Maryland

Homeownership

*A new foreclosure law will keep more families in their homes by requiring lenders to try to negotiate new payment plans.  Governor Martin O’Malley (D) told the Washington Post that the law will put families on “more equal footing with mortgage companies that too often can’t be bothered to pick up a phone before beginning a foreclosure proceeding.”

Children

*The “Kids First Express Lane Eligibility Act” will allow the Maryland Comptroller to use tax returns to identify families with children who may be eligible for Medicaid or the Maryland Children’s Health Program.  The comptroller will share that information with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which will then send application materials to the families.  The new legislation builds on the “Kids First Act of 2008.”

Education

*The state has established a Tuition Stabilization Trust Account in the Higher Education Investment Fund that will help stabilize tuition for resident students at public universities and colleges.  The legislation also limits tuition increases to a “percent not to exceed the increase in the 3-year rolling average of the state’s median family income.”  The bill was written, in part, because “Maryland has fallen from the 6^th highest public tuition state in the nation to a current ranking of 17th.

*The state cut funding to programs for disruptive children in Maryland public schools.

Virginia

Safety

*Domestic violence victims will be able to extend protective orders obtained in cases of family abuse or stalking.  Protective orders can be extended for two years and there is no limit on the number of extensions that can be requested.

Public Supports

*New legislation allows Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants to continue to receive financial support payments to which they are entitled, either on their own behalf or on behalf of a family member, prior to beginning to receive TANF.

Children

*Residents convicted of nonpayment of child support will need certification from the Department of Social Services to renew a driver’s license or end the suspension of a license that was suspended because of nonpayment.  The law also establishes the option of home or electronic incarceration of a person convicted of nonpayment of support.

*Courts will now be able to appoint vocational experts to conduct evaluations in child and spousal support cases where the earning capacity, unemployment or underemployment of an individual is being disputed.

Healthcare

*Virginia residents will not be required to obtain or maintain individual health coverage with certain exceptions.

Licenses

*A special license plate law authorizes the issuance of a number of plates, including one that reads “Trust Women / Respect Choice.”  Last year, “Choose Life” plates became available to drivers in Virginia.

Tags: virginia, maryland, new, laws, effect, 2010, tanf, domestic, violence, child, support, tuition, programs, funding, cut

In today’s rundown: Help may be on the way for the unemployed whose benefits are running out.  |  Georgetown law students will help low-income D.C. residents.  |  The Washington Post calls a proposal that would restore voting rights to Virginia’s ex-cons a disgrace.

– Despite objections from conservative Republicans, the U.S. Senate has agreed to consider a temporary extension of unemployment benefits. The measure would mean that unemployed Americans who are exhausting their benefits would still receive checks and federal subsidies for health insurance. Click here for more details.

– Georgetown University law students will begin helping low-income residents with legal cases as part of a new program.  The Community Justice Project will take on cases ranging from helping homeless people find housing to obtaining medication for HIV patients.  To listen to a report on this story, click here.

– A northern Virginia woman has been charged with practicing dentistry without a license.  She and a business associate were arrested after a patient developed an infection after a root canal that was performed in a hidden office in a Fairfax County basement.  The patient was told she could get dental work performed there “for a much cheaper price than a regular dentist.”  Click here for more.

– An editorial in today’s Washington Post calls into question the fairness and “decency” of a plan by Virginia’s governor that would allow ex-cons to vote.  Governor Bob McDonnell has proposed that in addition to the current application process former felons must go through in order to vote, they also be required to write a letter explaining what they’ve contributed to society and outline why they should get their voting rights back.  To find out why the Post is calling this proposal a disgrace and tantamount to Jim Crow, click here.

You can get more information and news from The Women’s Foundation here:

Tags: washington, dc, virginia, maryland, women, girls, low, income, assistance, unemployment, benefits, health, care, dentistry, fake, dentist, georgetown, university, bob, mcdonnell, voting, rights, felons

Car Free Day is intended to highlight transit, bicycling, walking and all alternative modes of transportation and take cars off the road so people can think about what their region, city or neighborhood might be like with fewer cars.

I want to propose a different type of car day: Cars for People Who Need Them but Can’t Afford to Buy, Insure or Maintain Them Day.

I know, I know – it’s not as catchy.

It’s not that I’m opposed to Car Free Day. 

I celebrate it nearly every day because I don’t own a car.  I am a big fan of public transportation (I commute by bus) and walking.  But I live and work in parts of town with rich public transportation options.

The frustrating truth is that many low-income residents in our region – especially low-income, women-headed families East of the River and in Prince George’s County – actually need more access to private transportation to be able to work and take care of their families.

