From Pathways PA's Policy Blog

Legislative Action Needed!

The Senate's Labor & Industry Committee has placed SB 552 on the agenda for a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, at 9:30 AM in the Senate's Majority Caucus Room.

Please contact the members of the Labor Committee and ask them to support SB 552 and vote to report it from committee WITHOUT AMENDMENT.

The PFWS website—www.workforcepa.com—has a template letter that you can personalize and send to Senators, as well as a link to the members of the Labor Committee. Please e-mail your letter so the Senators receive it before Wednesday's meeting.

It is important that the committee members hear from supporters of SB 552 so we can get this bill passed as quickly as possible.

Please also notify Don Kockler (and PathWays PA!) when you have sent your letter so we can track our contacts with the legislature. Thank you for your continued support of Industry Partnerships.

Chester Economic Development Authority’s Project Plan for 2011

This month, the Chester Economic Development Authority released a draft for its 2011 fiscal action plan. The draft includes monetary provisions for $1.796 million in community development block grants and 499,000 to the “Homeworkers Organized for More Employment Investment Partnership” program.

The Delaware County Daily Times has a full report on how many funds were proposed to be allocated to which programs. You can access it here.

Remember, you have a voice in the allocation of funds! Citizens are encouraged to write letters or to communicate to the Chester Economic Development Authority where they would like to see these funds go. These funds are meant to increase the capacity of the community and give aid to those programs that provide services where there’s the most need. As a resident you have the ability to communicate whether or not you feel the funds are especially needed in certain programs. United Way of Southeast Delaware County encourages residents of the Chester area to pick up a copy of the action plan at the J. Lewis Crozer Library or City Hall. Familiarize yourself with the plan, its goals, and what direction you feel is appropriate for the plan. You have until April 8 to submit letters to CEDA, P.O. Box 407, 511 Welsh St., Third Floor, Chester, PA 19016.

An Important Guest Blog on the Americorps Program

Anna Walker is a first year law student at the University of Michigan Law School. Last year she served as an Americorps VISTA with Pathways PA and United Way of Southeast Delaware County. Before her year with AmeriCorps, she attended Temple University and graduated with a BA in Political Science and Economics.

It upsets and troubles me that the House last Friday approved a Federal Budget that abjectly ignores the needs of struggling families across the country. Included in the list of education and social service programs to be cut by the $61-billion-budget-purge are all AmeriCorps programs including 75,000 AmeriCorps services positions nationwide.

Without AmeriCorps, communities across the country will become victims of an overwhelming loss of resources and assistance, such as education, job development, financial literacy classes, free tax preparation, heat and utility aid, health care, childcare, food support, housing assistance, and much more. In Pennsylvania alone, there are 3,700 AmeriCorps volunteers currently working to improve the lives of residents and communities across the commonwealth.

As a former AmeriCorps volunteer, I am one of more than 34,000 Pennsylvania residents who have served more than 43 million hours in AmeriCorps programs since AmeriCorps’ foundation in 1994. AmeriCorps programs, which include AmeriCorps VISTA and AmeriCorps NCCC (N-triple-C), attract men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 to service positions aimed at empowering individuals and lifting communities out of poverty. In exchange, AmeriCorps volunteers receive a small living allowance, food stamps, and an education award.

During my VISTA year, I served the Greater Philadelphia area through my work with PathWays PA and the United Way of Southeast Delaware County. I worked as a tax coordinator and a tax preparer, as an advocate for families and for low-income individuals, as a community builder and a resource developer, as a financial educator and a grant writer, as a community representative and a community participant, as a reporter and a listener, as a social networker, and finally, as friend and a coworker.

I urge every employee, board member, and beneficiary of an organization that has ever hosted an AmeriCorps volunteer like me to ask your representatives to think twice about eliminating such an important service for individuals and communities our country. Not only do AmeriCorps programs ensure sustainable service programs, but they also perpetuate the spirit of service among young leaders of our Nation. Destroying such a crucial and influential program will not only hurt Americans today, but also weaken our nation in the future. Please act now. Tell Congress to save AmeriCorps.

For more information on Americorps please visit the Americorps site: http://www.americorps.gov/

Contacting your Representatives!

This past week we have been alerting you to various advocacy issues in regards to the federal budget. Part of advocacy includes connecting with your representatives in government. This may seem daunting or impossible, but the fact is your voice does matter. Before voting or discussing a measure, your government representatives consider your needs and your opinions; they are there to represent you. One of the best ways for you to ensure that your position on an issue is being properly represented in government is to contact your representative.

