This week marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, education, and public accommodations. Goodwill® has been dedicated to supporting employment opportunities for people with disabilities, among others, since its founding more than 113 years ago
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This week I had the great pleasure of working with Boyd Brown, area director of employment & training of Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota (St. Paul), as he testified before a Congressional subcommittee. The hearing, which was on welfare reform proposals, specifically involved the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. His testimony provided great insight into the journey of an individual on public assistance, struggling to find a job and the challenges faced by case managers trying to put people to work.
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At the end of President Lincoln’s second inaugural address, he implored a war-weary nation “…to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan….” All the country was aware of the sacrifice. From big cities to small rural towns, there was either direct destruction because of the civil war or their soldiers had been lost or wounded in battle. As in most of his addresses to the nation, Lincoln spoke to both current and future generations.
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In just a couple of days, Americans will celebrate the 239th year since members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Arguably the most famous statement within this revered document is the notion that all people are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Perhaps it can only be true in Washington, DC, that not losing is considered winning. In the face of mounting debt, a stubbornly high deficit, and an economy still struggling to grow fast enough to add enough jobs, Congress is keeping a tight grip on spending.
Recently, a bi-partisan bill (S. 1513) was introduced in the Senate that would reauthorize and improve programs that aim to improve reintegration for people with a criminal history. Goodwill® is urging Senators to co-sponsor the bill.
Last week, I received a phone call from Audrey, a woman in Wisconsin who was seeking help for her brother, Frank. He has recently been released from prison after serving a 20-year sentence and needs help finding a job. The harsh reality is that without support and resources, Frank’s chances of recidivating are overwhelming.
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Results from a recent Pew Research Center study noting that most millennials (61 percent) receive their political news from Facebook, was not surprising. Only 37 percent reported getting their political news through local television. This is further proof that social media may be the most effective way to reach this generation. About a quarter of the millennials using Facebook said at least half of the posts they see pertain to government and politics. They were also less familiar with a number of political news outlets, but no less trusting of those media outlets than other generations.
For the past several years, efforts to advance annual spending bills have broken down. The result is usually end-of-the-year political theater that causes most constituents to shake their heads in disgust and keeps Congressional approval rates at historically low levels. But to be fair, Congressional appropriators face increasingly difficult choices.
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Increasingly, seniors desire to remain at home as they age rather than relocating to assisted living or nursing homes. Their ability to do so often depends on the availability of home and community-based services and other supports. The Older Americans Act of 1965 requires the Administration on Aging (AOA) to promote and support a comprehensive system of services.
The very first Older Americans Month took place in May 1963. While the poverty rate for seniors declined from the abysmal high point of 65 percent, it still hovered around an unacceptable 30 percent. Today the senior poverty rate stands just above 10 percent, about the same as other age groups. Social Security, one of
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I recently had the privilege of leading a series of discussions with a small group of Goodwill® employees during a conference hosted by Goodwill Industries International. Our topic was community engagement and advocacy. We began our conversation by considering who makes up the community in which Goodwill belongs and how we engage the group.