According to Census data, nearly half (48%) of all non-elderly poor in the District lived in households without a car.  They participate in Car Free Day every day but not all willingly.

Car ownership programs for low-income families and individuals have demonstrated their effectiveness by producing significant income and asset gains for participants. Programs in our region, like Vehicles for Change, and national programs like Ways to Work and its local partners Northern Virginia Family Service (a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation) and Family Matters of Greater Washington need and deserve support.

I hope we can all agree that our region’s transportation challenges call for multifaceted solutions beyond just “more people should take public transportation.”

Gwen Rubinstein is a Program Officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Here at The Women’s Foundation, we’re celebrating meeting an ambitious goal: maintaining our grantmaking as we close out the fiscal year!  With our most recent approval of grants, we hit our goal of granting $1.1 million to nonprofits working to improve the lives of women and girls in our region.

Our Stepping Stones grants support critical work in the areas of financial education, job training and early care and education, all of which provide the essential tools and support needed to assist low-income women and their families during these tough economic times.

Organizations like Community Tax Aid, Doorways for Women and Families, and Manna, Inc. will continue their work with low-income, women-headed families by providing them with the financial education and tax prep assistance needed to start them on a path of economic success.

SOME and Year Up are providing the job training that is essential to putting women on a career pathway.

Food stamps are an important work support and play a critical role in moving a women and her family out of poverty.  DC Hunger Solutions will continue its advocacy work to ensure that eligible women and their children are receiving food stamps.

Another key work support is access to quality child care. Montgomery College Foundation, Prince George’s Child Resource Center and WETA will work to improve the quality of early care and education.

Now more than ever, nonprofit organizations face a myriad of challenges and navigating complex systems can be overwhelming. The Human Services Coalition of Prince George’s County will work to improve public policies so they enhance, rather than hinder, the effectiveness of the work nonprofits do on behalf of low-income, women-headed families in Prince George’s County.

Through our Open Door Capacity Fund, we’re funding capacity building work that aims to shore up the long-term sustainability of organizations. This work is essential to ensuring that these organizations have the necessary resources to address key organizational and operational improvements, while maintaining the much-needed services they provide to our region’s at-risk women and girls.

Please take a moment to review our most recent grants and take pride knowing that together we’re making a difference in the lives of women and girls in our community.

Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat is the Vice President, Programs at The Women’s Foundation.

Tags: grantmaking, Open Door Capacity Fund, Technical assistance, Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat

The list is a prestigious one given that organizations are vetted by a diverse, knowledgeable group of stakeholders throughout the community who know our region, its issues and the organizations and work that is making a difference–much like the volunteer committees and giving circles that participate in The Women’s Foundation’s grantmaking processes.

Not only is The Women’s Foundation proud to have a number of staff members who volunteer on the review committee, but each year, we are always thrilled to see our own Grantee Partners make the list!

Last year, there was a lot of overlap, and this year is no different.  Today, when the Catalogue of Philanthropy: Greater Washington Class of 2009-2010 was announced, we were proud to note the following Grantee Partners listed:

Centro Familia, which engages immigrant families in early care and education
Urban Alliance Foundation, which facilitates year-long professional internship opportunities for at-risk youth
ASHA for Women, which empowers South Asian women to live free of abuse
Through the Kitchen Door International, which provides life and employment skills training that changes trainees’ lives
Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE), which provides legal, economic, counseling and educational services for domestic violence victims
Pregnancy Aid Center, which provides prenatal and health care for women and newborns in need
Doorways for Women and Families, which provides shelter and services for homeless families and domestic violence survivors
Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition, a transitional and supportive housing program serving homeless and low-income people
Tahirih Justice Center, which protects immigrant women and girls who are fleeing gender-based violence
Computer C.O.R.E., which provides job-readiness training in computer and life skills for low-income adults
Jubilee Jobs, which provides compassionate, skilled job placement and ongoing support
STRIVE DC, an employment program transforming the lives of disadvantaged people in Washington, D.C.

The Women’s Foundation is proud to partner with these organizations doing outstanding work on behalf of our region’s women and girls, and congratulates them and all of the 2009-2010 Catalogue Class, which represents the effective, innovative work The Women’s Foundation is proud to support throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

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

Tags: Catalogue for Philanthropy Greater Washington Class of 2009-2010, Barbara Harman

A few weeks ago, staff from The Hatcher Group, who help out with The Women’s Foundation’s public relations, came in to do hourly one-on-one sessions with select Grantee Partners that we thought would benefit from some training and technical assistance in media relations. 

This is all part of The Women’s Foundation’s approach to "beyond the check" grantmaking, wherein we not only provide grants to help our partners conduct their work, but also support them in doing that work more effectively and efficiently.

