The following is the third post in a series covering aspects and angles on the DC Women’s Agenda’s recent white paper, Voices and Choices for D.C. Women and Girls: Recommendations for City Leaders 2007.  The D.C. Women’s Agenda promotes the advancement, equality and well-being of women in D.C. This series of blogs is an extension of a very important proposal of recommendations to city leaders to truly make tangible changes in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Supporting the voices and empowerment of women and girls in D.C. is one of the main objectives of the DCWA and the DCWA white paper, Voices and Choices for D.C. Women and Girls: Recommendations for City Leaders 2007. 

To support women and girls in D.C., we must first educate ourselves and our communities about the obstacles that women and girls in D.C. battle daily. 

Unfortunately, one of the main obstacles that stagnates the empowerment of women is a lack of safety, whether from the risk of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. 

According to the National Organization for Women, women are 10 times more likely then men to be assaulted by an intimate partner.  And according to the District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “In 2005, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received 27,401 domestic-related crime calls—one every 19 minutes.” This statistic only represents crimes that are reported–we estimate that there are many more that go unnoticed.  (The Women’s Foundation’s Portrait Project also features some excellent statistics on health and safety for women in our region–check out a recent post on street harrassment in D.C. for details.) 

A violent environment affects every aspect of a woman’s life.

It is much more difficult for her to hold a job.  Her partner may go to great lengths to ensure that she is, in fact, not able to hold a job. Often, an abuser will make her late for work, call repeatedly throughout the day, or worse yet, come to her workplace.  All of these things make it extremely hard for her to keep a job when her employer knows that there are others out there who do not have such problems.  Without a job, it is very hard for a woman, especially if she has children, to leave an abusive situation.  How will she pay for food or be able to afford an apartment?

We must recognize that a lack of safety is a catalyst to expedite other issues such as homelessness, problems keeping a steady job, possible mental illness, drug abuse/addiction and low self-esteem. 

To ensure safety for all women and girls, there are a plethora of changes that city leaders can make:

• Provide funding and publicity to increase access, availability, and awareness of comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and other violent acts.
• Promote and fund the Commission on Violence Against Women (or the local D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence) and their mission to increase public awareness and provide comprehensive services for the physical and psychological needs for victims.
• Ensure that the commission is comprised of a variety of government agency representatives as well as community-based service providers to actively involve the community and allow a diverse, wide spectrum of people to feel some ownership. 

When there are adequate programs available to women to mitigate the problem of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, women are much more likely to leave their abusive situation.

Having access to a safe shelter will allow a woman and her children a place to stay while she seeks the necessary services to better her situation, or to save up enough money to find a new place to live. 

Medical services will help her heal physically. 

The availability of case management services and counseling will help her heal emotionally from the atrocities that she had to deal with, as well as assisting her in getting her life back. 

With services such as these providing the means for women to get out of their abusive situations, we will begin see the numbers of survivors rising. 

Discussing a daunting topic like this is not small talk. 

We must continue to protect our own–ourselves, the women in our lives and the women and girls in our community.

As one of the most infamous passages of the U. S. Constitution states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  This phrase evolved from the Virginia Declaration of Independence, in which articles 1-3 outline the relationship between the government and those that are governed by claiming, “All men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights of which… [they cannot divest;] namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”

One can not pursue happiness, whatever that may be, without safety.  Safety for all is one of our inherent natural rights.

Thus said, let’s continue our right to “pursue safety,” for “all men” (that means women, too).

Previous and related posts and information:
DCWA: Calling all city leaders!
DCWA: Economic security is key to the city’s health.
The Women’s Foundation’s Portrait Project (with a section on the health and safety of our region’s women and girls)

About the blogger:
Natasha Pendleton is a summer intern with Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), a convenor of the DC Women’s Agenda.  She is currently a senior attaining a bachelor of arts degree in sociology with concentrations in law and society and urban and regional planning at Cornell University.  She serves as theatrical director of an anti-oppression theatre troop, which performs for more than 5,000 people nationwide (annually) to promote diversity and racial harmony on college campuses.  A native of Chicago, Natasha was motivated to come to Washington, D.C. this summer to work with WOW by issues of social and economic justice that have pressed upon her heart for some time.  Natasha truly believes that not only is the government accountable, but it is our responsibility to be informed citizens to challenge the state of local policy.  And furthermore, as those informed citizens, it is our responsibility to raise voices and awareness so that all people, especially women and girls, can live in safe, fair, and thriving communities.

