Tag Archives: Poverty

On February 13, President Obama released his FY2013 budget, which includes $56.2 billion for international affairs. Such resources demonstrate his strong commitment to supporting development and humanitarian programs that help fight global poverty.

Today for International Women’s Day, some of CARE‘s leading advocates are on Capitol Hill meeting with their policymakers and raising their voices in support of the International Affairs Budget, which has a very real impact on the lives of women and men with whom CARE works.

Will you join them? As Congress begins the process of deliberating the President’s request, they need to hear your voice. Please contact your representatives and senators TODAY — you can help make a difference.

The International Affairs Budget is a strategic, cost-effective investment that helps tackle the root causes of poverty and helps us respond to humanitarian crises. It represents a practical and smart investment in building a prosperous, stable and secure world. Only one percent of the total budget is for foreign assistance; truly a small investment that yields big returns for our nation and the world.

We need to act now to show our policymakers that Americans support these critical programs. Urge your members of Congress to support the International Affairs Budget now!

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO,

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Don’t let Congress Take Food From Hungry Families

02/06/2012 Nativegrl77

For people living on the brink, food aid is a lifesaver – literally. But if some members of Congress get their way, programs that give food to people in desperate poverty worldwide will face drastic cuts up to $500 million.
We can’t let Congress make cuts that could force millions of families to go hungry. »
These days it’s more important than ever to keep support strong for hungry people around the world. Between the crisis in the Horn of Africa leaving millions on the brink of starvation and economic hardship leaving families hungry in every corner of the globe, the cuts to funding Congress is considering will mean people die of starvation.
As Congress continues to push to cut the tiny part of our budget that goes to help stop starvation among the world’s poorest, we need to take action now to save millions of lives. Add your voice to the movement today: tell Congress not to cut food assistance for impoverished families around the globe. »

Thanks for taking action!
Ellen B.
ThePetitionSite

Don’t let Congress Take Food From Hungry Families

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Breaking News: More Women in Poverty Than Ever, Tell Congress to Act on President’s Jobs Plan

09/14/2011 Nativegrl77

Trust me: it’s no fun being the bearer of bad news.

I recently told you that since the recession officially ended, women’s unemployment rates have actually increased. But that’s not the only grim reality: today the Census Bureau released new data, and NWLC’s analysis finds that record numbers of women are living in poverty — and extreme poverty.

WWW.NWLC.ORG

With two-thirds of women in the role of head of their household or a contributor to their family’s income, it’s more important than ever to make sure that unemployed women have a chance to get back to work. That’s why President Obama’s plan for job creation, submitted to Congress this week, has come at such a critical time for women and their families. Congress needs to act quickly on these proposals to address the immediate deficit facing this country — the jobs deficit. The numbers released today by the Census Bureau underscore the urgency.

Urge your Members of Congress to act on job creation NOW!

www.nwlc.org

Here are just a few important findings from the new data:

The rise in women living in poverty: Over 17 million women lived in poverty in 2010, including more than 7.5 million in extreme poverty, with an income below half of the federal poverty line — both all-time highs. The poverty rate among women rose to 14.5 percent in 2010 from 13.9 percent in 2009, the highest rate in 17 years. The poverty rate among single mothers climbed to 40.7 percent in 2010; more than half of all poor children lived with single mothers.
The wage gap: The wage gap for women remained as wide as in 2009. Women working full-time year-round were paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts.
Uninsured women: The rate of women without health insurance rose to 19.7 percent in 2010 from 19.2 percent in 2009 — the highest rate in more than a decade. A total of 19 million women were uninsured in 2010 — an increase of more than 0.5 million women from the previous year.

You can get more details from our press release and check back later this week for our further analysis of what these new numbers mean for women and their families.

WWW.NWLC.ORG

Tell your Members of Congress to take action on the President’s proposals to create jobs, grow the economy, and alleviate hardship for women and families. And tell them not undercut job-creation measures by cutting funding for vital public services, which would destroy jobs and make it harder for struggling families to make ends meet.The President issued the call to action and submitted his plan to Congress. Now it’s up to Congress to act!Sincerely,

Joan Entmacher
Vice President, Family Economic Security
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. You can read about the important provisions for women in the President’s jobs plan here.

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Tell President Obama: Stand Up for Women & Families in Budget Negotiations

06/28/2011 Nativegrl77

Budget negotiations in Washington are at a critical point.

Republicans who want to slash programs for low-income people while rejecting any revenue increases are threatening to refuse to raise the debt ceiling — which must happen to avoid a fiscal crisis — unless they get their way.

President Obama needs to hear that women and families are counting on him to protect programs for low-income people.

You can help! Call 1-888-245-0215 to be connected to the White House comment line. In your message:State your name, where you’re from, and if you’re affiliated with a service provider or work with low-income people (though that is not necessary to call).
Then say: “Please tell the President and the Vice President to hold firm and insist that any deficit-reduction plan must protect programs for low-income people and not increase poverty. Women and their families shouldn’t bear the brunt of deficit reduction through cuts to critical programs like Medicaid, food stamps, child care and Head Start, and Pell grants. Increased revenues from those with the greatest ability to pay must be a major part of any deficit-reduction plan.”
Unless programs for low-income people are protected in the budget negotiations, women and their families will bear the brunt of deficit reduction. Women are more likely than men to be poor at all stages of their lives and their families disproportionately rely on programs designed to help low-income people. Maintaining and strengthening programs like Medicaid, food stamps, child care assistance, Head Start, and Pell grants protects vulnerable women and families today — and expands their opportunities for a better life.

Please ask President Obama and Vice President Biden to demand fair change in the budget negotiations. Dial 1-888-245-0215 today!

Sincerely,

Joan Entmacher
Vice President, Family Economic Security
National Women’s Law Center

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Please spread the word by forwarding this message to friends, family and colleagues.

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What’s saving Grace? a word from Helene D. Gayle, CARE

06/09/2011 Nativegrl77

“The corn should be this high now,” Grace Orwa says, holding her hand far above her head. “But the rains came late.”

In Grace’s village in western Kenya, rain was scarce this year and the corn crop — which villagers depend on for food and income — will be meager, if it comes in at all.

The good news is that Grace and her neighbors formed a CARE community savings and loan group, which provides a vital financial safety net during tough times. Even if the crop fails, the villagers have the means to make it through to the next harvest. Thanks to her group, Grace has enough money to keep her children in school.

Your tax-deductible gift today can help poor people access tools and resources to become as resilient and self-sufficient as Grace is today. Here are some ways your gift can help change lives:
$75 can provide three village savings and loan groups with a lock box, ledger and other start-up supplies to help them manage loans and help start small businesses
$115 can provide a community mobilizer with a bicycle to reach village savings and loan groups in remote villages
$150 can provide a farmers’ association with soil testing equipment to help improve harvests
With the price of food skyrocketing, many families are struggling to afford food — and experts predict prices will continue to rise in the future. Veronica Okongo was worried that the increasing cost of food would jeopardize her ability to pay her children’s school tuition. So she moved her life savings from a bank to a CARE-created community savings and loan group where she earns more interest.

Unlike banks, CARE’s community savings and loan groups are owned by their members, and interest earned from repaid loans is shared among group members. The more money Veronica saves, the more interest she earns! Today, Veronica is confident that her children will be able to stay in school and she will be able to afford the food they need to stay healthy and focused on their studies.

Your tax-deductible donation to CARE today will help women like Veronica and Grace build a brighter future for themselves, their families and entire communities.

Thank you for all you do to help empower women and girls to escape hunger and poverty — for good.

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE