– Ahead of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Women’s Foundation President Nicky Goren visits the MLK Memorial and reflects on what Dr. King would think about more than 200,000 women and girls living in poverty in the DC region.

– The Women’s Foundation is inviting supporters to join us and volunteer at A Wider Circle on MLK Day.  Click here for details.

– The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) — a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner — has posted a list of their top five findings of 2011. Topics on the list include how women have fared during the economic recovery, the unmet child care needs of student parents and how much paid sick days would save taxpayers.

– East of the River Magazine explores the innovative work of AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School.  The article also takes a look at the impact a quality Pre-K education can have on the achievement gap.  AppleTree is a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner.

– “In the fight against poverty, it’s time for a revolution,” David Bornstein writes in a commentary on The New York Times website. Bornstein calls for re-defining poverty, restructuring how social services are handled, and focusing on collaborative, long-term solutions.

– Here’s your feel great story of the week: a 17-year-old Long Island high school student whose family had to move into a homeless shelter a year ago is a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search competition.  Samantha Garvey says she doesn’t have the best home life, but she hopes that she made her parents proud by being one of just 300 students nationwide to participate in the semifinals of the competition.  You can watch her story here:

Tags: women, girls, dc, poverty, homeless, education, intel, science, career, early care, children

Coalition Releases New Report Highlighting Low Wages, Discrimination, Health Risks, and Opportunity for Improvement in DC’s Growing Restaurant Industry

The DC restaurant scene has received increasing praise in national food circles due to innovative restaurants opening weekly (even through the recession) and a growing cadre of local celebrity chefs.  Unfortunately, most restaurant employers have not shared this love with their workers. Gender discrimination remains pervasive and tends to affect minority workers at a higher rate.

A new report from the DC Restaurant Industry Coalition (which includes Women’s Foundation Grantee Partners Restaurant Opportunities Center of DC and the DC Employment Justice Center, as well as DC Jobs with Justice, ) takes a look at the wages and working conditions of DC restaurant workers.   It was released on Valentine’s Day at a breakfast summit at Eatonville Restaurant.  The report, based on a study of nearly 600 restaurant workers and employers, was completed by the Coalition last year.  It illustrates the pervasive low wages and discrimination in the mostly non-unionized restaurant industry.  The report also highlights the success of responsible employers, and suggests policy improvements to increase the health of the industry for everyone involved.

At the February 14th summit, D.C. hostess Katherine Jiménez described the gender segregation in hiring practices.  “They like young girls to be in the front…. The position traditionally for females is greeter, people who take care of the reservations….  I know some men who have applied for this position, because they like working with people and doing something other than working in the back of the house or being servers. [Management] would accept the application but not hire the person. There [are] no male greeters.” On the other hand servers, one of the highest paid positions in the restaurant, “[of about] 30 servers, three are female; it is very male-dominated.”

After accepting the hostess position, Jiménez was informed that during the 6-8 hour shift, she “must wear high heels [of] a specific style and height….  [In the job description, this detail] wasn’t there.”  She addressed with management the discomfort of this uniform requirement and the fact that it is a sexist practice.  The manager told her: “I don’t think it’s sexist, because if you were a man you wouldn’t have this job.”

Gender discrimination was also a part of the promotion opportunities and professional development policies of the restaurant.  Jiménez requested more training in order to learn more about wine and menu knowledge and in the hopes of being promoted to a server. “I asked [the manager]if I could apply to be a server.  Learn more about the food, learn more about wines.  He sat down with me and he told me he didn’t see me doing something like that.”

It is time to translate the country’s respect for restaurants into fair labor conditions for restaurant workers. Improving jobs will lead to better food, happier consumers, and more stable businesses.  As you enjoy a meal with family and friends, remember your fellow workers in the kitchen and dining room who make this act possible.

Please click here to learn more and read the report from the DC Restaurant Industry Coalition.

Nikki Lewis is a coordinator at Restaurant Opportunities Centers United-DC.

Tags: behind, the, kitchen, door, summit, restaurant, dc, restaurant opportunities centers united, waitress, discrimination, hostess, low, wage, study,

Although hunger touches all types of people and households, the USDA report shows that food insecurity is especially prevalent among households with children headed by a single mother.  Nationally, single mothers experience hunger at substantially higher rates than the national average (37.2% versus 14.6%).  Further, the prevalence of very low food security is also much higher for these households than the national average (13.3% versus 5.7%).  

