Speak United

2009-04-28T11:53:00.002-05:00

April 19th - 25th is National Volunteer week. Lubbock Area United Way is a volunteer-driven organization, and our volunteers are invaluable.

A big thank you to all volunteers!!!

Lubbock Area United Way at the State Capitol

2009-03-11T10:37:00.008-05:00

Blog post by:
Carolyn Simpson

Sharla Manale and Carolyn Simpson arrived at the Lubbock Airport for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Austin to participate in Pre K Day at the Capitol. Pre K Day is sponsored by the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition and the United Ways of Texas.

On the ground: Carolyn talks about Pre K Day at the Capitol

We had an itinerary of meetings with representatives, press conferences and receptions to attend while at the Capitol.

Find out who your representatives are. Click here: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Our plane was late leaving Lubbock, so we missed our first meeting with Representative Joe Heflin. Already we are behind…..

Once we arrived at the Capitol, we made our way to Senator Duncan’s office to get ready for a meeting with his Education staff person, Kyler Arnold. I think that we hit it off with Kyler- she certainly understands early education and Pre K. She has been a 2nd grade teacher in a Central American country. She has seen first hand what the lack of early learning does to a child.

After a good conversation, she walked us down to the Senate Finance Committee meeting. We waited outside until Senator Duncan could come out and talk for a few minutes. We reiterated our position on two bills working their way through the Texas legislature. We asked that he support these bills which would increase Pre K in Texas from ½ day to full day and cap the class size.

After that meeting, we wandered around the Pre K classroom set-up in the basement of the Rotunda. There were hundreds of Pre K folks there from around the state. We observed a model Pre K classroom in action. The Austin area child care centers brought children in to demonstrate elements of a quality program.

Next we went to the Senate Chamber to watch officials from Texas Tech be introduced by Senator Duncan. It was also Texas Tech Day at the Capitol, so there were lots of people that we knew.

After lunch, Sharla and I made our way to Representative Heflin’s office. He was not in, but we talked to someone on the staff. Our goal was to be sure that he understood that Lubbock Area United Way community partner services reached into his district too. We spent some time going over a zip code sheet depicting all of the zip codes that receive services from the United Way.

Next, we had an appointment with Representative Isett’s office. He was not in, but we talked with another staffer. We discussed the early childhood bills and the federal SCHIP money that will be available to the state.

It was a great day at the capitol; we strengthened relationships and learned a lot.

The case for Early Education. Check out this link from TECEC(Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition): http://www.tecec.org/files/Updated%20TECEC%20cost%20benefit%20summary.pdf

It's your money

2009-01-28T10:23:00.004-06:00

Blog post by:
Velma Jean

I don’t know about you, but especially now, I need to keep every dollar of my paycheck! So why would I pay a lot of money to get what already belongs to me? That’s what a lot of lower income families do – they go to commercial tax preparers to get a “rapid refund”.

According to the Center for Responsible Lending, “consumers paid an estimated $1.24 billion in Refund Anticipation Loan fees in 2004 to get quick cash for their refunds – essentially borrowing their own money at extremely high interest rates.”

The Center’s website goes on to ask, “How would you like to pay a super-high price to borrow money that already belongs to you? Sounds ridiculous, right? But that’s pretty much what happens to many folks at tax time in the crazy world of RALs, or refund anticipation loans.”

You’ve seen the advertisements for “Fast Cash Refunds,” “Express Money,” or “Instant Refunds.” These ads offer to get you your refund in just a day or two, or even on the spot. But these “fast refunds” are really LOANS, refund anticipation loans.

To learn more about free tax preparation, go to http://www.freetaxprep4u.org/
And keep your hard-earned money!

2008-12-29T10:28:00.004-06:00

Check out the newest NFL/United Way PSA. Santanna Moss of the Washington Redskins talks about how he lives united.

Supporting a family on minimum wage….

