PathWays PA E-Newsletter: June 14, 2010
New PathWays PA Paper – Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges
PathWays PA is proud to announce the release of a new paper that examines the impact that community colleges and other workforce development can have on the earnings of Pennsylvanians.
While many students enter college straight from high school, a growing number of students need access to higher education after they have already entered the workforce. Nationally, 2/3rds of the 2020 workforce has already graduated from high school, but they have not all gone on to higher education. Pennsylvania ranks 3rd highest in the country for the number of adults (age 18-64) whose formal education ended with a high school diploma or GED.
By 2014, 51 percent of all jobs in Pennsylvania will require some college, though not a four-year degree (also known as "middle skills" education). As of 2008, only 22 percent of Pennsylvanians age 25 and over fit into the middle skills category.
Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges examines the needs of adult workers in Pennsylvania and the part that community colleges can play in serving those needs.
Federal
Urge Your Member of Congress to Invest in Affordable, Quality Child Care
Increasing funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) would help millions of families across this country by improving the quality and affordability of child care.
Studies have shown that affordable child care is a key part of the economy and is responsible for generating nearly $580 billion in labor income and $69 billion in tax revenue while providing more than 15 million jobs.
f you believe funding for child care is important please sign this petition and help put parents back to work while giving children the strong start they deserve.
Information/Events
Has Your Life Been Affected by Social Security Benefits? Share Your Story!
Social Security is a promise made to all generations. You are invited to join the Social Security Stories Project, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of Social Security by gathering and sharing stories. You are invited to share how Social Security has made a meaningful difference in your life or the life of a family member or friend – as it has for one in six Americans.
The Social Security Stories Project is an opportunity to join thousands of Americans in showing that you are part of how Social Security has transformed our country, our economy and our people.
Telling your story is simple. The Project looking for stories of 400 words or less or about three minutes of video. All of the stories told as part of the “Social Security Stories Project” will be posted on our website and other social networking.
Suburban Southeastern PA Regional Forum: Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Housing Market
Please Join the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia and the Delaware County Homeless Service Coalition for a regional forum to discuss Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Housing Market.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 8:30 - noon
WHERE: Elwyn Campus Administrative Building, Barr Hall - 111 Elywn Road, Elywn, PA 19063
Learn - Share - Network
If you would like to attend please register at: Suburban Southeastern PA Regional Forum: Reshaping Pennsylvania's Housing Market.
Open Call on Rural Health and Health Care Reform
Join Jon Bailey, Director of Research and Analysis at the Center for Rural Affairs, as he discusses the impact national health care reform will have on Rural Americans. While this call will be of particular interest to Pennsylvanians living in rural communities and small towns, it does promise to be a dynamic discussion and all are encouraged to join.
WHEN: June 16, 2010 - 6:00pm
For more detail or to RSVP for the call emaill Athena at aford@philaup.org.
PathWays PA Information and Initiatives
Self Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2010-2011
PathWays PA is proud to announce that we released the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2010-2011. The Standard measures how much income a family of a certain composition in a given place must earn to meet their basic needs without public or private assistance.
Some ways the Standard can be and has been used include:
Online Training and Benefits Eligibility Tool
The Online Training and Benefits Eligibility Tool (OTBET) is an online tool that allows staff and clients to determine their personal Self-Sufficiency Standard and benefits eligibility for their own families.
This is an easy to use tool that determines eligibility for multiple programs including LIHEAP, food stamps (SNAP), child care assistance, and CHIP. Once eligibility is determined, link are provided to connect staff or client to COMPASS and other programs that clients may find useful.
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.
PathWays PA is proud to announce the release of a new paper that examines the impact that community colleges and other workforce development can have on the earnings of Pennsylvanians.
While many students enter college straight from high school, a growing number of students need access to higher education after they have already entered the workforce. Nationally, 2/3rds of the 2020 workforce has already graduated from high school, but they have not all gone on to higher education. Pennsylvania ranks 3rd highest in the country for the number of adults (age 18-64) whose formal education ended with a high school diploma or GED.
