Posts Tagged ‘advocacy’

DHS Welfare 101 Campaign Attacks Myths About Welfare

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

The Michigan Department of Human Services is currently touting a campaign to discredit common myths about welfare and its recipients.  The campaign aims to reduce widespread negative perceptions and show how valuable the welfare system is for Michigan residents, as well as the state’s economy.  In Michigan’s current economic climate an unprecedented number of families qualify for social services, but many who qualify may not apply because of the myths that tarnish the purpose of the welfare system.

The Welfare 101: Busting Myths About Welfare website is a great resource for human service agencies and other organizations that seek to help populations whose members often qualify for public services.  The website offers documents discussing various myths about welfare, including “Welfare recipients are a drain on the system,” “Welfare is full of fraud and no one’s doing anything about it,” and “Welfare recipients only live in poor, urban areas, not the suburbs or wealthier areas of the state.”  These resources can be directed to people who qualify for benefits but may be reluctant to apply or be used to inform the general public.

Please view the Welfare 101: Busting Myths About Welfare website for more information and to access campaign resources.

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Reminder: Check the Box for Housing and Community Development

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

The Living in Michigan Coalition is a group of organizations, including CEDAM, working together to advance Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund (MHCDF). MHCDF money goes to nonprofits and local governments to improve affordable housing options and community spaces, creating jobs along the way.

Those filing Michigan taxes can contribute $5 or more to MHCDF to invest in jobs and local revitalization in Michigan communities. Donating to the fund means:

  • creating much-needed jobs and economic stimulation for Michigan’s cities, towns and villages
  • protecting our communities
  • investing in Michigan’s economic future
  • empowering local communities to become more self-reliant, vibrant and healthy through direct support.

April 15 is fast approaching. Please check the box on your state tax return and spread the word. Visit the Living in Michigan website, Facebook page, and Twitter account to learn all about MHCDF, its successes, and how you can help.

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Nonprofits: Key to a Complete Census Count

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Nonprofits make a difference in ensuring that everyone is counted during the 2010 Census.  This is a re-post from the Michigan Nonprofit Association’s (MNA) January/February 2010 newsletter:

Nonprofits: Key to a Complete Countnonprofits count image

Nonprofits are uniquely poised to provide education and motivation around Census participation.  Nonprofits maintain ongoing, trusting relationships with the people they serve.  As such, nonprofits can be powerful vehicles for encouraging their communities to return the Census questionnaire or respond to Census enumerators.

Location: Nonprofits are densely located in hard to count areas.

Access: Nonprofits have everyday contact with communities most at risk of being undercounted.  Without investing a new program, nonprofits can provide basic information to the thousands who pass through their doors on how and why they participate in the Census.

Trust: Nonprofits have trusting relationships with the communities they serve and can act as powerful vehicles for education about the importance of Census participation.  When the message to be counted comes from a trusted entity, people are more likely to participate.

Multilingual: Nonprofits connect to a range of constituencies and cultures.  Most nonprofits serving communities who speak languages other than English, can provide access to Census education materials in the communities languages.

Visibility: Nonprofits are out in the community at events, meetings and everywhere people live, work and play

A Vested Interest: Nonprofits driven by social missions have an inherent interest in ensuring that their communities have access to the funds, services, representations and physical and social infrastructure impacted by the census count.

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The MNA also provides important resources to help nonprofits with their efforts in the 2010 Census as a part of their Nonprofits Count! campaign. This project is directed at mobilizing nonprofits to ensure that every person is counted.  These resources include:

  • Free training webinars on counting opportunities, how nonprofits can help people get counted, methods for helping people fill out the Census forms, and next steps to ensure a successful final Census count.
  • Downloadable materials including talking points, sample media releases, flyers, posters, and articles.
  • Information on becoming a Be Counted Center or Questionnaire Assistance Center to increase community participation.
  • Guidelines on effective letter writing and mobilization strategies.
  • Distribution of Census materials including t-shirts, posters and other memorabilia.
  • Link to the Michigan 2010 Census Planning website which assists Michigan organizations with outreach efforts where mail non-response is expected.
  • Up-to-date Census information through MNA’s MI Nonprofit News and Public Policy Action Alert.

For more information visit www.MNAonline.org.census.asp or http://www.nonprofitscount.org/.

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CEDAM Announces 2010 Policy Agenda

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

[This post is from CEDAM Policy Associate Katie Johnson.]