Research[3] has shown that even a temporary increase in food insecurity can have a long-lasting and serious impact on the well-being and health of families and communities.   Hungry children are more likely to miss school and struggle academically and are at greater risk of developmental deficiencies.  Adults who struggle with hunger cannot concentrate, are less productive, and are at greater risk of illness and chronic disease.

Fortunately, federal nutrition programs such as the Food Stamp Program, free school breakfast and lunch, and WIC (women, infants, and children) are proven, readily-available solutions to combat hunger for these single-mother families and all hungry people in the District.  These programs not only reduce food insecurity and hunger, but also improve nutrition, health, economic security, early childhood development, school achievement, and overall well-being. 

Furthermore, the federal nutrition programs are, by and large, 100 percent federally-funded and, as entitlements (except WIC), are not subject to spending caps or limits on the number of participants.  They are limited only by shortfalls by public agencies, schools, and nonprofits in using them.  Federal nutrition program participation can grow to meet growing need when the economy gets worse.  Indeed, as District unemployment rose from seven percent in July 2008 to 10.6 percent in July 2009, food stamp participation rose by nearly 18 percent (from 90,840 participants to 107,176 participants).  The Food Stamp Program brought with it approximately $14 million in 100 percent federally-funded benefits just in the month of July 2009.

To increase support for hungry women and children, and to support all D.C. families, the District should do a better job in fully utilizing these federal nutrition programs. While the city should be commended for recent improvements, such as passing the Food Stamp Expansion Act of 2009 which boosts benefits and expands eligibility for the program, there is still much work to be done.  For example, for every 100 children that eat free or reduced-price school lunch, only 50 also participate in the School Breakfast Program. D.C. could help more low-income children start the day with a healthy morning meal by getting more schools to offer breakfast in the classroom, a strategy that’s proven to boost participation.  Additionally, continuing to increase participation in the Food Stamp Program by fully implementing policies that passed with the Food Stamp Expansion Act, such as categorical eligibility[4] and Heat and Eat[5], will also help get much-needed resources in the hands of families struggling with hunger.

D.C. Hunger Solutions’ “Get the Food Guide” is available to help women learn about nutrition resources. Contact Katie Vinopal (kvinopal@dchunger.org) if you would like a copy.

[2] http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/measurement.htm or http://www.frac.org/html/hunger_in_the_us/hunger_index.html

[3] http://www.frac.org/html/hunger_in_the_us/health.html

[4] http://www.dchunger.org/pdf/DC-cat-elfinal3.pdf

[5] http://www.dchunger.org/pdf/heat_and_eat_feb2009.pdf

Tags: dc hunger solutions, hunger, district, women, girls, usda

Calvary Women’s Services was notified Monday, September 28, by The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (TCP) that contract funding for Calvary would be cut by nearly $75,000 beginning October 1st.  These funds support safe housing and other services for 150 homeless women each year.  TCP is an independent, non-profit corporation that coordinates DC’s Continuum of Care homeless services.

Calvary is one of many social service providers notified of cuts to their existing contracts. Emergency, transitional and supported permanent housing programs were all targeted as the city attempted to close an ever-widening budget gap.  The impact of these cuts on the overall homeless services system is going to be severe, with some housing programs reducing their services and others likely closing programs. 

Although these cuts may provide some immediate relief to the city’s budget problems, the real impact of the cuts will be felt by those in need of safe housing and support services.  Women who have already lost their jobs in this economic crisis will have fewer services and housing options available to them. These cuts will make women who are already at-risk much more likely to end up living on the streets or in unsafe situations.

The women who come to programs like Calvary are survivors of violence, women struggling with mental illness, and women working to overcome addictions.  At Calvary we make sure they have access to all of the services they need to address these challenges – in addition to providing a safe place to live.

We know that programs like ours work.  Every five days a woman moves out of Calvary and into her own home.

We have always relied on the support of both public funding and private donations to make our programs possible.  In the past, supporters have helped us close gaps like this one, and I am hopeful that the community will step up once again.  But I am also concerned that this gap may be too wide for our generous donors to close.

The coming months will be challenging ones for organizations like Calvary, as we try to find ways to continue to provide women in this community with critical, life changing services.  More so, they will be challenging months for women who need services like ours, as they face closed doors and reduced services at programs across the city.

 You can make a difference.  Support Calvary – or another agency facing these cuts – today. 

 Volunteer, donate or learn more at www.calvaryservices.org.

Kris Thompson is the Executive Director of Calvary Women’s Services, recognized as a 2009 Leadership Awardee by The Women’s Foundation.  Learn more about them on their Web site or on Facebook.

