Help YouTube Document Hunger in America

by Greg Plotkin

categories: Hunger, Nonprofits, Nonprofit Profiles

Published November 06, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT

Do you know of or work for a nonprofit organization that helps to alleviate the causes of hunger in America?  If so, our friends over at YouTube want to hear (and see!) about it.

YouTube's Video Volunteer program is a simple way to raise awareness about the organizations and issues you care about.  This month, the program is seeking short videos (of no more than three minutes) profiling nonprofits that work to end hunger in America.

It doesn't matter if you're involved with Feeding America or a tiny food pantry in a rural area.  This is a fantastic opportunity to show the world how you work to stop hunger in the United States everyday.

If that wasn't enough, the top three videos submitted will be featured on the YouTube homepage at the end of November.

Go out there and get those cameras rolling, and then click here to submit your video!

(Photo credit: topgold on Flickr)

Housing Instability Hurts Kids

by Diane Nilan

categories: Children, Education, Government, Health & Healthcare, Housing

Published November 06, 2009 @ 05:07AM PT

I'm tired of being subtle. In this world of attention-grabbing headlines and screaming issues, little kids are being trampled as crowds of media rush to cover "issues" which often have the importance of a mosquito bite, or um, a silver balloon. Left to fend for themselves are millions of little kids and their families in this country, mired in deep poverty, teetering on or swallowed up by homelessness.

So I made this 4-minute video, "Life is But a Dream," to remind viewers of the cost as we continue to abandon the wee ones in this country. Would be great if you view it and share it.

A new report issued by the Institute of Children in Poverty provides strong data to support my premise that little kids suffer by our national neglect. Among the findings...

Existing research provides a link between housing instability and a range of child and adolescent challenges, from lower school achievement to poorer social and emotional adjustment.

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10% Unemployment Looming

by Leigh Graham

categories: Corporations, Federal, Government, Jobs & Unemployment, States, stimulus, The Economy

Published November 05, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT

New unemployment #s come out tomorrow - economists predict 9.9% unemployment nationwide.  Can I just round that up to 10% and call it a day?

First time jobless claims were less than expected in October, though only 20k fewer of over half a million.  We are supposed to take this as good news that "job cuts are easing as the economy slowly heals."  This is the lowest level since January.  Still...2009 is almost over and we're still seeing half a million people per month file for unemployment for the first time?  That is one horribly contracting economy.

Surviving workers are laboring more feverishly than ever - productivity is up even as our incomes are "squeezed".  The stimulus is keeping a lot of jobs afloat; unemployment benefits are practically extended into perpetuity at this point.  No wonder discount retailers are doing slightly better than specialty stores; it's amazing we've got anything left to leave behind at the mall!

90% of Black Children on Food Stamps

by Greg Plotkin

categories: Children, Culture of Poverty, Health & Healthcare, Hunger, Inequality, News, Race Ethnicity Class & Gender, Social Programs

Published November 05, 2009 @ 06:00AM PT

In one of the most dramatic examples I've seen of the true reach of hunger in the United States, a new report released this week by Washington University in St. Louis researchers found that 90 percent of black children will be clients of the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps) at least once by the time they turn 20.

Although the percentage is less for white children (the only other ethnic group studied), the startling statistic here is that, at some point before their 20th birthday, 50 percent of all children in the United States will have received SNAP benefits.

More than being about access to food, the report's lead researcher says his findings represent a more important trend in the upbringing of the country's children.  "Rather than being a time of security and safety, the childhood years for many American children are a time of economic turmoil, risk, and hardship," says Mark Rank, Ph.D.

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Budget Crises, Development Woes Confront Mayors

by Leigh Graham

categories: Cities, Education, Government, Housing, Jobs & Unemployment, The Economy, Unions

Published November 04, 2009 @ 01:34PM PT

Looking around at the mayoral results from yesterday's elections, seems incumbents and historic new leaders face a shared set of urban challenges: budget gaps, development and housing costs, crime, and troubled educational systems.  Gee, what's new?

Certainly not the leadership in Boston, where Mayor Tom Menino won an unprecedented 6th term to become the city's longest serving mayor.  Menino's remarkable claim to fame in governing this city of 600k (or so) is that almost half of all Bostonians have personally met him - including yours truly (several times now).  Voters re-elected him with fondness for the Christmas trees he provides for neighborhood squares, his handshakes in line at Dunkin Donuts, and his seemingly 24/7 appearance on local public television.  His campaign promises include closing budget gaps, lowering the crime rate, and improving the Boston Public Schools - a big issue this time around.

In Detroit, arguably the most troubled city in America, Mayor Dave Bing must close a $300M budget gap and also tackle crime and a failing public school system.  He promises to whittle Detroit's finances down to reflect the city's new reality as the 11th largest city in the US, through cuts and efficiencies.  Beware the Mayors who promise to govern cities like they run their businesses.  Sure, they can buy themselves term after term, but eventually voters (citizens? shareholders?), especially the lower-income ones who don't usually see the corporate profits trickle down their way, will tire of these CEOs.

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Bing Wins Full Term to Lead Detroit

by Leigh Graham

categories: Activism, Cities, Government, News, Race Ethnicity Class & Gender, States

Published November 04, 2009 @ 04:58AM PT

Lots of Mayoral races last night, with specific marching orders to revitalize and continuously improve our cities.  I'll be back later today with some thoughts on their different charges, but here's a quick round-up:

David Bing is elected for a full-term in Detroit.

Wunderkind Luke Ravenstahl is re-elected in Pittsburgh.

Bloomberg wins by less than anticipated in NYC for his self-appointed third term (basically).

Menino wins easily, but also by a smaller margin than usual, in Boston. He's now the city's longest serving Mayor, beginning his 6th term today.

Lawrence, MA elects its first Latino Mayor, William Lantigua - the first in MA.

In Atlanta and Houston, no decisions yet.

Any key elections in your neck of the woods?

And Maine voters, WTH????

Stimulus Bypasses Minority Businesses

by Leigh Graham

categories: Corporations, Federal, Government, Inequality, Jobs & Unemployment, Policy, Race Ethnicity Class & Gender, Research, States, stimulus, The Economy, Women

Published November 03, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT

Criticism abounds of the unequal distribution of stimulus funds: high per capita allocations to low population, low unemployment states like Wyoming versus low per capita amounts to struggling states like CA;  and the limited allocations reaching women- and minority-owned businesses compared to their proportion of the population.

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity at The Ohio State University finds that "While approximately 14 percent of businesses are minority owned, the study shows that minority owned businesses received only 9.6 percent of federal contracts."  Almost 3 in 10 businesses are owned by women, yet these firms received only 3% of stimulus funds.  This disturbing inequity raises questions about the goals of the stimulus and the (surprising?) lack of focus on reducing economic inequality.

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