October 16 and 17 marked World Food Day and the International Day to Eradicate Poverty, respectively. The commemorative events give us a moment this week to reflect on the tools and policies needed to help more Americans get on the path to safe, stable and successful futures with a goal of ending hunger and extreme poverty by 2030. Both instances have decreased in the past five years – but if we intend to meet the eradication goal, we need to pick up the pace.
Category: Advocate
Do You Remember Your First Job?
Lack of prior work experience can be a huge hindrance for young people seeking employment. Find out how Goodwill® is working to support the #FirstJob Hiring and Recruiting Compact, a new initiative from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education, so that youth can gain the skills and experiences needed to advance in their own careers.
Goodwill® Advocates for People with Disabilities During NDEAM
Goodwill® recognizes and commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October and urges all employers, including the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to hire people with disabilities. As an advocate, you can explore ideas that can be implemented in your workplace and community to raise awareness.
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Increase Financial Security in Your Community
This week, I am representing Goodwill® at the Assets Learning Conference, a biennial convening of practitioners, researchers, and advocates (that’s me) dedicated to improving the financial well-being of individuals and families. Goodwill, and you, work every day to expand opportunity and reduce poverty, which is why we’re here. So, where are we, and where do we go from here?
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Haven’t Registered to Vote? It’s Not Too Late
On November 8, voters will decide who fills 5,920 state legislative seats in 93 statewide offices, including 12 governors, 10 attorney generals, and the secretary of state in 8 states. The outcome of every single one of these elections will have an outcome on America’s nonprofits and the people we serve.
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Tell Congress, That’s No Way to Run a Railroad
The saying referenced in today’s headline dates back to 1932, though few remember that it originally appeared in a comic book. If you were born that year you would be 84 years old today, and you might still be working according to the latest data. By 2020, it is estimated that workers 55 and over will make up 25 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force, up from 13 percent in 2000.
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SNAP into Action Against Hunger
This September is Hunger Action Month, and our friends at Feeding America are working to call attention to hunger, which impacts 48 million people – including 15 million children, in the United States. Organizations like Goodwill understand that food security and nutrition are inseparable from education and career success – families, individuals and children who are struggling to meet their nutrition needs are less prepared to succeed at work and at school. Communities across the country are trying to sustain those in need, and a critical resource in that effort is the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a fundamental program for low-income individuals and families, SNAP provides millions with nutrition assistance. However, something has been changing with this critical program.
Spread Awareness About the Importance of Job Training
Imagine if a neighbor or family member suddenly found himself or herself without a job, and consequently without a home for his or her family. For Tiarra, this was an unfortunate reality. Without employment, she and her children were homeless and were at one point forced to sleep in a car. Now imagine if everyone in your community had access to job training to put them on a career path that provided financial stability and a secure future for themselves and their families.
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20 Years Since Welfare Reform: The Safety Net Needs Repair
When the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program program (TANF) was created, work and family supports were cited as priorities to provide a safety net and promote work, but over the years flaws in the program’s structure have become apparent. As a result of multiple barriers fewer families in poverty are being helped. In 2014, 23 out of every 100 families in poverty received TANF benefits, as opposed to 68 out of 100 in 1996. Currently, fewer than one in five poor children receive help through TANF. In addition, states spend very little – 8 percent -- of TANF funds on work-related activities that necessary for people to succeed.
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Can You Save Social Security?
We’ve all said or thought, ”I could do a better job than (name the member of Congress)” at one time or another, and with Congress’s approval ratings in single digits, who can blame us? But is it really that easy? Well here is your chance to find out. We all know the importance of social
If Voting Were An Olympic Sport, Would America Win?
As our country faces a contentious election, having my nights filled with the Olympics is a welcome distraction. President Obama noted in an interview which aired just prior to the opening ceremony that the Olympics is an event that can unite our country. The event also serves as a way for people to learn about other nations and share in the struggles that are faced by athletes around the world.
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What Remains for the 114th Congress?
The major party conventions are behind us and Congress is in recess until after Labor Day. However, when they return, much work still needs to be done, and there will be a push to do so before the lame duck (following the election). Of course members of Congress will need even more time back in the district to campaign closer to the election, thus making the time frame to pass a budget and reauthorize major legislation even shorter – a total of eight weeks to be exact. Learn more about some of the issues that are important to Goodwill® and still on the table.