Tags: calvary women's services, homeless, women, budget, cuts

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News

The Urban Institute provides statistics on the work effort, earnings, health care access and other characteristics of low-income families. (Abstract) (Full Text)

 Jobs and Business Ownership News

The Brookings Institution investigates the accessibility of middle-wage jobs — good paying jobs for the less-educated workers — for those without bachelor’s degrees in 204 metropolitan areas. (Abstract) (Full Text)

Child Care and Early Education

The National Institute for Early Education Research examines the journeys of six states — Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, New York, and West Virginia — in achieving a plan for preschool for all. (Intro) (Full Text)

Health and Safety News

The Urban Institute explores the unique experiences of women exiting prison, focusing on a representative sample of 142 women who were released from Texas prisons and state jails in 2005 and returned to Houston communities. (Intro) (Full Text)

Other News and Research

The Urban Institute provides comprehensive data indicators and analysis on the state of older youth (age 12-24) in the District and examines  the role of area nonprofits that work with young people, their families, and neighborhoods. (Abstract) (Full Text)

Tags: Stepping Stones, Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC, Women, Washington D.C., The Brookings Institution, National Institute for Early Education Research,

This year’s briefing focused on the realities facing low-income women and their families in the current recession, as well as strategies to help them cope. 

Speakers at this year’s briefing included Heather Boushey from the Center for American Progress, Ed Lazere with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Marty Schwartz with Vehicles for Change and more.

The briefing was also live-Tweeted @TheWomensFndtn with hashtag #SSRB.

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Tags: Stepping Stones Research Briefing, women and poverty, women and recession

Her first official visit to a D.C.-based nonprofit was a great honor for all of us who have been involved in Mary’s Center. She recognized our accomplishments over the last 20 years, providing a safety net and improving the health and well being of thousands of families in our community.

During her time with us, I talked with Mrs. Obama about the multiple needs of our clients and the uniqueness of the Mary’s Center model of comprehensive services. She was deeply touched by the powerful personal accounts of several of our participants, who spoke about the impact that Mary’s Center has had on their lives and how we have helped to strengthen their communities in countless positive ways.

The First Lady read Brown Bear Brown Bear to a group of toddlers from our Family Literacy Program and inspired our Teen Program participants with her words of hope.

We at Mary’s Center are on the front lines of the most critical issues facing our country today.  Every day, through our work, we are proving that transformational change is possible.

I hope that through this visit, Mrs. Obama deepened her understanding of the issues affecting our nation’s most vulnerable families and children.  I also hope that she views our comprehensive social change model as a solution that could be replicated throughout the country to improve the health and well being of our underserved citizens.

As all of you know, the stimulus package before Congress includes aspects of many health services provided by organizations like Mary’s Center.  Moving forward, we look forward to advising Mrs. Obama’s staff on how to implement the policies that will result from the package, particularly those that directly affect women and children.

As we cherish the opportunity of being the first community organization officially visited by the First Lady, we also look forward to the Obama Administration’s initiatives to improve health access through a comprehensive health reform that will benefit the communities we serve.

For photos and more information about the First Lady’s visit to Mary’s Center:
DCist coverage
Washington Grantmakers coverage
Mary’s Center Web site

Maria S. Gomez, RN, MPH, is president and CEO of Mary’s Center, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.

Tags: Michella Obama, Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care

But, I have to admit that I do have some concerns about our next steps in the fight for equal pay for equal work .

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act reverses a Supreme Court decision from 2007 that ignored decades of legal precedent and closed the courts to women and minorities seeking redress from employees who had discriminated against them. (Please note, in Ledbetter’s case, a lower court found that she had – in fact – been discriminated against. The Supreme Court didn’t disagree with that fact; it just disagreed about when she should have filed the case.)

There are a lot of things to celebrate about the President’s signing of the Ledbetter bill:

• It signals to the country that discrimination against women and any type of wage discrimination will be taken seriously by the Administration.
• It tells the nation that the President understands the concerns of working women and their families and that he is on our side.
• It proves a political theory that I have long believed to be true. Most polls show that fair pay is a top issue for women. Many of us have said that if we can show that government can make a difference in this area, women will vote based on it. President Obama campaigned with Lilly Ledbetter and made this a signature issue of his campaign. And, as we know, many more women voted for him than voted for McCain.
• As a legal matter, the Supreme Court’s 2007 decision needed to be fixed and the law needed to be returned to the pre-2007 standard if our anti-discrimination laws were to have any teeth.