When The Women’s Foundation writes a check from the Open Door Capacity Building Fund or gives a Leadership Award, it’s an investment in a nonprofit’s future and their potential to positively impact women, girls and our community as a whole.

So when two of this year’s five Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management finalists–and one of the winners–were Grantee Partners of The Women’s Foundation, we couldn’t help but think of this recognition as a deserved acknowledgement of the importance of their work and of investing in the capacity of local nonprofits.

The Women’s Foundation congratulates Tahirih Justice Center, winner of the 2007 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management! Tahirih addresses the needs of immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based violence through direct legal service, advocacy, social and medical referrals and public education.

Tahirih was recognized for, among other things, their short and long-term strategic planning, use of market research and impact assessment, approach to staff workload and cultural sensitivity.

"There’s no question that Tahirih Justice Center’s programs and services are vital to our community," Carolee Summers-Sparks, Program Officer, said. "I’m proud that The Women’s Foundation has supported their work, and equally proud that we’ve invested in projects to build the strength of the organization."

The Women’s Foundation’s support of The Tahirih Justice Center began in 2002, when they received a Leadership Award, a V-Day Grant, and a Rapid Response Fund grant. In 2004, they were awarded their first of two Open Door grants.  In all, The Women’s Foundation has invested $40,000 in Tahirih and their work.

Activities supported by these grants include a three-day staff training and retreat aimed at reducing stress and building unity to prevent turnover, to a database for strategic donor engagement, complete with trainings for board and staff on fundraising strategies.

One of the trainings funded by The Women’s Foundation was specifically featured in Tahirih’s application and recognized by the award selection committee, Allyn Summa, Tahirih’s Director of Development and Communications, said.

"The Women’s Foundation has historically been one of the few organizations that many nonprofits in this area can turn to for capacity building grants," Summa continued. "We’ve relied upon The Women’s Foundation for that, and it’s vital. It’s those things that enable effective management, thoughtful planning and efficient use of time. That’s part of the reason we’ve beeen so grateful to The Women’s Foundation."

The Women’s Foundation also congratulates the other finalists, including Boat People SOS, one of this year’s four finalists for the Washington Post award, a Grantee Partner since 2001 when they received a Rapid Response Fund grant for $8,000.

Both of these organizations–along with every Grantee Partner–represents the value of The Women’s Foundation’s commitment to investing in "beyond the check" grantmaking, and to providing technical assistance and support for their operational goals as well as programmatic funding.

To learn more about how you can get involved in giving beyond the check, click here, and join us.

Photo by Michael Colella.

As part of our ongoing commitment–in partnership with The Urban Institute–to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families.

This research is summarized and compiled for The Women’s Foundation by Kerstin Gentsch of The Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation

Some Thoughts About New and Old Asset-Promotion Policies
By Robert I. Lerman
Urban Institute
June 2007

Provides methodological guidance about how to best view and evaluate policies on helping people build assets.

Despite a plethora of proposals for helping people build assets, policy researchers have provided little methodological guidance about how best to view and evaluate these policies. This paper is an initial attempt to move in this direction, drawing on methods for assessing income-tested and social insurance programs and on analyses of public policies dealing with savings, investments, and risks. It examines whether and in what ways the traditional criteria of incentives, progressivity, and equity apply to an assessment of asset-building policies. Further, it discusses how to design an asset policy to deal with the potential social dislocations arising from gentrification.

For abstract and introduction.  
For full report. 

Eligibility for Child Tax Credit by Age of Child
By Leonard E. Burman and Laura Wheaton
Urban Institute
May 22, 2007

Examines child tax credit eligibility by age of child.

The child tax credit (CTC) is a $1,000 partially refundable federal income tax credit for each qualifying child under age 17. In 2007, tax filers may claim a refundable credit (over and above any tax liability) equal to 15 percent of the excess of earnings over $11,750, up to the $1,000 maximum per child. The earnings threshold means that families with very low incomes get no benefit from the credit, and others will receive only a partial credit. This brief analysis shows that many families with young children tend have lower incomes and are thus left out. In 2007, 30 percent of qualifying children under age 2 in working families had family incomes too low to benefit from the full credit, compared with 27 percent of children overall and 24 percent of children 10 and older.

For abstract and excerpt.  
For full report.   

Jobs and Business Ownership News

Reducing Poverty in Washington, D.C. and Rebuilding the Middle Class from Within
By Martha Ross and Brooke DeRenzis
The Brookings Institution
March 2007

Makes a set of recommendations for a workforce development strategy that will increase the skills, earnings, and employment of at least 10,500 low-income, low-skilled residents over the next seven years.

