Low-income households

Funds will create or retain nearly 1,000 affordable housing units, support construction jobs

August 28, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver today announced nearly $75 million in funding to 16 affordable housing projects that aid in the preservation or construction of nearly 1,000 housing units throughout the state. The awards were made through a combination of the Culver/Judge I-JOBS initiative, the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Iowa Housing Tax Credit Program.    » read more »

Highlights USDA's Summer Food Service Program That Helps Feed Hungry Kids During Summer Months

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2009 - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today took part in the Obama Administration's 'United We Serve' initiative by serving breakfast to kids at Morgan Day Care in Silver Spring, Md. Merrigan was joined by Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Earl "Buddy" Hance, and together they shared nutrition tips with pre-school children at the day care center.

Morgan Day Care participates in USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program and runs the Summer Food Service Program at nearby Piney Branch Elementary School.    » read more »

Recovery funds will create jobs, help Hoosier families weather economic downturn

June 22, 2009 -- Washington – Senator Evan Bayh today announced that Indiana will receive $164 million in economic recovery funds for the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing for moderate- and lower-income Hoosier families.

Housing starts, the number of new residential construction projects initiated each month, have fallen 80 percent since their 2006 peak. Current home construction is at a 13-year low, down more than 60 percent from the peak in early 2006.    » read more »

Analysis Demonstrates How America Can Create 1.7 Million Jobs and Opportunities for Low-Income Families

WASHINGTON (June 18, 2009) -- As clean energy and climate legislation moves through Congress, new data show that a $150 billion investment in clean energy could create a net increase of 1.7 million American jobs and significantly lower the national unemployment rate.

According to the analysis, shifting to a clean-energy economy will help millions of low-income Americans by creating more accessible job opportunities -- with the potential for advancement -- and by lowering utility bills and transportation costs.    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) today announced a $52 million grant to reduce energy bills for low-income North Carolina families. This funding to make homes more energy efficient will be distributed by the U.S. Department of Energy as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"This investment in North Carolina will create green jobs and lower energy bills for families across our state," Hagan said. "As many in our communities are struggling to make ends meet, this funding will help North Carolinians save money and strengthen our economy."    » read more »

Grants Will Expand Access to On-the-Job Work Experience and Training

June 19, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced $14 million in grants to support and expand subsidized jobs programs throughout the State. The Wage Subsidy Program (WSP) and Transitional Employment (TE) Program help to place public assistance recipients and other low-income individuals into jobs and provide a much-needed boost to the local businesses that hire them.    » read more »

HHS Secretary Sebelius Releases New Report on Health Disparities; Minorities, Low Income Americans More Likely to Be Sick, Less Likely to Get Care

June 9, 2009 -- U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report on health disparities in America and participated in a White House Health Care Stakeholder Discussion on the importance of reform that reduces disparities that exist in our current health care system. The new report Health Disparities: A Case for Closing the Gap is available at www.HealthReform.gov .    » read more »

Ohio Ranks 15th in Nation for Food Insecurity; Legislation Would Expand USDA Program to Include Ohio

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced his support for legislation that would expand existing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after-school nutrition programs to include Ohio and 39 other states. The After-School Flexibility to Expand Reimbursement for School Meals Act (AFTERSchool Meals Act), introduced by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Dick Lugar (R-IN), and cosponsored by Brown, would make institutions eligible for reimbursement for meals provided to at-risk school children during after-school hours.    » read more »

Relieve Providers’ Student Debt

June 5, 2009 -- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of nearly $200 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support student loan repayments for primary care medical, dental and mental health clinicians who want to work at National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites. In exchange for the loan repayments, clinicians serve for two years with the Corps.    » read more »

Recovery Act funds will expand aid for eligible families, improve quality of care and delivery of services

May 28, 2009 -- RICHMOND -- Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced a $38 million infusion into Virginia's Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The increased federal funding will assist low-income families with child care and improve the quality of care and delivery of services.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- CHICAGO, IL – Community health centers throughout the state of Illinois such as Alivio Medical Center in Chicago will be able to add new providers, increase hours of operations and expand services for patients thanks to funding included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“Health centers provide a valuable service to communities by administering health care to low-income families, many without health insurance,” said Durbin. “Last year alone, over 1.1 million people in Illinois were treated at community health centers. This funding will support this critically important work and lead to economic growth in many underserved communities as health centers also serve as a key source of local employment and economic activity.”    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Congressmen Tim Bishop (D-NY) and Vern Ehlers (R-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation today to help improve college access for low-income students. The Pathways to College Act would create a competitive grant program to help low-income school districts implement programs designed to increase the number of students who are entering and succeeding in college.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan Medical Homes Act this week to improve health care quality by helping states implement patient-centered medical home programs under Medicaid and SCHIP.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, following a meeting today with advocates for low-income New Mexicans, pledged $2 million to restore most of the money that was planned to be cut from the state’s General Assistance Program. Without the Governor’s intervention, monthly cash payments for the state’s most vulnerable citizens would have been slashed by 36 percent.

“This cash infusion will enable the program to survive the entire budget year and provide a safety net for our most vulnerable citizens who are counting on this monthly cash,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “It will be up to the Legislature to act responsibly during the next session and do its share to fund this program at an acceptable level."    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Philadelphia area Congressional members met with Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, to discuss the decision made by the Bush administration to terminate the Philadelphia Universal Feeding pilot program.

During the meeting, U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter and U.S. Representatives Chaka Fattah, Allyson Schwartz, Robert Brady and Joe Sestak urged Secretary Vilsack to reverse the decision to terminate the program which ensures 120,000 school children in the Philadelphia-area have access to nutritious meals.    » read more »