Families are at Risk: Help Restore the Emergency Food & Shelter Program

For nearly half of Americans surveyed in the August 27, 2011 WSJ/NBC News poll, the lasting recession and painfully slow recovery has carried more of a personal impact in the past decade than the events of September 11, 2001 or the following wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Families have grown increasingly concerned about their personal finances.

And with good reason, unemployment remains high and with it has come the loss of health insurance, leaving families at risk of financial disaster in the case of illness or medical emergency. Along with this, foreclosures are in a holding pattern, leaving families unsure if they will have a house to call home next month. And, as poverty rates increase more people are cutting their personal budgets for items like food and electricity, even as these prices are on the rise.

The loss of a job can mean family disaster, as was the case with a young couple, Karen and Matt and their new baby. Like so many young families, they were just getting by until Matt lost his job. The job loss hit them hard and they quickly went through their savings and could no longer pay their rent. Karen and Matt were afraid of being on the streets.

Fortunately, they connected with a program funded by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette's Community Relief Fund which assisted them by paying for two months of rent. The program also helped them get unemployment insurance and food stamps and worked with them to set a budget. The family is now up to date on their rent and managing their income. Thanks to United Way donors they are now standing on their own.

Families like Karen and Matt’s are served by projects funded through the Community Relief Fund and other resources are also available in the Portland area. One crucial resource is the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP), a federal program that provides emergency funds to families at risk. This year, at a time when the need is greatest, EFSP funding for the Portland region was eliminated.

You Can Help!

Without restoration of Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds more families will be at risk. That is why we urge you to act today by contacting your congressperson and ask them to restore funding for this vital program. Together we can make a difference for families in our region.

In addition, you can help us reach many more families and individuals by donating to the Community Relief Fund. Consider making a donation today.

Celebrate Women’s Equality Day!

This Friday, August 26, U.S. women, and all U.S. citizens, have something to celebrate: Women’s Equality Day! Why is this day important?

It all Began in Upstate New York

In July 1848, at the Seneca Falls Convention in upstate New York, women’s rights activists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton (pictured left) and Lucretia Mott, met to discuss women’s rights and other issues. At the end of the convention, twelve resolutions were adopted calling for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. This convention gave strength to an often dangerous struggle by women to secure the right to vote. After seventy-two years they were successful and on August 26, 1920 Congress voted in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote. Supporters of the 19th Amendment were jubilant but many felt it was only the beginning for women’s rights.

Women’s Equality Day Resolution & the Equal Rights Amendment

In 1971, during a time of national push for adopting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Rep. Bella Abzug, Democrat from New York, introduced a Congressional Resolution to designate August 26 Women’s Equality Day. It easily passed and encouraged supporters in their fight for passage of ERA. View the Resolution.

The ERA was first introduced in 1920 after the passage of the 19th Amendment but has yet to be adopted. It passed Congress in 1972 but to supporter’s dismay failed to meet the 1982 deadline for ratification by the states. For more background, watch this video of Gloria Steinem reflecting on the Women's Rights Movement.

Creating Opportunities for Change at United Way

The women who fought for voter rights at the turn of the century felt that education of women was essential for their equality and advancement. At United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, through donor support we fund education projects that help children and youth achieve their potential. These include projects that specifically address educational challenges for girls. To learn more and join us in this work, visit our website.

Test your knowledge of the struggle for women's right to vote by taking the NWHP Women's Equality Day Quiz.

Will you be participating in any Women's Day activities this year? If so, let us know by commenting on this blog post or on the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette Facebook or Twitter pages.

Portland Non-Profits Scramble to Prevent Increase in Homeless Families after Federal Budget Cuts

The statistics are telling. In the metro area, over 550,000 people live in poverty, including 17,500 seniors. Many of those experiencing poverty work minimum wage jobs that just don’t provide enough income to cover the basics like food, rent and utilities. As a result, 30% seek monthly food assistance just to get by. Unemployment, evictions and rising costs for basic needs mean that more of our neighbors, coworkers and friends are living on the edge – some for the first time in their lives.

Thanks to our donor’s support, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is able to respond. In collaboration with local agencies, United Way’s Community Relief Fund helped stabilize almost 60,000 families in crises in 2011.


United Way’s Community Relief Fund supports local agencies working to fill the gap but many of these agencies also rely on another funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP, a collaboration between the federal government and non-profits like United Way, has provided regional funding for agencies that serve families in crises for 28 years. This year the Portland metro area’s $1.3 million in funding from EFSP was cut, leaving local agencies scrambling to provide emergency services to area families. You can help!

Here’s what you can do!!

Contact Congress: urge them to take action to reconsider their funding cuts to this vital program that provides for those most in need of support.

Tell Your Friends: Share this blog post through Facebook, Twitter and email.

Stay in Touch: Sign up for our email newsletter and stay informed.

Donate to the Community Relief Fund: Your donations will make a difference!