So, why do I have concerns?

We must remember that this bill does not move us forward in our fight for fair wages. It – very necessarily – bring us back to where we were two years ago. And, in 2007, we had not made any real dents in the wage gap for 20 years.

We still have a lot of work to do.

My fear is that – as so often happens in our media age of sound bites – the message that people will take from the press coverage of the bill signing is that this new law solves the problem of the wage gap completely.

It doesn’t.

I am also concerned that when we turn to Congress to address the “nitty gritty” of dealing with the wage gap, they will say, “We’ve already done something on equal pay. You’ve had your day and we have other issues to address.”

And, my final worry is that the tremendous political support for fair wages that was created during the campaign will dissipate now that the Ledbetter bill has been passed.

Now, while public attention is still on the wage gap, we have to start building the case for the measures that are needed to really bring men’s and women’s wages into equity: we need women to be able move from the lowest paying jobs to jobs that allow them to support their families; we need laws that support work-family balance so that working moms are not penalized at the office; and, we need employers to bring transparency to the wages that they pay so that their employees will know if they are being treated unfairly.

I thank President Obama for making fair pay the focus of his first bill signing.  And, I salute Lilly Ledbetter for her tremendous courage and effort to make sure other women don’t face the same discrimination that she did.

We must take advantage of the opportunity that they have given us to really create a public conversation on the wage gap.  To do anything less would be a failure to honor both of their work.

Sharon Levin is The Women’s Foundation’s director of  policy advocacy.

Tags: equal pay, fair pay, Sharon Levin, Lilly Ledbetter Act

I for one, was pleased to see women getting their own agenda item, rather than being rolled in as a footnote into policies on family or health care or education, as is so often the case.

The Administration’s page on women covers priorities and policies related to health care, reproductive choice, preventing violence against women, economic issues, national security, poverty and education–all seen through a gender lens.

The page is worth checking out.  After you do, let us know your thoughts.  Do you think it goes far enough?  Is it leaving anything out? 

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s director of communications.

Tags: Obama Administration agenda on women

So, in the spirit of, "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America," we respectfully ask:

Dear Mr. President, Please be holistic in your policies to improve the economic security of low-income women with children. We know what works – although we don’t always act as if we really do. Good policies and programs include income support (or paid time off for participating in training or re-training), child care and transportation (critical work supports), access to health (including dental and biopsychosocial) assessments and services, financial education (debt reduction, credit repair, savings) and access to other needed social services. They also cannot stop when the woman walks out of the training program and into a new job."  Sincerely, Gwen Rubinstein

Dear Mr. President, I urge you to take immediate action to reverse the damage done by new rule adopted in the 11th hour of the Bush Administration, which allows individual health care providers to deny critical information to patients based on the providers’ personal biases. The patient may not even know what’s missing. This rule is particularly damaging for low-income women whose access to health care is already limited.  Please, tell congress to withdraw this damaging rule.  I also ask that you invest in a new green economy. Not only will you work to stop global warming, but you can revitalize our economy through new job growth. We know the best way to improve the lives of communities is to stabilize family income. New jobs in high-growth industries such as this one will go a long way to improving our homes and country, inside and out.  Thanks!  Allison Mitchell 

Dear President Obama, My wish for your administration is that every time you consider a policy or program, you think about the amazing and strong women in your life – your wife, daughters, sister, mother-in-law, mother and grandmother – and think about what that policy would mean for them. Would it keep them safe or put them at risk?  Would it open the door to new opportunities for them or shut them out?  Given the incredible impact on your life that all of these women have had already, their continued guidance can only ensure that your message of hope, inclusiveness and understanding becomes a reality during your administration.  Sincerely, Sharon Levin

Dear President Obama, I would ask you to keep in mind in your staffing and appointments the importance of women’s leadership, which does make an impact in ensuring that decision-making reflects the needs, concerns and realities of women and families.  In addition, just as you are a model of leadership for a new generation who will no longer see race as a barrier to achievement, so too is it important to have similar models for young women showing that gender need not pose a challenge or deterrant to any of their dreams and choices.  Sincerely, Lisa Kays

Dear Mr. President, I hope that all little children to have access to quality early education programs so that they may succeed in school and life.  Sincerely, HyeSook Chung 

But most of all, we congratulate you, and wish you the best as you and your Administration work to lead our nation at a time of such challenge and opportunity.

Do you have any ideas or requests of the new President and his Administration for how they can work to improve the lives of women and girls?  Leave them in comments!

Tags: President Obama, women and girls