PathWays PA E-Newsletter- April 26, 2010
Federal
Help Support the Healthy Families Act
On Tuesday, groups from around the country working toward earned sick time, including PathWays PA and the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, will be in DC to urge our legislators to support the Healthy Families Act.
Over 57 million workers nationwide have no access to earned sick time. Under the Healthy Families Act, workers would have the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days per year to recover from their own illness or care for a sick family member. It would also give victims of domestic violence the opportunity to use that time as "safe days" in which they can receive medical or psychological attention, look for housing, or otherwise address their needs.
Some reasons why the bill is important are listed below:
State
Urge Your Representative to Support the Children in Foster Care Act
Every year in Pennsylvania, more than 31,000 young people are served through the foster care system. For those young people, the time spent in foster care may be confusing and scary as they go from day to day without knowing who will care for them and where they will be living. Foster care is also confusing for the birth parents and caregivers involved, as they may not fully understand their rights and responsibilities. The combined uncertainty makes it even more difficult to support children and keep them safe.
Much of the uncertainly stems from the fact that children and their families must know and understand requirements that are scattered among various laws and regulations. When there are issues or questions, knowing where to find the information can be difficult. In Pennsylvania, the Children in Foster Care Act (HB 2338) has been introduced to take steps towards ensuring that children and their caregivers are fully informed. The bill will provide easy-to-understand information detailing the protections in place for children as well as common grievance procedures.
House Bill 2338 would help improve the services provided to children in foster care by ensuring that children and their caregivers are fully informed of the requirements and protections for children in care.
Please contact your Representative and ask them to support the Children in Foster Care Act.
Information/Events
Become a Mentor: Achieving Independence Center Mentoring Program
Imagine growing up in a world without a consistent social network of positive, caring and empowering adults in your life. Imagine not having someone to share a secret, triumph or challenge. Imagine not having those who made the most impact in your life. Imagine all that coupled with a childhood that included neglect and a future that does not always seem bright.
Unfortunately, those in foster care can do more than imagine these experiences because for many, it is a reality. This is why the Achieving Independence Center Mentoring Program, managed by PathWays PA, seeks to link caring, supportive adults to our young people (age 16-21) for mentorship. Staff will train and support you as you inspire each other.
The Achieving Independence Center is a “one-stop” center designed to assist young people ages 16-21 achieve their future goals of self-sufficiency. The AIC is dedicated to providing support and real life tools for youth who want to make an investment in their future!
Help a youth build their self-esteem and achieve their personal goals. You make a difference by simply getting involved. If you are interested or need more information please call 215-574-9194 extension 229.
Roundtable Discussion: Ending Child Hunger & Poverty: Real Solutions, Now
In Philadelphia, one in four children is living in poverty, and one in five does not have adequate access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Hunger and poverty are not inevitable. They are political problems with political solutions. Ending poverty in Philadelphia and in the United States requires creative thinking and organizing to address a multifaceted and solvable problem.
Join area experts, advocates and policy makers as we discuss city, state and national goals, strategies, and bench marks for ending child hunger and poverty. This discussion is in collaboration with the Witnesses to Hunger Exhibit now open in the Fox Art Gallery.
WHEN: April 27, 12:00 pm
WHERE: Terrace Room, Cohen Hall, 249 South 36th Street, Philadelphia PA
Lunch will be provided. If you would like to attend please RSVP to cphi@pobox.upenn.edu.
Stand for Children Event
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Join Casa Youth Advocates, PathWays PA and Family Support Line to raise awareness of the problem of child abuse in our communities. Learn about tools to help intervene and prevent trauma.
WHEN : Wednesday, April 28, 2010 8 – 9:30 am
WHERE: The Drexelbrook, Drexelbrook Drive and Valley Road, Drexel Hill, PA
There will be a presentation by Susan Carswell, PhD, PsyD on the impact of trauma on the brain.
To RSVP for the event please see the flyer or email antoneal@familysupportline.org. For more information about Stand for Children please visit this website.
Campus Philly Opportunity Fair
Recruit local college talent into your workforce during Campus Philly’s Opportunity Fair.
WHEN: June 15th, 12:00 -3:00
WHERE: Drexel University’s Bossone Center
This live, in-person fair will connect recent graduates to professional-level internships, jobs, contacts, career resources and graduate/professional school opportunities.
As an employer we invite you to recruit:
Space is limited, so be sure to register today.