2008-11-18T09:15:00.055-06:00

Blog Post By:

Amy Bryant

I read an inspiring blog this week; a United Way office in Massachusetts invited its employees to see what it was like to survive on food stamps. For a week, they had to live off a grocery budget of $21. It was actually impossible; the employee had to resort to credit card debt just to have enough to eat. This got me to wondering how I would budget for a family on minimum wage.

Let’s assume that a two-income family of four lived in Lubbock on minimum wage. The federal minimum wage increased in July 2008 to $6.55/hour. Each earner, if they worked 40 hours a week, would earn a gross income of $1,048 every month for a household income of $2,096. I am subtracting 10% for taxes; while this family would likely get all of their taxes refunded it wouldn’t be available to contribute to their monthly expenses.

Housing-We’ll start with the most basic expenses. According to City.Data.com, in 2007 the market fair price of renting a 2-bedroom apartment was $594 (http://www.city-data.com/county/Lubbock_County-TX.html). Anyone who has apartment hunted in Lubbock knows you are going to pay no less than $550 for a two-bedroom apartment, so I thought $594 was a reasonable number to work with.

Utilities-Our family is working towards reducing our carbon footprint. We have switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs and try to keep the thermostat on just slightly less than comfortable. Our utility costs for a 2-bedroom duplex average out to $115/month. We will assume this family has similar energy needs.

Childcare-This family of four has two young children; with a gross income of $2,096 a month they would qualify for childcare fee assistance. I spoke to Jackie Rutherford at the Early Learning Centers of Lubbock about the cost of childcare in their centers. She said that, assuming there were no grants or other sources of funding to alleviate the cost of childcare, 1 potty trained youngster in daycare would cost the family $72/week. If both children were in daycare, the cost would be $128/week minimum. I will assume that both children are in daycare for my numbers, but you can subtract $224 from the monthly expenses to see the difference.

Those are the predictable necessities; clothing is a necessity, but there are so many variables involved in the cost of clothing that I just didn’t dare to go there. We could assume that they purchase their clothing from Goodwill for $5/bag to be very thrifty or they could be putting it on a credit card. From the figures below we know that it is unlikely they have cash on hand for new clothes. Now we can get into the more variable costs.

Groceries-The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates in its 2006 report of food prices that a family of four on a low-cost food plan will spend $155.30/week or that family on a moderate-cost plan will spend $193.30/week (http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s0708.xls). Lubbock is below the national cost of living, so, I believe, a family in Lubbock can make nutritious and varied meals for $155.30 a week. That comes to about $621 a month for groceries.

Transportation-Gas, in an interesting way, is considered an optional expense. We may feel like we have to have it, but it is not a considered a necessity like food and shelter. No one is going to be surprised when I talk about high gas prices. Fortunately, we have seen a steep decline in the cost of a gallon of regular lately. I drive a 2003 Saturn that gets excellent gas mileage. Today, I can fill up my tank and drive for a full week on $30. However, my husband drives a gas loving mid-sized SUV; he will spend atleast $50 this week on gas. If we use my family as an example, that is $320/month on gas for our cars alone. If we shared my car, I estimate that we could reduce our cost of gas to $240/month. We will assume that there are no car payments, but insurance adds $75/month to our expenses.

But! If the family’s work schedules permitted them to use Citibus-they would have to do all of their travelling between 5:25 am and 7:45 pm Monday thru Friday and between 6:45 am and 7:55 pm Saturday-then they could spend as little as $87.50 for two monthly adult passes.(http://www.citibus.com/services.html)

So what does all of this projecting add up to? After examining the highs and lows, this family could have a staggering $132 in disposable income to save or spend in our community every month or they could be accumulating as much as $658 in debt every month. My reasonable estimates indicate accumulating $265 in debt every month. With no income to spare, even a small, unexpected expense like an urgent prescription or a missed day of work can send this family into serious financial turmoil.

The services United Way funds are not meant to be used as supplemental income every month, in fact, many of the agencies have rules prohibiting the recurring monthly use of some services. However, a hard-working family could easily make too little to pay even modest monthly bills, which would leave them always teetering on the verge of homelessness.