On behalf of the Policy Committee and the Board of Directors, I am happy to announce that CEDAM’s 2010 policy agenda is now available on the website. The agenda, created each year with input from members and the board, guides our advocacy activities in Lansing and Washington.

CEDAM policy logo

The 2010 agenda consists of an inclusive list of issues that CEDAM supports on behalf of its members, along with a list of five outcomes we seek to achieve by the year’s end. These five outcomes are:

  • Fast, fair, and effective distribution of NSP1 and NSP2 funds with a focus on collaboration.
  • Increased Low Income Housing Tax Credit investment in Michigan.
  • Restrictions on predatory lending practices.
  • Strong FY 2011 federal budget allocations for housing and community economic development programs, including the National Housing Trust Fund and the HEARTH Act.
  • Increased public access to broadband in local libraries, public schools, and other public facilities in rural Michigan as well as increased and cost-effective availability of broadband access to rural homes and businesses.

To view the complete list of policy priorities that CEDAM supports, please visit the policy agenda webpage. You can also download the full 2010 policy agenda [229KB PDF]. Along with advocating around these issues, policy staff will be publishing online voter resource guides later this year. These guides will let you see where State House, State Senate, and Michigan Gubernatorial candidates stand on important community development issues.

If you have any questions, please contact me at johnson@cedam.info. I look forward to working with you this year to advance community economic development policy.

CEDAM_2010_Policy_Agenda [download the PDF]

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Capital Day Fall 2009 Recap

Monday, November 30th, 2009

On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, CEDAM held its second Capital Day in partnership with the Asset Building Policy Project and the Michigan Foreclosure Task Force. The event was a great success, with 57 individuals from 38 organizations converging in Lansing to meet with 30 representatives and 21 senators.

Tiffany Lemieux-McKissic, CEDAM’s Manager of Membership and Communications, has created a fantastic 4-minute video with footage and information from Capital Day. If you attended, this is a great way to remember the event and tell others about it. If you missed out this time, you can see what the event was like. We encourage you to join us in 2010!

In addition to Tiffany, for her great work on the video, we would like to thank the following individuals and organizations:

If you attended and have not yet filled out an evaluation, please do so here to help us improve future events. To see policy materials from Capital Day, visit our Advocacy Resources page.

Last but not least, here are a few of the comments we’ve received from people who attended.

  • “Great job on the event – all of your work made it so much easier to meet and establish relationships with our legislators!”
  • “Both my contacts did what I asked and it also followed to a TV show with [my representative] to talk about foreclosure scams. Good for the public, for [my rep] and for [my organization].”
  • “Capital Day was a great event.  It is good to be aware of specific bills that are in the legislature and of those which we can have an opportunity to lobby on.  I also enjoyed networking with other agencies from around Michigan who are involved in similar work.  Overall, the event was well organized, informative, and a great opportunity to be a part of a democracy. “
  • “This was a positive experience for me…. I will follow the issues much more closely as a result of my experience.”
  • “I would be very comfortable participating in the future.”
  • “I am very happy to have signed up and come to Capital Day.”

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Posted in Asset Building, Events, Foreclosure, Policy | No Comments »

2nd Capital Day a Success

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, CEDAM hosted its second Capital Day in Lansing.  Co-hosted by the Asset Building Coalition and the Michigan Foreclosure Task Force, and sponsored by United Way for Southeastern Michigan and PHI, the event drew 53 people from around the state for meetings with state representatives and senators.

Check back here on Thursday for statistics, stories, and pictures.

If you attended the event and haven’t done so already, please complete an evaluation. You can do that online, right here.

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Pre-Capital-Day Webinars 11/2 and 11/3

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

[This post was updated Nov. 6, 2009.]

In preparation for Capital Day, CEDAM hosted two policy webinars. Materials from the webinars are linked below; please note that if you are attending Capital Day you must review the materials from the “Review of Policy Topics for Capital Day” webinar (see below).

The first webinar was “How a Bill Becomes a Law.” CEDAM policy staff reviewed the legislative process with an emphasis on Michigan.   Materials from the webinar are available here under “The Legislative Process and the State Legislature.” This information is recommended for anyone who is attending Capital Day and would like to improve their understanding of the legislative process.

