On Friday, April 16, 2010, the Half in Ten Campaign sent a letter to the House of Representatives urging their support for the Local Jobs for America Act, sponsored by Representative George Miller. This important bill would provide much-needed funding to state and local governments, small businesses, and community organizations to create over one million jobs over the next two years.

“We applaud Chairman Miller’s leadership on this bill,” said Melissa Boteach, Half in Ten’s campaign manager. “Already over 300 organizations from 43 states, including labor unions, faith institutions, civil rights organizations, service providers, and the U.S. conference of mayors, have joined Half in Ten in expressing support for this bill. We look forward to working with these groups to continue building momentum to pass the Local Jobs for America Act.”

Read the full text of the letter below.

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The Minnesota Half in Ten coalition has been very active the past month, holding several events and educating hundreds of Minnesotans on the Half in Ten campaign and our shared policy priorities.

The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition just last week held a Day on the Hill at the Minnesota state capitol, where more than 1,000 activists learned about the Half in Ten campaign and advocated on state and federal issues to reduce poverty.

Nancy Maeker, the executive director of A Minnesota Without Poverty, keynoted three Bread for the World workshop events in late February, helping to gather more than 200 letters in support of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.

And A Minnesota Without Poverty also hosted a statewide gathering in late February on five sites to report on the progress toward ending poverty and to issue a call to action. Affirmative Options Coalition and Joint Religious Legislative Coalition were two of the co-sponsors for the event which drew more than 400 people in St. Paul, Duluth, Moorhead, Willmar, and Rochester, with additional supporters joining the webcast program online. The call to action highlighted coordinating the Minnesota legislative agenda with the Half in Ten issues and encouraged advocates to support the Half in Ten campaign. After the formal program, all participants gathered around tables for discussion, letter writing, phone calling—and food.

You can view photos and an introductory video from the gathering on Facebook.

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Every year, we look to Congress to pass a budget resolution. The resolution defines our country’s fiscal priorities for the year and sets the framework for the federal government’s spending decisions. This framework is essential for laying the groundwork to pursue key antipoverty policies such as job creation, the earned income tax credit, and child care.

President Barack Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2011 offered a good model, with investments in child care and expanded tax credits for low-income families. But we are hearing murmurs around Washington, D.C. that Congress may not even pass a budget resolution this year. And if they do, deficit peacocks may make a show of fiscal responsibility—without making much of a dent on deficits—by tightening the president’s already strict limit on non-defense discretionary spending, which funds critical antipoverty initiatives.

Tell your members of Congress to pass a budget that reflects the principles of shared economic recovery! Read more »

Testimony to the Congressional Black Caucus

Half in Ten Campaign Manager Melissa Boteach testifies and shares why the extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund, summer jobs, and investments in National Service deserve serious consideration as a part of a national strategy to tackle youth unemployment and growing poverty. Read her testimony to the Congressional Black Caucus here.

More than a million and a half Americans could lose their jobs if the Senate does not act soon. Millions of Americans will immediately lose their unemployment insurance benefits if the Senate doesn’t act to extend unemployment insurance and COBRA subsidies by the end of next week. And state and local governments are slashing budgets, getting ready to lay off firefighters, police officers, and teachers.

Our country cannot afford the job loss that will come from inaction. Every dollar of unemployment insurance benefits creates $1.90 of stimulus in the community. Our country will lose another 800,000 jobs if the Senate’s inaction cuts off benefits.

And if the Senate acts now, federal aid could also save jobs in essential public safety, education, and health services provided by state and local governments.

Your senators need to hear that now is not the time to procrastinate.

Demand that the Senate vote immediately to save jobs by extending UI benefits and COBRA subsidies through the end of 2010 and by providing aid to state and local governments.

The Minnesota Half in Ten Coalition – composed of Affirmative Options Coalition, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, and a Minnesota Without Poverty - is already planning several events to build out the movement to cut poverty in half in ten years.