By 2014, 51 percent of all jobs in Pennsylvania will require some college, though not a four-year degree (also known as "middle skills" education). As of 2008, only 22 percent of Pennsylvanians age 25 and over fit into the middle skills category.
Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges examines the needs of adult workers in Pennsylvania and the part that community colleges can play in serving those needs.
Federal
Urge Your Member of Congress to Invest in Affordable, Quality Child Care
Increasing funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) would help millions of families across this country by improving the quality and affordability of child care.
Studies have shown that affordable child care is a key part of the economy and is responsible for generating nearly $580 billion in labor income and $69 billion in tax revenue while providing more than 15 million jobs.
f you believe funding for child care is important please sign this petition and help put parents back to work while giving children the strong start they deserve.
Information/Events
Has Your Life Been Affected by Social Security Benefits? Share Your Story!
Social Security is a promise made to all generations. You are invited to join the Social Security Stories Project, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of Social Security by gathering and sharing stories. You are invited to share how Social Security has made a meaningful difference in your life or the life of a family member or friend – as it has for one in six Americans.
- Stories may be about you, a family member, a friend or a neighbor.
- Stories may be about how Social Security helped a family after a tragedy.
- Stories may be about how Social Security is helping with retirement even in these tough financial times.
The Social Security Stories Project is an opportunity to join thousands of Americans in showing that you are part of how Social Security has transformed our country, our economy and our people.
Telling your story is simple. The Project looking for stories of 400 words or less or about three minutes of video. All of the stories told as part of the “Social Security Stories Project” will be posted on our website and other social networking.
The “Social Security Stories Project” was developed by the Frances Perkins Center.
Suburban Southeastern PA Regional Forum: Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Housing Market
Please Join the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia and the Delaware County Homeless Service Coalition for a regional forum to discuss Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Housing Market.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 8:30 - noon
WHERE: Elwyn Campus Administrative Building, Barr Hall - 111 Elywn Road, Elywn, PA 19063
Learn - Share - Network
- Get new data about what’s really going on
- Hear the latest news from DC and Harrisburg on housing!
- Share your thoughts about what’s working locally - and what still needs to be done
- Help shape our agenda for changing the housing market
If you would like to attend please register at: Suburban Southeastern PA Regional Forum: Reshaping Pennsylvania's Housing Market.
Open Call on Rural Health and Health Care Reform
Join Jon Bailey, Director of Research and Analysis at the Center for Rural Affairs, as he discusses the impact national health care reform will have on Rural Americans. While this call will be of particular interest to Pennsylvanians living in rural communities and small towns, it does promise to be a dynamic discussion and all are encouraged to join.
WHEN: June 16, 2010 - 6:00pm
For more detail or to RSVP for the call emaill Athena at aford@philaup.org.
PathWays PA Information and Initiatives
Self Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2010-2011
PathWays PA is proud to announce that we released the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania 2010-2011. The Standard measures how much income a family of a certain composition in a given place must earn to meet their basic needs without public or private assistance.
Some ways the Standard can be and has been used include:
- Funding - When applying for funding, the Standard promotes a new way to measure need and success
- Eligibility - When creating or evaluating programs, using the Standard as an eligibility limit opens the programs to new populations
- Reference - When discussing financial needs with board members, staff, or clients, the Standard establishes a new measure of reference
Online Training and Benefits Eligibility Tool
The Online Training and Benefits Eligibility Tool (OTBET) is an online tool that allows staff and clients to determine their personal Self-Sufficiency Standard and benefits eligibility for their own families.
This is an easy to use tool that determines eligibility for multiple programs including LIHEAP, food stamps (SNAP), child care assistance, and CHIP. Once eligibility is determined, link are provided to connect staff or client to COMPASS and other programs that clients may find useful.
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!
- Support the paid sick days campaign in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia! Become our friend! Show your support for earned sick time by visiting Facebook. You can support earned sick time in Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia. Support both!
- 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.
Comments
Post a Comment