents? And, when thinking of the comments that are said by many of those residents referring to the actions of legislators, it seems that there is a misunderstanding of the role and status of elected officials. Thus, there becomes a need to help people to remember that other human beings are not elected to "govern" us; they are elected to "represent" us.

As a Public Policy Associate, I recognize the need to remind my audience of this prior to most of the presentations I may make to them. Otherwise, if I did not, as I encourage the members of the audience to contact the elected officials of their districts and express their concerns and/or positions, there would become a silence and a look of hopelessness throughout the room. People have come to believe that they are at the mercy of their elected officials. Many seem to have forgotten (or, were never taught) that it was the desire of the majority of the constituency that caused representative to vote to change laws that gave all adults equal voting rights and fair wages for labors rendered regardless of race or gender - thus, the Equal Rights Amendment and Child Labor Laws.

As a Public Policy Associate, I deliver messages to elected officials from those whom they represent who are too busy doing other duties to earn wages to support themselves and their families. I relate to the elected officials that as more and more of their constituents are becoming less and less able to manage their income-to-expense ratio that they are asking for passages of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act and the Savings for Working Families Act.

As a Public Policy Associate, I try to remind constituents and legislators that it is not the duty of elected officials to "speak for the people"... they are chosen to speak "on behalf of the people." It's an ongoing task that starts all over again with the start of every New Year. And, I love public relations and I love challenges so... I must REALLY love my work as a Public Policy Associate.

Become a UWSEM advocate!

Ronald Stewart,
Public Policy Associate
United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Labels: advocate, civic engagement, Employee Voices

According to the Detroit Free Press, Americans have doubled their debt over the past decade to an astounding $2.5 trillion. While this excludes mortgage-related debt, news reports also continue to paint a bleak picture of Michigan’s rising number of home foreclosures.

Many of the current money issues adults in southeast Michigan face stem from lack of financial education as youths. As part of our Agenda for Change work, the United Way’s public policy team has been advocating for a financial literacy component to be included in school curriculums across the state so that more youth learn early on how to save money, avoid debt and build assets.

The effort is already reaping results.

Click here to read more.

Labels: advocate, monthly enewsletter

United Way is focused on creating lasting solutions to social problems, and Public Policy issues on the state and federal level are key to that effort. Through its Public Policy team, citizens are able to advocate for issues that are important to metro Detroiters in the areas of Educational Preparedness, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.

United Way is continually monitoring and advocating for these and a host of other issues that are important to you.

But they can’t do it alone.

The organization believes that collective action can affect change more than any one person working alone. By contacting your legislators, monitoring important legislative issues, and being an active participant in the legislative process, your voice can join thousands of others across the state to affect change.

United Way is interested in your thoughts on state budget priorities. Please take this brief survey:

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226MAFBN4AR

United Way will share survey results with state legislators, ensuring your voice is heard. In the coming weeks, United Way will also be launching an online e-advocacy tool to help you monitor and advocate for those issues important to you and your family.

More information is available at www.uwsem.org/publicpolicy.

Labels: advocate

Wednesday, October 11, 2006, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, for a second year, held the Southeast Michigan Employment, Training & Family Resource Expo with its myriad of public and private partners in the region and the State. By all accounts it was a huge success - over 8,000 job seekers, over 100 employers representing more than 6,000 available jobs.

And mind you these job seekers came throughout the day in a down pouring of rain. They came by bus, by car, and by foot. They came in suits, dresses, and jeans. Some had lots of work experience, some had limited work experience, and some had no real work experience.

What a sad reminder of what the community has told us. Among our most significant problems in our region are educational attainment, self-sufficiency, and the advancement of literacy. After seeing the need presented at the Expo who can argue the urgency in addressing these problems. Add to this the other problem the community talked to us about: basic need services. One can only begin to imagine the numerous basic needs so many of these jobseekers and their families must have. Common sense tells us that their children are also in great need.

So maybe we need to ask ourselves:

• What are the policies and practices in our State and in our Country that result in so many people being without jobs and education?
• What role/can we play in building the public will needed to support education, job training, and employment?
• How can we build upon the successes from Wednesday (because clearly they were some)?
• How do we use what we saw Wednesday to help others understand the extent of the need?
• What can we do to ensure that job expos are not needed because people are working?

Hopefully we are mindful of how blessed we are and have an immeasurable and renewed commitment and level of energy towards our mission. It is the right one. Each of us must do all that is humanly possible individually and collectively to improve conditions reflected in the expo.

After all, no matter what your religious belief or lack of, but for the grace of God we could be in the same situation.

Jacqueline Jones
Vice President, Public Policy
United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Labels: advocate, Employee Voices

Shaping Policy to Promote Prevention And Intervention in the Lives of Ex-Offenders and Their Children

Overview
There are many challenges facing ex-offenders as they reenter society after incarceration. It is often that the obstacles they faced which led them to incarceration remain present upon release. It is imperative that there are supports present to reduce the risk of recidivism to a life of crime as ex-offenders reenter society. This is particularly important to Southeastern Michigan because approximately over 3,600 ex-offenders are released annually. Many ex-offenders come from a past of unemployment, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. An alarming 45 percent of parolees have at least one prior Michigan prison term. United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) believes that public policies must support returning parolees to advance communities as a whole. Public policy is also key in preventing incarceration from initially occurring. Making a positive impact on these issues can have a major affect on strengthening Southeastern Michigan.

Background
UWSEM’s efforts began on March 31, 2006 through a public policy forum entitled “Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration”. This forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders as well as those directly impacted by the challenges facing ex-offenders to discuss strategies to aid in their transition back into society and the prevention of incarceration from a public policy perspective. There was a moderated discussion that included expert panelists and ex-offenders followed by breakout sessions that related to various intervention and prevention measures connected to the issues faced by ex-offenders and children. The breakout sessions then reconvened to share the identified policy implications with the entire group. At the close of the public policy forum participants were asked to participate in small group meetings that would be held later in the spring.

The small group meetings were held on June 8, and 12, 2006. The purpose of these meetings was to further discuss the policy issues identified during the public policy forum and possible strategies to work toward solutions. The groups were divided into two categories: prevention and intervention. Participants were asked to prioritize the most critical issues in each category. For each issue selected there had to be:

• Feasibility
• Breadth in the number of individuals impacted
• And potentially positive outcomes for the entire region

Some of the issues discussed included job training, review of child support policies, and policies addressing the training of corrections staff. The groups’ recommendations for priorities were:

• Conditional/select expungement of criminal records
• Increased support for young adults exiting foster care.

Next Steps
The results of the small group discussions will be shared with the participants of the March 2006 public policy forum in the fall of 2006. United Way will then invite stakeholders to participate in the development of implementation strategies to address the agreed upon priorities. Recommendations from the Legal Action Center along with findings reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse will also be discussed at that time. Sharing this information is an early effort to further raise public awareness around the influence of public policy on ex-offenders’ successful reintegration into the community. We invite interested individuals and organizations to become involved with this awareness and advocacy effort.

- Rachel Harris, Public Policy Associate, United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Labels: advocate, Employee Voices