• Last weekend, A Minnesota Without Poverty Executive Director, Nancy Maeker, served as the keynote speaker at three Bread for the World workshops on “Bridging the Gap—Making Work Pay: Addressing the Struggle of Low-Income Workers to Make Ends Meet.” Nancy educated dozens of activists on the Earned Income Tax Credit, strategies to end poverty in Minnesota, and the Half in Ten Campaign’s goals and priorities.
• On February 27th, A Minnesota Without Poverty will hold a statewide Gathering on Five Sites entitled, “If Not We, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?” This web-linked program will focus on the first recommendation of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty recommendation: Restore work as a means out of poverty. All five sites will share the experience of a keynote speaker, music, conversation, report on the progress toward ending poverty, and a community-wide call to action throughout Minnesota.
• On March 25th, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) will hold a day at the state capitol where over a thousand activists will gather to celebrate JRLC’s Day on the Hill (March 25). Half in Ten issues and goals will be incorporated into this day’s agenda.

Email Nancy Maeker at [email protected] to get involved.

There are 6.4 jobseekers for every unfilled job - and that gap is growing. Two-thirds of Americans are close to someone who is out of work. And joblessness is worst for communities of color, youth, and women who head households. While the investments made through the federal economic recovery legislation have created or saved over 1 million jobs so far, the recession is so deep that more federal action is urgently needed.

Congress and the Obama Administration are working on job creation plans. What should they do? How can we build support for job creation that does not leave the poorest people behind?

Listen in to hear the answers from a January 28, 2010 webinar featuring Deborah Weinstein from the Coalition of Human Needs, Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute, Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change, and Alan Charney of Jobs for America Now!

Click here to listen

Our partners in the faith community have sent a letter to Congress asking them to ensure that job-creation strategies and other policies to ensure economic recovery are inclusive of low-income populations. Check it out below!

January 28, 2010

As communities of faith united by our common religious traditions and values of justice and compassion, we see the latest unemployment numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor as a call to action. It is abundantly clear that the effects of the most recent recession will be felt for years to come, and we know the most vulnerable among us are disproportionately struggling. In December 2009, the jobless rate remained unchanged at 10 percent, with a staggering 15.3 million people unemployed. Meanwhile, the alternative measure of unemployment that includes people who stopped looking for work or were unable to find full-time employment held steady at 17.3 percent. Even as some economists state that the recession is officially over by economic terms, employers are slow to hire new staff, and workers around the country cannot find employment. In human terms, the recession is still wreaking havoc and many families feel hopeless.

As Congress prepares to take action on a much needed jobs bill, the faith community urges our leaders to be mindful of those who are at greatest risk of impoverishment and hardship in today’s economy.

As proposals are made, Members of Congress must ensure that these policies are targeted to at-risk communities, creating jobs that pay a living wage and are sustainable.

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Half in Ten is co-sponsoring a webinar on what the federal government can do to address the jobs crisis on Thursday, January 28th at 3:00 pm EST.

Click here to register and hear from the experts on what steps Congress can take to create employment opportunities in low-income and minority communities.

Speakers

• Larry Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute
• Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change
• Alan Charney, Campaign Director, Jobs for America Now
• Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs, Moderator

There are 6.4 jobseekers for every unfilled job - and that gap is growing. Two-thirds of Americans are close to someone who is out of work. And joblessness is worst for communities of color, youth, and women who head households. The private sector does not have the capacity to rebuild employment on its own. While the investments made through the federal economic recovery legislation have created or saved over 1 million jobs so far, the recession is so deep that more federal action is urgently needed.

Congress and the Obama Administration are working on job creation plans. What should they do? How can we build support for job creation that does not leave the poorest people behind? Register for the webinar and find out.

The Senate is considering legislation to spur job creation, but it isn’t clear if the bill will include policies to create jobs for the communities that have been hit the hardest in this recession. There are three provisions that can create or save over 2 million jobs in low-income and minority communities while helping the economy overall and lifting up all Americans.

Call your senator today at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to support a jobs package that includes:

• extension of unemployment benefits and the COBRA health insurance subsidy through the end of 2010 by February 19.
• investment in direct job creation that addresses long-neglected needs in communities.
• aid to states and localities to prevent further job losses and service cuts.

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