How prevalent is this problem? In 2007, 18% of Lubbock’s families were living at or below poverty. If there are 25 children in your child’s classroom, statistically, 4.5of them live in poverty. What can we do to improve stability for the children in these homes? How can we impact the needs of this family for long term stability?

The most effective method of predicting someone’s income is to look at their highest level of education achieved.

If we can increase the educational level the family members attain, then we can reduce the number of families that live on the sharp brim of financial instability. The Lubbock Area United Way is working to help coordinate and fund the services of our community partners to ensure that they are effectively impacting the lives of families in Lubbock and helping them to set and achieve new educational goals.

By helping families form foundations for success through education, we can ultimately impact their quality of life forever. Children who are raised by financially independent parents are more likely to avoid poverty. We can help these parents set an example for success that will improve their children’s chances for success. We can reverse the cycles of poverty that create financial instability.

To find out how you can help promote stability for families in our community, check out our Education Matters Initiative at http://www.liveunitedlubbock.org/Edmatters.shtml

2008-10-29T15:02:00.007-05:00

Check out our new blog entry, Building Blocks: Early Experiences Affect Learning. And right below, a new Public Service Announcement in partnership with the NFL:

Enjoy... have any thoughts, comments, things you want to share? Let us know- leave a comment.

See more about how United Way of America and the NFL are working together. http://www.liveunited.org/nfl/

Building Blocks: Early Experiences Affect Learning

2008-10-29T13:19:00.018-05:00

Blog Post By:
SB6

Healthy Social and Emotional Development Foundation for Learning and Living
From an article: “ Toward the ABCs- Building a Healthy Social and Emotional Foundation for Learning and Living”, published by Ounce of Prevention Fund.

Melissa is 12 months old. She and her mother, Julie, have just arrived at the pediatrician’s office for a well-child visit. As they complete the forms, Melissa sits limply on her mother’s lap. During the exam the pediatrician is struck by Melissa’s apathy to her surroundings. This is not the same baby bursting with energy and curiosity that she had seen a few months ago. Outside the examining room, she shares her observations with the nurse. The nurse engages Julie in a dialogue. She quickly learns that Julie’s husband Mike was involved in a serious accident.

After spending over a month in the hospital, he is now home on disability and Julie has had to go back to work full-time to help pay the bills. A neighbor now cares for Melissa in the mornings, Melissa’s grandmother picks her up a t noon and stays with her until Julie gets home from work. Julie says that Melissa no longer sleeps through the night cries more often and has become more difficult to soothe. With all the adjustments the family has had to make as a result of Mike’s disability, Julie and Mike’s nerves are constantly on edge and they have little energy or tolerance to deal with Melissa’s difficult behavior.

During a discussion with the nurse, Julie reluctantly agrees to a referral to the parent-infant program at the local health department. (Find this information in Texas: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/) The health department completes a full assessment of Melissa’s behavior and her relationship with her parents. The specialist works with Julie and Mike to identify strategies to address Melissa’s behavior.

It might be surprising to realize that a young child experiences such distress, but in reality, emotional behaviors do arise in very young children, and it may affect their ability to succeed in school and on the playground.

Find online resources for parents that show how to be an active participant in your child’s early learning and emotional development: http://www.bornlearning.org/default.aspx?id=17

All young children regardless of race, socioeconomic status or risk, need to develop a foundation for learning and living more basic than just the knowledge of the ABCs. To really be prepared for school, it is important to remember that how young children feel and behave is just as important as what they know and think.

For your free Early Learning Resource DVD,
Building Minds Building Futures, contact Lubbock Area United Way

When a child arrives for kindergarten, he will be expected to cooperate and follow directions, be able to work independently, know when and how to ask for help and be able to get along with his classmates and teacher. A child who is able to manage a wide range of feelings will be better able to focus his attention on learning. In contrast, a child who is overwhelmed with anxieties and has difficulty controlling his emotions may struggle with reading, writing and arithmetic.

