PathWays PA E-Newsletter: February 28, 2011

COME TO THE RALLY AND HEARING ON EARNED SICK DAYS!

Everyone Gets Sick— Not Everyone Has the Time to Get Better

2 out of every 5 workers in Philadelphia do NOT have a single paid sick day.

Help Us Tell City Council to Give ALL Workers a Chance to Earn Paid Sick Days.

WHEN: March 1, 2011 9:00 AM
WHERE: Room 401, Philadelphia City Hall

Join the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces at City Hall for a Rally and Press Conference and then help us pack the Hearing Room to show the importance of this bill. Enter City Hall at the north-east corner and remember to bring a picture ID.

Register to attend at: http://rallyforearnedsicktime.eventbrite.com

Even if you have paid sick days remember a majority of restaurant, child care, and health care workers do not—the lack of paid sick days in Philadelphia impacts us all!

Federal Policy Update

NEW REPORT SHOWS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WOULD SUFFER UNDER HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

At a time when 14 million people are out of work more may begin to struggle depending on what happens to the federal budget, according to a new report by the Coalition on Human Needs for the SAVE for All campaign.

According to the report, millions of people would lose services under the House of Representatives’ plan for the rest of fiscal year 2011. Here’s a sampling:

• 218,000 young children would not be able to receive Head Start services;
• 11 million patients would lose health care they would have received at Community Health Centers over the next year, with 3.2 million losing care in the next few months; 127 health center sites would have to close and 7,434 jobs would be lost;
• 20 million low-income people, including 5 million children, 2.3 million seniors, and 1.7 million people with disabilities, would have access to anti-poverty services disrupted;
• 9.4 million low-income college students would lose some or all of their Pell Grants;
• More than 8 million adults and youth would lose job training and other employment services. Job training under the Workforce Investment Act would essentially be shut down until July 2012;
• 81,000 low-income people, mostly seniors and some children, will no longer receive food packages and six states would not be able to join the program after being approved to do so;
• 1.2 million poor households in public housing (two-thirds of whom are elderly or have a disability) would see maintenance and repairs on their apartments deteriorate due to cuts in the Public Housing Capital Fund;
• 10,000 people with significant long-term disabilities would lose their rental assistance; most of these would lose their homes.

The report calls for any deficit reduction plan to instead:

• Make major steps towards deficit reduction gradual and long-term, because the solutions will be much easier and the resulting pain much less severe if the economy is stronger;
• Not rely primarily on cuts in domestic appropriations, which are not the cause of the ballooning federal deficit;
• Include equitable revenue increases;
• Reduce wasteful spending;
• Protect low-income people from harm.

Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to protect families and workers in this year’s budget.

TAKE ACTION! URGE CONGRESS NOT TO MAKE CUTS TO CRUCIAL PROGRAMS

As the Senate gears up this week to debate the federal budget, Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) and urges you to join advocates across the country, including PathWays PA, in sending a letter to Congress on the importance of crucial programs and services to millions of American families and elders as they rebuild from one of the worst economic recession's of our time.

The House has already passed a bill that includes devastating cuts to domestic programs and services. Included in the $65 billion cuts are LIHEAP, Community Service Block Grants, affordable housing grants for seniors and the defunding of job training programs such as YouthBuild and the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP).

Now is the time to take action. We encourage you to send your letter today, and include your story of how cuts will affect your community. We must show Congress how much these programs and services help low and middle-income families make ends meet.

State Policy Update

TOMORROW 42,000 PENNSYLVANIANS WILL LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE

The nearly 42,000 Pennsylvanians who are enrolled in adultBasic will lose their health insurance coverage at the end of today.

The Pennsylvania Health Access Network is leading a group of health care advocates and adultBasic consumers to gather outside the Governor' Mansion in Harrisburg to mark this occasion and send a message to Governor Corbett that the working Pennsylvanians who rely on adultBasic matter. Learn more here.

Some have said that the funding just is not there to continue adultBasic, but the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has noted that there are options to keep this critical lifeline going.

