Category: Advocate

The 2014 mid-term elections are behind us, and even the most respected pollsters and pundits are surprised – not that the Republican party made gains, but by how much. Now the big question in Washington is whether the new Congress can abandon the politics of gridlock in order to move forward and govern. I admit it, I’m cynical. Control of Congress has flip-flopped numerous times over the past 20 years; yet, these breath-taking political moments have failed to establish the kind of transformational change that voters demand when they vote to throw incumbents out of Congress.

READ MORE from Changing the Impact Game: It’s Time for a Forward Pass

The 2014 mid-term elections are behind us, and even the most respected pollsters and pundits are surprised – not that the Republican party made gains, but by how much. Now the big question in Washington is whether the new Congress can abandon the politics of gridlock in order to move forward and govern. I admit it, I’m cynical. Control of Congress has flip-flopped numerous times over the past 20 years; yet, these breath-taking political moments have failed to establish the kind of transformational change that voters demand when they vote to throw incumbents out of Congress.

READ MORE from Changing the Impact Game: It's Time for a Forward Pass

“All politics is local” is a common phrase associated with former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, and it couldn’t have been truer in my hometown.  My parents were very politically active and I remember spending many election days in the firehouse-turned-polling-station checking off names of people who would come in and vote.  Those lists

READ MORE from Amid Politics as Usual, Every Vote Still Matters

Much has been written about the Great Recession and the impact it continues to have on our economy. It’s been seven years since the housing bubble began to collapse, triggering the worst stock market collapse since the Great Depression and a loss of an estimated $10 to $12 trillion in wealth in both the housing

READ MORE from Nonprofits Are Creating Jobs Even in Tough Times

Recent economic news has been brighter as of late with consumer confidence starting to move upward, and monthly unemployment rates and jobless claims declining. But every silver lining has a cloud, and that cloud are people who have been out of work for a long time. Nearly a third of Americans who were unemployed last month have been without a job for 26 or more weeks, double the rate recorded before the recession began late in 2007. Those out of work for extended periods of time are often less likely to be hired than those unemployed for shorter stretches. The result is a more devastating impact to household savings and long-term earning potential for those job seekers.

READ MORE from Missing in Action – The Long-Term Unemployed

There’s a famous proverb about poverty and charity that says, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I’ve always thought this saying needed to be updated by adding, “…but teach a man to catch a lot of fish, to sell them at the market and to save his money to buy more boats, and pretty soon he catches enough fish for everyone.” Okay, it needs a little work, but you get my point. The challenge of course isn’t teaching the man to fish, or even to catch a lot of fish; the challenge is getting him to save his money. That challenge has never been greater than it is today.

READ MORE from Teach a Man to Catch a Lot of Fish

This week, representatives from numerous national human services groups in the United States, including Goodwill®, participated in a discussion about a complex challenge that Americans have struggled to address for generations – how do we improve opportunities for people who have economic disadvantages? While the language we have used over the years has evolved from “poverty reduction and safety nets” to “economic mobility and opportunities,” such conversations inside the Beltway often visit and revisit the following two persistent challenges and implicated federal- level policy recommendations. 1) Programs and resources are fragmented, often overlap, and operate in silos; therefore, policymakers should enact legislation that fosters increased collaboration. 2) Public funding is limited and dwindling for programs that aim to lift people and families out of poverty; therefore, policymakers should protect funding for these programs. Let’s set the politics aside for a moment to look at Congress from a systemic perspective in order to examine why it enacts laws that perpetuate an underfunded and fragmented poverty-reduction system.

READ MORE from Poverty Reduction: A Tough Row to Hoe for Policymakers

National Employ Older Workers Week, held annually the last full week of September, recognizes the vital role of older workers in the workforce. It also showcases the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which provides on-the-job skills training to individuals 55 or older with limited financial resources. Since its inception in 1965, SCSEP has helped more than one million older Americans enter the workforce.Goodwill agencies in 14 states are providing services under the SCSEP program, and last year they helped more than 2,700 seniors put their years of experience and reliability to work in today’s workforce.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Celebrates the Contributions of Older Workers

Many from Goodwill®, including myself, are attending the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) Assets Learning Conference in Washington DC. The timing couldn’t be better, or more ironic. Six years ago this week, the world was hurtled to the brink of an economic precipice it hadn’t seen in nearly 80 years when Lehman Brothers, one of the oldest investment firms on Wall Street, announced it was filing for bankruptcy. Today, we still face challenges caused by the Great Recession. Too many are still unemployed; many more are working, but earning far less than in 2006 or 2007. And while the stock market has rebounded and stands 2,500 to 3,000 points over its pre- Recession high of 14,100, the middle class has significantly declined.

READ MORE from Looking Back, Moving Forward

Recently I attended a discussion on citizen activism and coalition building. In order to advance the public policy priorities of Goodwill® and the people we serve, I often have to work within coalitions made up of broad interests. I also wanted to learn more about what motivates citizens to become engaged. Little did I know that the conversation would lead me to reflect on not only how the lessons learned can be attributed to my work and the work of Goodwill, but also my own personal experiences.

READ MORE from Coming Together to Ignite Change

Congress comes back from the month-long August recess with a plate full of business and barely a month to finish before the end of the fiscal year on October 1. Here's a look at the key issues Goodwill is keeping an eye on.

READ MORE from Congress Returns With Much To Do and Little Time

The sad facts are that the United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other country in the world, with approximately 2.3 million people in prisons or jails. Of the 700,000 people who are released from prison each year, approximately two-thirds will return within three years of their release. In response to these disturbing statistics, Congress enacted the Second Chance Act in 2008, which is up for reauthorization this year, to establish and shape programs that aim to help returning prisoners successfully transition back into and positively contribute to society.

READ MORE from Urge Congress to Renew Programs That Reduce Recidivism