As a small local retailer, I have found myself always looking for alternative sources for qualified employees. Turnover in the retail field can be high, so finding committed, long-term employees especially is a constant concern for my managers.

We currently have more than 80 team members and as our needs grow, so do our expectations for our staff.

Lack of access to high quality child care is one of the biggest missing pieces to welfare-to-work efforts.  The care available to most low-income women and their children is usually unreliable and substandard.  In fact, many former welfare recipients themselves work providing child care – in extremely unstable situations with low wages. 

In the best of times, lack of transportation is a serious barrier to employment for low-income, single working mothers.

And now is not the best of times.

According to the congressional Joint Economic Committee, the current economic downturn threatens women’s employment more than ever, with women-headed families being particularly squeezed.

As donors try to think of a way to maximize their gifts at a time of such great need througout the country, a lot of attention is falling upon giving circles as an innovative way to give a lot–as a collective, without breaking the bank–as an individual.