Contact your members of the General Assembly and the Governor and urge them to find a way to continue this critical program.

Information/Events

5TH ANNUAL LEGS AGAINST ARMS 5K RUN/WALK & CELEBRATION OF YOUTH

WHEN: April 10, 2011 at 8:30am
WHERE: Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Ave, 19131

Help send a strong message about the impact of violence in our city while raising funds for Physicians for Social Responsibility's youth violence prevention programs. The run is followed by a Celebration of Youth, featuring youth performances and fun and educational activities for young and old alike! The Celebration of Youth is free and open to all.

Click here for more information.


Click here for online registration!

DISCUSSION OF NEW LAW REGARDING WORKPLACE BREASTFEEDING

The Philadelphia Society of Human Resource Managers and the Maternity Care Coalition are holding a breakfast meeting to discuss a new law regarding workplace breastfeeding that has ramifications for workplaces and human resource

To boost breastfeeding support, Section 4207 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law on March 23, 2010, includes a provision that employers shall provide reasonable, unpaid break time and a private, non-bathroom place for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child’s birth.

WHEN: Thursday, March 3rd 7:30-9:30 am
WHERE: Lowes Philadelphia Hotel, 12th and Market Streets

Employers with less than 50 employees are not subject to the requirement if it would cause undue hardship related to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the employer's business.

To register for the event, go here.

Special PathWays PA Information/Events

PATHWAYS PA’S 4TH ANNUAL ART SHOW – GREAT ART FOR A GREAT CAUSE

PathWays PA’s fourth annual PathWays to the Stars Art Show & Auction will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2011, from 3-7PM. The event will be hosted in the elegant Waterford Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel, located at 1160 First Avenue in King of Prussia.

More than 20 local artists will be involved with this year’s show, including Annette Alessi, Cheryl Decker-Sauder, Alice George, Robert Grieb, Marie Harris, Madeleine Kelly, Christa Krumbhaar, Martin May, Cathy Peluso and Dane Tilghman. This year’s event will also feature original art by the children residing at our Center for Families.

This year we are adding a new category of work to the art show. Attendees will be able to view, purchase and bid on original and highly creative work by local jewelry and ceramics artists and support the over 6,000 women, children and families PathWays PA serves each year. 100% of silent auction proceeds, along with 30% of art sale profits, will benefit the agency.

Last year’s PathWays to the Stars Art Show & Auction raised in excess of $13,000. With your help, this year’s event can be an even greater success! Tickets to the event are only $25 in advance or $30 at the door. To purchase tickets, or to show your support by purchasing a full page tribute ad ($250) in our souvenir program book, please call Pam at 610-543-5022 x234.

FINANCIAL PATH$

Financial Path$, a new program from PathWays PA, helps individuals and families build paths toward economic self-sufficiency through financial education, asset building and economic empowerment. This program provides one-on-one financial counseling and financial education workshops. Financial Path$ is committed to assisting everyone carve their path to self-sufficiency.

If you or your clients would be interested in learning more about this program please contact wrahemtulla@pathwayspa.org.

For more information become Financial Path$ friend on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Stay turned as we will also be launching a blog very soon!

FREE TAX PREPARATION

PathWays PA offers FREE certified tax preparation at our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites throughout Philadelphia and Delaware counties. Free tax preparation is for taxpayers with an annual gross household income less than $50,000.

Keep your full refund and save your money:

• No tax preparation fees
• No E-filing Fees
• No check cashing fees
• Open a no-fee savings or prepaid debit card account
• Purchase a risk free US Saving Bond
• Find out it you’re eligible for SNAP (food stamps)

Taxpayers must being all necessary identification and required tax statement for taxpayer, spouse, and dependents.

Locations:

• Philadelphia County – 3617 Lancaster Avenue Philadelphia PA
• Delaware County – 310 Amosland Road Holmes PA

Call 610-543-5022 or 1-800-209-2914 to schedule your FREE tax appointment today!