With the 2016 presidential election dominating national media coverage, it was almost easy to forget that there was an election this week. The polls had been open for three hours when I received my “I Voted” sticker, and I was voter number 127. I’m not sure how many registered voters are in my precinct, but there are more than 150,000 in my county. An estimated 25 percent came out to cast their vote – the fewest since 2007.
Category: Advocate
Let’s Make A Deal
For months Congress has delayed completing work on a host of key matters. From the budget, debt limit, the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Trust Fund shortfall, and highway funding, Congress delayed and passed short term measures that did little beyond keep the lights on and heighten the anxiety. As time ran out and pressure
Back to “Back to the Future”
This week’s fun fact is that October 21, 2015 is the date that Doctor Emmitt Brown set for his time machine, a DeLorean, in hopes of saving Marty McFly and his girlfriend’s future in the movie “Back to the Future.” As a proud member of Generation X, I enjoyed reading accounts, such as “It’s Time for ‘Back to the Future’ Day,” which reflect upon what the movie got right (e.g. teleconferencing) and what it got wrong (e.g. hovercrafts that run on garbage serving as a common and accessible mode of transportation).
Identify Your Financial Goals
Today, I attended the first Annual National Financial Goal Day kickoff, hosted by The Financial Clinic, to launch financial goals. Goodwill is a partner with The Financial Clinic, whose mission is to improve financial mobility for the working poor.
Goodwill® Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Goodwill Industries International is proud to join service providers, advocacy groups and employers among other stakeholders, in acknowledging the importance of employees with disabilities as a vital component of the U.S. labor force. This year's theme, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor — "My Disability Is One Part of Who I Am" — underscores the fact that employees with disabilities bring a wide variety of skills to the table. However, it is evident that more work needs to be done to educate employers and support people with disabilities. Approximately one in five Americans has a disability and they make up nearly 20 percent of America's workforce, yet their unemployment rate is more than twice that of workers without disabilities.
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FY 2016 Budget: Tell Congress to “Raise the Caps”
Yesterday, Congress passed H.R. 719, a continuing resolution (CR) that keeps the lights on in the federal government for another ten weeks. Since 2001, Congress has approved dozens of CRs, some just to keep the lights on in order to resolve a few issues in one or two appropriations bills, but at other times like yesterday because Congress hadn’t approved a single funding bill.
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This Week, Tell Congress to Support Older Workers
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers who are 55 and older will make up one-quarter of the civilian workforce by 2020. This stark figure demonstrates that older workers will continue to need support. You can show your support for older workers by telling Congress to support S. 192, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2015. S. 192 reauthorizes the Older Americans Act and key services and programs for America’s seniors including the Senior Community Service and Employment Program (SCSEP). The Goodwill agencies that serve older adults 55 and older through SCSEP served 8361 new participants since 2006 and have placed 2444 to employment with full benefits. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers who are 55 and older will make up one-quarter of the civilian workforce by 2020. This stark figure demonstrates that older workers will continue to need support.
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Celebrate Democracy by Taking Action on September 22
I remember the first time I cast my ballot in an official election. I voted for my father who was running for city council. I was so proud that day, not only of my dad, but that I was able to execute my civic duty. I was able to easily register to vote by simply filling out a form at my high school and a teacher gave the class a ton of resources to turn to in order to learn about all of the candidates on the ballot. There was a presidential election that year, so there was certainly a lot to learn.
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Congress is Back in Session and Already Behind in Assignments
Congress returned from their annual summer break in August and found themselves already behind in their homework. Awaiting completion are the FY 2016 appropriations bills, though Congress will likely need a short term continuing resolution to complete that assignment. Also due is a vote on the Iran agreement, the debt ceiling, highway bill reauthorization and funding, and finding bridge funding for the SSDI program whose trust fund runs dry in a year.
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On Labor Day, and Every Day, Goodwill® Thinks About How to Put People to Work
Many associate Labor Day with the end of summer, a three-day weekend and the start of a new school year. Families and friends gather for barbecues and one last outing to the pool until next year. Rarely do folks sit around on Labor Day and actually celebrate America’s workers, think of ways to get more people in the workforce or consider how to lessen the unemployment rate. Unless, that is, you work for Goodwill®.
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Women’s Equality Day Commemorates Strides to Narrow the Gender Gap
On August 26, 1920, following a long and hard-fought political campaign, women in the United States won the right to vote. Research shows that 95 years after securing the right to vote, more and more women execute this right of citizenship. Women have had larger voter turnout than men in every presidential election since 1980. Some attribute this to women having more interaction with government.
READ MORE from Women’s Equality Day Commemorates Strides to Narrow the Gender Gap
Women's Equality Day Commemorates Strides to Narrow the Gender Gap
On August 26, 1920, following a long and hard-fought political campaign, women in the United States won the right to vote. Research shows that 95 years after securing the right to vote, more and more women execute this right of citizenship. Women have had larger voter turnout than men in every presidential election since 1980. Some attribute this to women having more interaction with government.
READ MORE from Women's Equality Day Commemorates Strides to Narrow the Gender Gap