Here are some tips for getting the attention of your lawmakers.


1) Determine who your Member of Congress or Senator is. You'd be surprised how often people write to the incorrect Members of Congress. Districts don't always follow logical city or county boundaries. To be sure, visit: http://www.congress.org/

2) State your purpose for the letter or call. "I write/call today to ask that you support/oppose _______"

3) Make your request personal. Explain why this issue is important to you. "I recently lost my job." "I no longer have healthcare coverage."

4) Support your request with facts. Cite a newspaper article or group that has released a study on your issue. Take care to have accurate information.

5) Make your request. Ask for the specific action you want the Member to make. "Vote NO on bill 200" "Support working mothers and vote yes on the equal work act"

6) Remain professional in tone. Don't call the Member names or use vulgar language.

7) Keep letter or call brief and concise.

Obama's Budget Proposal and Community Service Block Grants

Cuts to LIHEAP are not the only proposals made in Obama’s Budget Plan that could harm vulnerable populations. Obama’s Budget Plan also includes a cut in spending to community service block grants, grants that allocate federal funding to address poverty in communities across the country. The Budget Plan would reduce spending for these community service grants from $700 million to $350 million at a time when unemployment and poverty levels are on the rise.

Agencies across the nation will find it challenging to provide services if the funding is halved. Here in Delaware County, many social service agencies receive these funds to provide services such as employment training, housing services, energy services, as well as food assistance and childcare. Many residents here in Pennsylvania and Delaware County need the services that these organizations provide, especially in these times of economic hardship. Although the majority of community action agencies receive other sources of funding, the federal funding plays a large part in sustaining the services they offer. Thus cutting their funding could prove to have a detrimental effect on low-income families nationally and here in Delaware County.

To learn more, please refer to:

The President’s Budget Proposal

Community Service Block Grants Site

And please contact your senator or representative about these cuts and their possible effect on our community!

Obama's Budget Proposal and LIHEAP

This past week Obama unveiled his budget plan for 2012 with the plan to significantly reduce the federal deficit as well as cut domestic spending. Obama revealed his plan with bipartisan ambitions: stating that both parties will need to work together in order to achieve a lower federal deficit. Both Democrats and Republicans have concerns over this new budget plan, but there are some major concerns for many citizens who either provide or receive various social services. One of the proposed cuts to program spending was the topic of a past blog series: the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program. Obama’s Budget plan would reduce spending for LIHEAP to 2.57 billion from 5.1 billion in 2009. LIHEAP advocates estimate that this will leave 3.5 million households without the energy assistance they need. This could include many households in Delaware County, where many residents struggle to make ends meet and end up having to sacrifice having a warm home in order to put food on the table. This budget cut will end up affecting some of the most vulnerable members of the United States population, as well as the population here in Delaware County.

Obama’s Budget plan is a proposal; here in the United States Congress adds their own stipulations to the Budget and must approve it, as well as receive the President’s approval after making changes. This week we will describe some of the proposals made by Obama and what they will mean for residents of Delaware County, but it is up to you to fully understand what the budget is and how it will affect you. Thus United Way encourages you to take action! Learn more about what the budget is and does and speak with your state senator or representative to advocate for what you believe should be included in the federal budget.

Adult Basic

At the end of this month, Pennsylvania’s insurance option for low-income households will expire. Adult Basic provides health coverage for many low-income Pennsylvania residents. Without it, many could face living with no health coverage at all. Pennsylvania will still have an option for low-income families, which is Blue Cross/Blue Shield’s Special Care program. However this program’s premiums could cost up to 400% more than Adult Basic’s premiums and it has more limited benefits. Thus, some of the 42,000 families under Adult Basic may not be able to afford the Special Care Program.

Here is a chart that compares Adult Basic and the Special Care Program:

comparison_chart

It is still “Random Acts of Kindness” week and your “act of kindness” could include taking action and advocating for an important cause that affects people within your community and within the state of Pennsylvania. This past Valentine’s Day 700 people sent valentine’s cards to Governor Corbett asking him to renew Adult Basic. Actions like this could make a difference, so why not help advocate for the continued health coverage of thousands of Pennsylvania families. By simply making a phone call, writing a letter, or making some sort of effort you could be the difference that keeps programs like Adult Basic there for Pennsylvania residents.

To learn more please contact your representative or the Pennsylvania Health Access Network.