Washington D.C. has experienced job growth, increases in city revenues, and a development boom over the past several years, but too many residents are excluded from local and regional prosperity. Ensuring the District’s future as a vibrant, inclusive city depends on a commitment to increase the middle class from within. This paper from Brookings Greater Washington makes a set of focused recommendations for a workforce development strategy that will increase the skills, earnings, and employment of at least 10,500 low-income, low-skilled residents over the next seven years.

Workforce development, however, should be seen as part of a broader strategy to move the working poor into the middle class. Even with enhanced education and job placement services, many residents will continue to work in low-wage jobs. Polices and programs that support employment and create financial incentives to work can help residents in low-wage jobs make ends meet.

Additionally, an unstable housing situation can make it difficult to find and keep a job or participate in workforce programs. This paper proposes increasing assistance to alleviate the severe housing shortage experienced by the lowest-wage workers. To help working households stay in the city as their incomes increase, this paper also recommends developing workforce rental housing for middle-income families.

By helping more residents enter and advance in the workforce, the city can begin to steady its fiscal base while blurring economic, racial, and geographic divides.

For summary.  
For full report.  

An Economy that puts families first: Expanding the social contract to include family care
By Heidi Hartmann, Aariane Hegewisch, and Vicky Llovell
Economic Policy Institute
May 24, 2007

Focuses on the policy gaps that must be filled to make U.S. workplaces more family friendly.

A comprehensive family policy program is needed to make the U.S. economy more family friendly and to enable workers to combine work and family responsibilities more easily. Such a program is part of a new social contract that should spread the costs of family care beyond the immediate family and help redistribute the burden of care more equitably between men and women within the family. The comprehensive program laid out throughout this briefing paper is ambitious and complex. Here we offer our priorities for policy making in the United States during the next five to 10 years. We present these priorities using our framework of three types of policies: those that subsidize the cost of care; those that provide income replacement while workers are providing care; and those that lead employers to change their behavior and make the jobs they offer more family friendly. We select these priorities based on need and practicality. In virtually all cases workable models exist. Most are not especially expensive, costing less, for example, than the deductibility of mortgage interest costs on owner-occupied housing in the federal personal income tax system.

For full report.

Framework for a New Safety Net for Low-Income Working Families
By Olivia Golden, Pamela Winston, Gregory Acs, Ajay Chaudry
Urban Institute
June 2007

Conceptualizes a framework for a new safety net for low-income working families that is rooted in their most essential needs.

The report is organized around five key goals:

1. Enabling parents to meet their family’s needs while working in lower-wage jobs.
2. Helping families weather gaps in parental employment.
3. Supporting parents’ job advancement.
4. Helping parents combine work and child-rearing.
5. Improving children’s well-being and development.

The paper describes these families’ circumstances, discusses gaps in current safety-net programs, and explores possible alternative approaches to meeting families’ most pressing needs.

For abstract and introduction.  
For full report. 

Child Care and Early Education News

Making Pre-kindergarten Work for Low-income Working Families
By Rachel Schumacher, Katie Hamm, and Danielle Ewen
Center for Law and Social Policy
June 2007

Based on a review of the first in-depth national research on the 29 states that, as of 2004, allowed mixed delivery in their pre- kindergarten programs. The review focused on promising practices and ideas for improvement.

• Provides evidence that policymakers need to review their pre-kindergarten initiatives to ensure maximum access for children in working families, especially low income children.
• Describes some models states and localities are using to be responsive to low-income working families’ needs by delivering pre-kindergarten in community-based settings.
• Highlights key strategies to address the needs of low income working families and examines the extent to which state pre-kindergarten policies currently do so.

For full report.

Reforming the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
By Jeff Rohaly
Urban Institute
June 11, 2007

Examines the revenue and distributional implications of making the CDCTC fully refundable.

The child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC) is a nonrefundable tax credit designed to help offset the expenses of providing care for children under the age of 13 or disabled dependents as long as a parent or caretaker is working or searching for work. In theory, a low-income family can qualify for a maximum $2,100 credit. The credit is not refundable, however, and families with low incomes generally owe little or no income tax. Thus, the theoretical maximum rarely applies in practice. This paper examines the revenue and distributional implications of making the CDCTC fully refundable.

For abstract and introduction. 
For full report.   