We started this particular capacity building effort last year at The Hatcher Group’s suggestion and it was a great success, with a number of the meetings leading to significant media coverage, such as that for Fair Fund around their work combatting human trafficking.

This year, they’ve worked their magic again, and yesterday, new Rainmakers Grantee Partner, The Art League–and their "Space of Her Own" program–were featured in a Washington Post story.

According to the story, Space of her Own was created in 2003 when the Alexandria Court Service Unit and the Art League started it "with the goal of helping low-income girls who were identified by their school as at-risk, including many who had a relative incarcerated. The hope was that adding to the girls’ support systems would help keep them out of the juvenile justice system. This year, 12 fifth-graders on the east end of Alexandria participated in the program, and the group aims to expand to the west side of the city next year."

The program culminates every year in an "Extreme Home Makeover-esque" event in which the girls’ mentors help makeover their bedrooms. 

But the changes from the program go well beyond the aesthetic.  As the article continues, "Ta’Janae, 12, who was working on her room next door with mentor Samantha Sirzyk, described attending a tea party and going ice skating for the first time. She spoke in a whisper but is much less shy after going through the program, said her sister Diamond, 13. "She broke out of her shell," she said."

Leading me to remember Phyllis’ post when the Rainmakers first decided to invest in The Art League, that it’s important to invest in the arts, even when resources are tight. 

As Phyllis said, "The programs our giving circles have chosen to support use the arts as a means to help our community’s young women to build self-esteem, academic skills, and an expanded sense of their place in their community and the world.  Opportunities like these are all-too-often lost in communities and families where resources are limited and must be directed to more basic needs like food, shelter and clothing.  So, at a time when attention is focused on where to cut back so many programs and opportunities, I’m proud to see our giving circle members taking the lead in recognizing the need for youth in our area to imagine and create a future based on all of their unique talents and potential."

Indeed.

Now, go check out that story to learn more about Space of Her Own and to see the makeover pics!

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

Tags: The Art League, Space of her Own, mentoring girls, technical assistance, Rainmakers giving circle, giving circles

The Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) met seven out of 10 NIEER quality standards benchmarks and recent advances will have a positive impact on the other benchmarks.

For example, during 2008, Voices for Virginia’s Children co-led the campaign to foster public and legislative support for the governor’s expansion of VPI.  In response to effective advocacy, legislators allocated $23 million so that an additional 7,000 low-income four year olds (2,000 in Northern Virginia) now have access to quality preschool.  During the current governor’s administration, the number of slots has increased by 34 percent and state funding has increased by 40 percent.

During the 2009 General Assembly session, officials demonstrated further commitment to the program.  Despite needing to make severe budget cuts, the General Assembly supported the governor’s request to preserve current VPI spending.

Given the strong public and legislative consensus in Virginia that pre-k for low-income four-year-olds is a sound investment, further expansion is likely once the state’s revenue picture improves.

Kathy May is Director of the Northern Virginia Office of Voices for Virginia’s Children, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation through the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative.

Tags: early care and education, Voices for Virginia's Children, child care, Virginia

But it’s still exciting to see one formally recognized for it!  Like when we learned that one of our new 2009 Leadership Awardees, Family Preservation and Strengthening Services (Family PASS), and its founder, Suezette Steinhardt, has just been named as a CNN Hero!

You can check out the article, and a video of Suezette discussing her work, here.

Congrats, Suezette, on this honor from all of us at The Women’s Foundation.  We’re proud to have you as part of our community of outstanding Grantee Partners working every day to change the lives of our region’s women and girls. 

And thank you for all that you do for low-income families in Virginia!

Learn more about Family PASS here.

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

Tags: Family PASS, Suezette Steinhardt, CNN Hero, 2009 Leadership Awardee, homelessness, Virginia, nonprofit

We provide support and resources to formerly incarcerated women convicted of non-violent crimes, so that they may more successfully integrate back into their communities. The women work hard to progress through the program and work hard on improving themselves.

Guesthouse is a one-of-a-kind leader in the community, working with women that are on their  way to becoming leaders themselves.

You can learn more about our work at our Web site or our blog.

VOTE FOR US!!

Jocelyn McKinley is a case manager at Friends of Guest House, a 2009 Leadership Awardee and Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation since 2000, when they won their first Leadership Award.

Tags: Friends of Guest House, online vote, formerly incarcerated women, half-way house, Virginia, Jocelyn McKinley

As promised, here is the link to the CNN clip of Linda’s Butler sharing her amazing story of how a jobs training program at Northern Virginia Family Services, which is supported by The Women’s Foundation, changed her life.

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

Tags: Linda Butler, CNN, women's economic security