DC’s TANF program is currently undergoing a long overdue redesign. As part of the redesign, each parent will complete an assessment to identify her or his potential barriers to work, any health issues of family members that impact work, talents and job qualifications, educational background, and the overall needs of the family. Once a parent has been assessed, they will then receive services crafted to fit her or his individual needs and...
Could You Survive On $3 A Day?
Budget choices speak loudly about the priorities of a city. Last week, the DC Council – after much negotiation, review, and analysis of the Mayor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2013 — voted unanimously to prioritize the well-being of low-income children in the District of Columbia. One in 3 children in the District is poor. Prioritizing low-income kids is vital to ensuring a brighter future for the thousands of District children...
The DC Budget: It’s Time to Take Action
You read our blog posts last week about the crisis faced by hundreds of homeless residents. You heard directly from families struggling to protect their kids. In exactly two weeks, the Council will vote on a budget. Whether or not that budget responds to the needs of DC’s most vulnerable residents will depend in part on how many of us raise our voices to demand that it does. It’s up to all of us to urge the council to pass a budget that...
Housing Can Break This Foster Care Cycle
At last Thursday’s Council hearing on the DHS budget, Raynette Tolen shared with Councilmember Jim Graham and other members of the Council’s Human Services Committee her desperate wish to reunite with her two oldest children – boys who are presently in the foster care system and who won’t be reunified with their mom and siblings until Ms. Tolen has safe and adequate housing. Ms. Tolen, who herself grew up in foster care and aged out of...
Speaking Out About Homeless Services
Last Thursday, April 19th, the DC Council Committee on Human Services held a budget hearing on Mayor Gray’s proposed DHS budget for FY 2013. Committee Chairman Jim Graham heard testimony from DHS officials, legal services attorneys, advocates, service providers, faith leaders and most importantly, people who are experiencing homelessness or who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Witness after witness expressed concern...