Early Head Start and Teen Parent Families: Partnerships for Success
Center for Law and Social Policy
June 2007

Examines the special needs of eligible low-income pregnant women and mothers with infants and toddlers, many of whom are teen parent families, and highlights promising Early Head Start programs.

Teen parent families may face increased risks for child abuse and neglect and for disabilities and developmental delays in children. Studies have shown that teen parent participation in EHS programs helps improve child development and parenting behavior and increases economic self-sufficiency and the family’s ability to access support services.

The report highlights the importance of increased collaboration between EHS programs and other systems serving teen parent families, especially child protective services and early intervention programs. EHS can collaborate with the child welfare system to prevent child abuse and neglect by teaching teenage parents appropriate parenting techniques, improving their knowledge of child development, and connecting them to support services. EHS programs can also identify children who may have disabilities and facilitate access to appropriate services.

The full report is based on discussion and findings from a 2-day meeting of EHS providers

For Department of Health & Human Services summary.
For full report.   

Men’s Pregnancy Intentions and Prenatal Behaviors: What They Mean for Fathers’ Involvement With Their Children
By Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew, Allison Horowitz, Elena Kennedy, and Kate Perper
Child Trends
June 2007

Presents information on what men report about their pregnancy intentions and their prenatal involvement, and examines the effects of these intentions and behaviors on men’s involvement with very young children following birth.

We found that although most resident fathers report that they wanted the pregnancy at the time or sooner, one in four reported that he did not want the pregnancy at all.

We also found that both fathers’ pregnancy intentions and their prenatal involvement differ by age and race/ethnicity. For example, teen fathers were the least likely to report that the pregnancy occurred at the right time and were the most likely to report that they had not wanted the pregnancy. Non-Hispanic black fathers and fathers of other ethnicities were more likely to report not wanting the pregnancy than were Hispanic or non-Hispanic white fathers. In addition, teen fathers and Hispanic fathers were less likely to demonstrate specific prenatal behaviors, compared with other fathers.

We also found that an unwanted pregnancy was associated with less warmth towards the infant but that a pregnancy that occurred later than the father wanted it to occur was associated with more nurturing behaviors.

Another important finding was that fathers who were more involved during pregnancy were also more likely to be involved in helping to rear the child in the first year of life. These fathers engaged in a higher level of cognitively stimulating activities with their very young children, showed more warmth and nurturing in their interactions with them, and provided more hands-on physical care.

For full report. 

Other News and Research

What is Evidence-Based Practice?
By Allison J. R. Metz, Rachele Espiritu, and Kristin A. Moore
Child Trends
June 2007

Part 1 in a Series on Fostering the Adoption of Evidence-Based Practices in
Out-Of-School Time Programs.

The lag between discovering effective practices and using them “on the ground” can be unnecessarily long, sometimes taking 15 to 20 years! The purpose of this brief is to provide practitioners with a better understanding of evidence-based practice, and to share resources that can help bridge the research-to practice gap and reduce the lag time between the identification and application of evidence-based practice. Forthcoming briefs in this series will provide additional information on key aspects of adopting evidence-based practices including replication, program fidelity, and specific implementation strategies.

For full brief.    

How would you like to feel excited to go to work in the morning?

I’m so fortunate because I can answer affirmatively – knowing that every second of my day is spent to help women and girls thrive and succeed.

I am the latest addition to the staff at The Women’s Foundation and am here to serve our community of supporters.  If you need any info about us or want to pledge your financial support, call me: Allison Mitchell, the new Development & Philanthropic Services Associate.

I am excited. I am eager. And I am energized!

The Women’s Foundation brings my passion and dedication for social justice to a higher level.

The Women’s Foundation caught my eye before I came on as staff when I joined the Leadership Awards committee earlier this year.  I said ‘yes’ to the Leadership Awards and just kept saying ‘yes’ – my involvement has and will continue to grow from that seed.

In my first few days at The Women’s Foundation, I’ve had a transformation, ideas about community, philanthropy, vision – all of these have a new, invigorated meaning to me.

The power of giving together!  It’s a perfect sentiment when you stop and think about it.

The challenge I have set out for myself is to engage in all facets of The Women’s Foundation, learn about the lives we are changing every day and understand why each person involved in The Women’s Foundation is part of our community.

That’s a tall order to fill, I know, and I can’t do it alone.

My challenge to you is to say hello to me and tell me what inspires you. If you can stop by the office, my door is always open. My email is amitchell@wawf.org and my phone number is (202) 347-7737 ext. 207.