PathWays PA Information and Initiatives
PathWays PA New Publication: Keeping it Real – Teen Finances
PathWays PA is excited to announce the completion of a new helpful handbook for managing money written specifically for teens, Keeping it Real: Teen Finances.
This guide not only discusses what teens should understand about their finances, it also assists them in planning for their future.
The guide focuses on such areas as understanding your paycheck, budgeting, banking, financial contracts, credit, and insurance. It also includes goal setting, finding a job, education, child care, and housing.
Take Action on Earned Sick Time
48 percent of workers in the United States have no access to earned sick time, which means that if they are sick (or if their family members are sick) they must choose between working sick or losing their pay (or their jobs). If you are one of the 48 percent who have no earned sick time - or one of the 52 percent who do - please take our survey and tell us more!
There are bills at the federal, state, and local level to support earned sick time for everyone - here is what you can do:
Do You Need Help Paying for Post-Secondary Education?
PathWays PA offers Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a matched savings program that offers financial education while helping you save for school. Through the program, your savings can be matched at a rate of three-to-one. If you save $500, we will give you an additional $1500 to go towards your school expenses.
Applicants must meet program income guidelines, be working (full or part time), and be enrolled or accepted into an accredited institution.
If you are interested or have any questions, please e-mail Kelly Binder at kbinder@pathwayspa.org.
Need Assistance With Public Benefits Applications?
PathWays PA provides assistance to those who need help applying for food stamps or other benefits. For further information, you can contact our office in Philadelphia 215-387-1470 or Delaware County 610-543-5022.
For more information about the services provided by PathWays PA please visit our website.
Help Support the Healthy Families Act
On Tuesday, groups from around the country working toward earned sick time, including PathWays PA and the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, will be in DC to urge our legislators to support the Healthy Families Act.
Over 57 million workers nationwide have no access to earned sick time. Under the Healthy Families Act, workers would have the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days per year to recover from their own illness or care for a sick family member. It would also give victims of domestic violence the opportunity to use that time as "safe days" in which they can receive medical or psychological attention, look for housing, or otherwise address their needs.
Some reasons why the bill is important are listed below:
- HFA Supports Families: parents can use time to take their children to the doctor, especially those newly covered by SCHIP
- HFA Supports Businesses: employers can increases productivity and morale in the workplace while avoiding the high cost of turnover
- HFA Supports Public Health: patrons have lower risk of catching an illness from a sick food handler, child care provider, or health care worker
State
Urge Your Representative to Support the Children in Foster Care Act
Every year in Pennsylvania, more than 31,000 young people are served through the foster care system. For those young people, the time spent in foster care may be confusing and scary as they go from day to day without knowing who will care for them and where they will be living. Foster care is also confusing for the birth parents and caregivers involved, as they may not fully understand their rights and responsibilities. The combined uncertainty makes it even more difficult to support children and keep them safe.
Much of the uncertainly stems from the fact that children and their families must know and understand requirements that are scattered among various laws and regulations. When there are issues or questions, knowing where to find the information can be difficult. In Pennsylvania, the Children in Foster Care Act (HB 2338) has been introduced to take steps towards ensuring that children and their caregivers are fully informed. The bill will provide easy-to-understand information detailing the protections in place for children as well as common grievance procedures.
House Bill 2338 would help improve the services provided to children in foster care by ensuring that children and their caregivers are fully informed of the requirements and protections for children in care.
Please contact your Representative and ask them to support the Children in Foster Care Act.
Information/Events
Become a Mentor: Achieving Independence Center Mentoring Program
Imagine growing up in a world without a consistent social network of positive, caring and empowering adults in your life. Imagine not having someone to share a secret, triumph or challenge. Imagine not having those who made the most impact in your life. Imagine all that coupled with a childhood that included neglect and a future that does not always seem bright.
Unfortunately, those in foster care can do more than imagine these experiences because for many, it is a reality. This is why the Achieving Independence Center Mentoring Program, managed by PathWays PA, seeks to link caring, supportive adults to our young people (age 16-21) for mentorship. Staff will train and support you as you inspire each other.
The Achieving Independence Center is a “one-stop” center designed to assist young people ages 16-21 achieve their future goals of self-sufficiency. The AIC is dedicated to providing support and real life tools for youth who want to make an investment in their future!
Help a youth build their self-esteem and achieve their personal goals. You make a difference by simply getting involved. If you are interested or need more information please call 215-574-9194 extension 229.