The second webinar, “Review of Policy Topics for Capital Day,” covered the following topics:

  • Foreclosure Rescue Scams (by Lisa Nuszkowski, Michigan Foreclosure Task Force)
  • Predatory Lending (also by Lisa Nuszkowski)
  • HB 5296, Employer Notification of Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility (by Ross Yednock, Asset Building Policy Project)
  • Increasing Volunteer Base for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites (also by Ross Yednock)
  • The 2010 Census and Why It Matters for Michigan (by Katie Johnson in collaboration with the Michigan Nonprofit Association)

This webinar is required for Capital Day attendees. If you attending Capital Day and did not view this webinar, please review the materials here under “Capital Day November 2009 Resources.” We will not be discussing the issues at length on November 10, so we can devote more time to advocacy training.

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Posted in Asset Building, Events, Foreclosure, Policy | 2 Comments »

Capital Day Q and A

Monday, October 26th, 2009

CEDAM and the Asset Building Coalition (ABC) are hosting the second CEDAM/ABC legislative advocacy day on November 10.   The Michigan Foreclosure Task Force (MFTF) is also involved.  Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

When and where is Capital Day? Capital Day will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. We will start the day in the Speaker’s Library of the State Capitol building in Lansing.

Why should I come? If you are a CEDAM, ABC, or MFTF member, you should come to build your relationship with your legislators, to get great advocacy training, and to connect with other professionals in your field.  If you like architecture and history, you should also come for the bonus Capitol tour.

Why do my legislators want to meet with me? First, the whole reason they are in Lansing is to represent you and the people you serve – they want to know their constituents and the work in their districts. Second, by being a resource on community development, asset building, and/or foreclosure prevention, you will help your legislators provide better constituent services and make laws that support Michigan residents and communities.

How will I know what to do? Capital Day is meant to be a learning experience, and there will be several education opportunities:

  • Brief webinar on Monday, Nov. 2 (then posted online) about the legislative process.
  • Webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 3 (then posted online) about the policy issues.
  • Talking points on the policy issues for you and your legislators to reference.
  • Information on how to look up your legislators ahead of time.
  • Hands-on advocacy training at the event.

What will my meetings be like? You will be placed in a group with 3-5 other individuals and scheduled for 15-minute meetings with up to three different representatives and three different senators from your geographic region, in their offices.

What will I talk about? There will be four official policy issues for your legislative meetings: the Earned Income Tax Credit, predatory lending, foreclosure rescue scams, and the 2010 Census. You will have printed talking points to use, although you are encouraged to share your own experiences and resources regarding these issues too. Because you will be in a group, you will not need to speak about all four issues yourself.

How do I sign up? We are still looking for CEDAM, ABC, and Foreclosure Task Force members from the Grand Rapids and Flint areas and rural communities, but all members are welcome and the event is free. If someone from your organization is able to come, please call Katie today at 517.485.3588 or fill out this RSVP form.

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MI Delegation Letter to Sec. Donovan re HCAP Funding

Monday, October 5th, 2009

[For Task Force members, from Lisa Nuszkowski]

As you know, Task Force members and staff have been meeting with the Michigan Congressional Delegation to educate our elected officials about the foreclosure crisis in our state and advocate for additional support for foreclosure prevention and housing counseling.  Thus far, we have met with the offices of Senator Carl Levin, Congressman John Dingell, Congressman Dave Camp, Congressman Vern Ehlers, and Congressman Mark Schauer.  All were very receptive to our message, and share our concerns about Michigan getting its fair share of funding to fight the foreclosure crisis and stabilize our communities.

With the help of Congressman Dingell’s staff, the entire Michigan Delegation has signed on to a letter addressed to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan that outlines the dire need here in Michigan and asks a series of questions about the Housing Counseling Assistance Program (HCAP) funds and how they are allocated.  We expect to receive a response by the middle of October and will share this with the Task Force.  While these efforts may not affect HCAP funding awards for 2009, we hope that these efforts will result in a more thorough, thoughtful review of the HCAP program, and how it can be better tailored to meet the very real needs of communities across Michigan.

See the letter here.  If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Nuszkowski.

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Join us in Lansing for Capital Day

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Do you wish you were more comfortable talking to your elected officials?  Want to know how to advocate more effectively?

Here is your chance!Capitol Dome

On Tuesday, November 10, you are invited to join us in Lansing for hands-on advocacy training, group meetings with your legislators, networking with others, and a guided tour of the Capitol building.  There will be a webinar the week before to help you get comfortable discussing the community-development and asset-building policy issues of the day.

The event is free for CEDAM, ABC, and Foreclosure Task Force members, who will receive invitations by e-mail and regular mail.  Please RSVP by October 16; for your convenience, you can RSVP using this form.  We hope you can come!

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Posted in Asset Building, Events, Policy | 1 Comment »