January Meeting-Hear from Employers

The Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force will be meeting
JANUARY 6, 2012 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

We will be meeting at the Capitol (room to be announced). The presentation of the day will be Bridges to Employment, sponsored by Worklife. Several employers will testify to their success working with low-income workers striving for economic self-sufficiency. We will also review a first draft of the Strategic Plan for reducing poverty through increased economic opportunity.

Beyond the Breadline

The problems have been well defined: how the "recession" of the last four years has affected the majority of Americans. Watch the trailer, The Breadline, for stories of how some people now struggle with joblessness, homelessness, and underemployment—folks who previously sat squarely in the middle class.

And that is where this story begins. The film goes beyond the scope of the trailer--beyond the breadline, looking at solutions.

Watch the video here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bereel/beyond-the-breadline?ref=live

Reading Room for 12/16

I am sorry that I will not be able to make the meeting later today, but I have been meaning to post the first of the articles below, and just found the last this morning.

Have a great meeting.


A British reporter on a long term assignment in NYC has her first American health care experience, and all of the concern over cost that it involves:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/04/new-york-spider-us-private-healthcare

Gary Younge looks at the widening demographics of SNAP enrollees:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/dec/09/land-of-free-home-of-hungry

And from NPR, on the number of impoverished Americans:
http://m.npr.org/news/front/143770049?singlePage=true

12/16 - Next Economic Opportunity and Poverty Reduction Task Force Meeting

We are meeting at the Capitol in HRC 0109 from 1-4. All are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate.

*Activism Activity*

Get in touch with your representatives to make sure they know the importance of extending unemployment insurance. UI is set to expire at the end of this year. That is just a few weeks away! (15 points for every letter sent or phone call placed)

'If Congress does not take action by the end of the year, more than 6 million people will lose benefits next year, according to an estimate provided by House Democratic staff.

“In 31 days, time will run out for millions and millions of Americans who are counting on this Congress to extend their unemployment benefits,” Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said at Wednesday’s press conference. “Some lawmakers say that we can’t afford to extend unemployment benefits and the payroll tax in the current fiscal environment. I say we can’t afford not to."

- Wall Street Journal (complete article at http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/11/30/congress-wrestles-with-2012-unemployment-benefits-extension/)

Half in Ten Denver Presentation

Thanks to everyone that was able to make it out on such a snowy day for Melissa Boteach to talk to us about the Half in Ten campaign! What a great turn out!

Here are the links Melissa referenced Thursday. Great information.

Interactive map: http://halfinten.org/issues/articles/interactive-map-2010-poverty-data-by-congressional-district/

Full report: http://halfinten.org/indicators/publications/2010report

Toolkit: http://halfinten.org/indicators/publications/toolkit