History of Disability Rights and Important Dates

Although June 22 has passed for this year, it was a historic day for the disability community. Not only did it mark the anniversary of the 1999 Supreme Court Olmstead decision which affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their homes and communities, but it also marks the anniversary of the death of Justin Dart, Jr. who is widely recognized as "the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act," "the godfather of the disability rights movement," and co-founder of the Justice for All Blog.

http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2011/06/celebrating-victory-honoring-leadership-remembering-justin-dart-jr.html

Coming up, July 26th will be the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. In 1990, the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people was signed into law. The ADA signifies the adoption of a public policy committed to the removal of a broad range of impediments to the integration of people with disabilities into society. The ADA is a wide-ranging law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made discrimination based on race, religions, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. Disability is defined by the ADA as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." The determination of whether any particular condition is considered a disability is made on a case by case basis.

For more information about the history of Disability Rights Movement, check out the following link and click through the options as your interest leads you. Clicking on the pictures gives more in depth info.

http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/welcome.html

Daimler Receives United Way Giving Campaign Honors

Last month, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette interim President and CEO Jay Bloom had the pleasure of presenting the organization's 2010 Campaign Metric Award to Daimler Trucks North America. There to accept the award was Daimler's President and CEO Martin Daum who has been at the helm of the company since 2009. Mr. Daum has leadership and visionary responsibility for Daimler Trucks North America LLC and its affiliated companies - Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Detroit Diesel Corporation and Axle Alliance Company.

Jay Bloom (L) presents Martin Daum (R) with the United Way Campaign Metrics Award

The metric award from United Way is given for excellence in campaign statistics and with the reinstatement of the corporate match this past campaign year, Daimler also was recognized with the Largest New Corporate Gift award for a company with more than 200 employees. The total giving for Daimler Trucks North America was nearly $147,000!

Thank you to Daimler and to every one of their employees and retirees who participated in last year's United Way Annual Giving Campaign. Your contributions will be used to improve children's education, help individuals and families become more financially stable and improve health and wellness in our community.

We look forward to kicking off our next annual giving campaign this fall with your support. If your company would like to participate please learn more on United Way of the Columbia-Willamette's website.

Housing & Health for People of Color in Portland

“Creating safe and decent places to live can have incredibly positive effects on a family's health, on study habits of students, and on a neighborhood's overall attractiveness and stability.”-Jimmy Carter, Decent Housing is not Just a Wish, it is a Human Right

The Oregon Humanities brown bag discussion on June 23, 2011 brought together three scholars to discuss, among other issues, the impact of poverty and housing discrimination on the health and vitality of children of color. According to the presenters, housing discrimination remains a key mechanism for maintaining racial segregation, and along with it, a host of other deleterious social ills. Their conclusion: discrimination in housing affects children’s health because it typically means that impoverished people of color live in dense urban areas with higher levels of social stress and environmental pollution.

To the point, Portland Metro area’s history of housing and wage discrimination has resulted in significantly lower levels of income and wealth for people of color. With reduced access and little left in stretched budgets for health care, people of color in the Metro area experience higher rates of infant mortality and teen birth, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and prostate cancer deaths. According to the Multnomah County, Racial & Ethnic Disparities, 2011 Update, intervention strategies related to health and access to economic, educational, employment, and housing opportunities will be necessary to address the 22 health disparities for people of color in the Metro area.

At United Way of the Columbia-Willamette we realize that many of the problems facing our community are complex and interconnected. Through our Community Impact Fund we research and identify the most effective projects and collaborations that address issues of education, income and health, providing funds, and technical assistance, and promoting system change. Through efficient use of donor dollars we encourage collaborative relationships and leverage resources for use in addressing some of the most challenging social issues in our community.

United Way funds innovative projects that promote healthy environments and assist individuals and families in maintaining financial stability. Programs like Project Access NOW provide health care resources for those without, and a variety of income projects promote financial stability. United Way’s funding support not only addresses the current needs of the community but work to promote lasting change. Learn more about this work and other ways United Way seeks to advance the common good on our website.

So, what is your experience? We invite you to join in the conversation; send us your comments and feedback.

Pride Month

United Way's Internal Diversity and Inclusion committee makes efforts to inform our staff of notable diversity topics and with June being Pride Month, here is a little background on the history and importance of the movement that we thought we'd share:

June is the month for Pride events here in Oregon and across the nation. Pride can mean many things: satisfaction in an achievement, a sense of dignity or value, a family of lions...and tigers and bears...oh my!

With regard to June, Pride refers to gatherings and parades held to recognize and celebrate the history, contributions and diversity of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) citizens. In this context, the word pride is used as an affirmation of LGBTQ identity and community.

The modern Pride movement began in 1969 after the Stonewall riots in New York City, when a group of gay people fought back against unconstitutional police raids of local gay bars. Stonewall gave a sense of pride to a previously underground community and parades were held to commemorate the significance of the riots, eventually seeding the grassroots movement of today’s LGBTQ community.

Learn more about United Way's diversity efforts and we'll see you at the Portland Pride Parade on June 19th.