Young children experience the world through relationships, and these relationships affect virtually all aspects of their development- intellectual, social, emotional, physical, behavioral and moral.

The quality and stability of a child’s human relationships in the early years lay the foundation for developmental outcomes that really matter such as self-confidence, motivation to learn, achievement in school and life, the ability to control aggressive impulses and resolve conflicts in nonviolent ways, knowing the difference between right and wrong and having the capacity to develop and sustain casual and intimate relationships.

To find out more about infant and toddler social and emotional health:

West Texas Infant Mental Health Association: merindacondra@adoptioncovenenat.com

Texas Department of State Health Service: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/

Mental Health Texas: http://www.mhatexas.org/

What if it were me- Resources for Young Parents

2008-09-26T16:01:00.008-05:00

Blog Post By:

Violetta

My first, my angel, was born 2 months before my high school graduation. At the time, I was scared and confused; however, I was blessed with a loving and supportive family. They set me straight and helped me get my life in order for motherhood. They encouraged me to finish school and they showed me how to accept the responsibilities of being a parent.

Today I am the mother of a happy, healthy 2nd grader. I can thank my family for supporting me. I am also grateful for a couple of employers that took a chance on a well-meaning kid. I could thank people all day and I still wouldn’t have shown how blessed I am to have the chances and successes I’ve experienced.

What if I hadn’t had them? What if I was one of the unfortunate children in our community whose parents can’t help them?

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 16.8% of all births in Lubbock County are unplanned teen pregnancies (http://www.kidscount.org/cgi-bin/cliks.cgi). That’s higher than Tarrant and El Paso County! Where do all these young parents turn? Are we at risk of losing 16.8% of all babies born in Lubbock County to a life of poverty and insecurity?

Fortunately, in our community we have resources that help prepare young parents for responsible parenthood. We have services that specifically address their barriers to success. The Lubbock Area United Way is committed to reducing barriers to lifelong success-from birth through adulthood.

As a new mother, I had no idea where I could begin to get on my feet. The Parenting Cottage of Lubbock offers parents training on how to become Parents as Teachers. This program provides invaluable instruction on child development; educated parents are better prepared to overcome developmental setbacks and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Just before my son started kindergarten he was having severe behavioral problems in school. After the daycare threatened to remove my child from their program, I realized that he needed serious help to be successful in school. Family Counseling Services helped us identify my son’s ADHD and find affordable prescription options. Philip is one of the best readers in his class; in fact, he does so well on his advanced reading tests that the teacher asked him to help other children!

The Early Learning Centers of Lubbock provide low cost, quality child care. By making high-quality child care available to all families, United Way ensures that parents can work and/or continue their education knowing that their children are getting loving, professional care and the opportunity to succeed in school.

What if you are a parent that works long hours and needs to know that your children are safe after school? An article from USA Today asserts that of children aged 6-12 years “26% spend some time after school completely alone” with an average of 30 minutes spent alone (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2667_129/ai_67832367). I don’t know about you, but it didn’t take me 30 minutes to find trouble-or for trouble to find me!

This graph illustrates the heightened incidence of juvenile crime in the time immediately after school.

http://www.fightcrime.org/reports/state21st/texas21st.pdf

Some children have no one to monitor and discourage negative behavior during the time of day when juvenile crime hits its peak. The Lubbock Boys’ and Girls’ Club provides a safe, positive environment with fun activities, help with homework and positive role models.

These are just a few of the agencies the Lubbock community can count on to help turn hardship into success.

Thanks to my family and some of the services mentioned above, I am halfway to a bachelor’s degree in Biology. I have a good job and a solid foundation for a successful future-so do my children!

If you would like to make an impact in the life of a young family, you can follow either of the links below to make a donation or find a volunteer opportunity.

http://www.liveunitedlubbock.org/

http://www.volunteerlubbock.org/

LIVE UNITED

2008-09-02T12:07:00.009-05:00

Our first blog entry will be published this Friday.

Meanwhile enjoy our newest PSA, and let us know what you think...

Oh, and we added on Pac Man just for fun. Enjoy!