Roundtable Discussion: Ending Child Hunger & Poverty: Real Solutions, Now
In Philadelphia, one in four children is living in poverty, and one in five does not have adequate access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Hunger and poverty are not inevitable. They are political problems with political solutions. Ending poverty in Philadelphia and in the United States requires creative thinking and organizing to address a multifaceted and solvable problem.
Join area experts, advocates and policy makers as we discuss city, state and national goals, strategies, and bench marks for ending child hunger and poverty. This discussion is in collaboration with the Witnesses to Hunger Exhibit now open in the Fox Art Gallery.
WHEN: April 27, 12:00 pm
WHERE: Terrace Room, Cohen Hall, 249 South 36th Street, Philadelphia PA
Lunch will be provided. If you would like to attend please RSVP to cphi@pobox.upenn.edu.
Stand for Children Event
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Join Casa Youth Advocates, PathWays PA and Family Support Line to raise awareness of the problem of child abuse in our communities. Learn about tools to help intervene and prevent trauma.
WHEN : Wednesday, April 28, 2010 8 – 9:30 am
WHERE: The Drexelbrook, Drexelbrook Drive and Valley Road, Drexel Hill, PA
There will be a presentation by Susan Carswell, PhD, PsyD on the impact of trauma on the brain.
To RSVP for the event please see the flyer or email antoneal@familysupportline.org. For more information about Stand for Children please visit this website.
Campus Philly Opportunity Fair
Recruit local college talent into your workforce during Campus Philly’s Opportunity Fair.
WHEN: June 15th, 12:00 -3:00
WHERE: Drexel University’s Bossone Center
This live, in-person fair will connect recent graduates to professional-level internships, jobs, contacts, career resources and graduate/professional school opportunities.
As an employer we invite you to recruit:
- Full-time entry level positions
- Part-time entry level positions
- Professional level internships
Space is limited, so be sure to register today.
PathWays PA Information and Initiatives
PathWays PA New Publication: Keeping it Real – Teen Finances
PathWays PA is excited to announce the completion of a new helpful handbook for managing money written specifically for teens, Keeping it Real: Teen Finances.
This guide not only discusses what teens should understand about their finances, it also assists them in planning for their future.
The guide focuses on such areas as understanding your paycheck, budgeting, banking, financial contracts, credit, and insurance. It also includes goal setting, finding a job, education, child care, and housing.
Take Action on Earned Sick Time
48 percent of workers in the United States have no access to earned sick time, which means that if they are sick (or if their family members are sick) they must choose between working sick or losing their pay (or their jobs). If you are one of the 48 percent who have no earned sick time - or one of the 52 percent who do - please take our survey and tell us more!
There are bills at the federal, state, and local level to support earned sick time for everyone - here is what you can do:
- Support the Federal Healthy Families Act! Under The Healthy Families Act, workers would have the opportunity to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 7 days of sick time per year. This time could be used to care for workers or their families, or could be used as "safe days" in cases of domestic violence. Tell your legislators that we need paid sick days now!
- If you don't live in Pennsylvania, you can still support earned sick time. Visit The National Partnership for Women and Families website to learn more about campaigns in your area.
- Tell us your story! Are you a parent who lost their job to stay home with a sick child? Are you a business owner who provides/supports paid sick days? Email your story to us at policy@pathwayspa.org.
- Call your Representatives! If you live in Philadelphia, call your City Councilperson and urge them to support "Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces," which guarantees earned sick time for all working Philadelphians. Not sure who your City Councilperson is? Click on this link and type in your home address to find out which district you live in: http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil/districtform/districtform.html.
- If you live in Pennsylvania (but outside of Philadelphia), call your state Representative. Tell him/her you support earned sick time for workers. Not sure who your Representative is? Simply type your address here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm.
Do You Need Help Paying for Post-Secondary Education?
PathWays PA offers Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a matched savings program that offers financial education while helping you save for school. Through the program, your savings can be matched at a rate of three-to-one. If you save $500, we will give you an additional $1500 to go towards your school expenses.
Applicants must meet program income guidelines, be working (full or part time), and be enrolled or accepted into an accredited institution.
If you are interested or have any questions, please e-mail Kelly Binder at kbinder@pathwayspa.org.
Need Assistance With Public Benefits Applications?
PathWays PA provides assistance to those who need help applying for food stamps or other benefits. For further information, you can contact our office in Philadelphia 215-387-1470 or Delaware County 610-543-5022.
For more information about the services provided by PathWays PA please visit our website.
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