In The News

2 BILL EMERSON NATIONAL HUNGER FELLOWS TO ASSIST ARIZONA COMMUNITY ACTION ASSOCIATION AND ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA FOOD BANKS IN STRUGGLE AGAINST HUNGER

Focus Will Be To Provide Information, Awareness, Services to Hispanic/Latino Communities     

             PHOENIX, Ariz. (July 25, 2010):  Two Fellows from the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship, a project of The Congressional Hunger Center, will spend six months in Arizona providing outreach, advocacy and awareness in the battle against hunger.

            The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship selects and assigns 20 participants to community-based organizations nationwide for the 11-month project to develop effective leaders with a deep understanding of hunger and poverty at both the local and national level to enable them to find innovative solutions and create the political will to end hunger.

            The Fellows will work with the Arizona Community Action Association (ACAA) and the Association of Arizona Food Banks (AAFB) to increase information about and access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Arizona Hispanic and Latino communities and identify barriers to enrollment, ensure maximum participation and address how to overcome the challenges.

            “With only 20 Fellows selected, we are very fortunate to have two of these young people working with us in Arizona to find creative and innovative ways to address hunger and poverty,” said ACAA Executive Director Cynthia Zwick.  “The outcome will be twofold:  agencies in Arizona will have tangible resources and information we can use over the long-term and the Fellows will gain intense, hands-on experience as they move on with their respective careers.”

            The two Fellows assigned to Arizona are Marie Lawrence, who earned a Public Policy Studies degree from Duke University, and Matthew Mellon, a 2009 Xavier University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in history and minors in economics, environmental studies and peace studies.

            Lawrence, whose community involvement includes work with the Duke-Durham Hunger Alliance and as a food policy analyst with the Office of the Mayor of New York, will work with the ACAA.  Mellon, who directed the Xavier University Summer Service Program and has worked as a Lutheran Volunteer Corps member at the Washington, D.C. Employment Justice Center, will work with AAFB.

            “One of the critical outcomes of this project is to develop strategies for ACAA and AAFB and our community partners to become more effective in meeting the needs of the Hispanic/Latino communities in Arizona,” said AAFB President and CEO Ginny Hildebrand.  “We want to break down barriers for participation in programs and access to services that help low-income families in our communities.”

            Lawrence and Mellon will be in Arizona from September through February 2011 and then go to Washington, D.C. to work with national organizations involved in the anti-hunger and poverty movements including national advocacy organizations, think tanks and federal agencies.

            For more information about the project, visit www.hungercenter.org.  For more information about the Arizona Community Action Association, visit www.azcaa.org.  For more information about the Association of Arizona Food Banks, visit www.azfoodbanks.org.

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Find Out How to Get Your Home Weatherized for Free

Updated: Thursday, 22 Jul 2010, 12:39 PM MDT
Published : Thursday, 22 Jul 2010, 11:04 AM MDT

PHOENIX – In Money Matters, FOX 10 takes a look at a little-known federal program that pays for energy efficient upgrades to your home.

Watch the story from Fox 10’s Morning News here.

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NUTRITION ASSISTANCE ENROLLMENT UP 26% FROM 2009; 1 MILLION INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING BENEFITS IN STRUGGLING ECONOMY

Record Number of People Sought Help Through Arizona Self Help.org in May

PHOENIX, Ariz. (June 15, 2010):  The current economy continues taking its toll on families and individuals struggling to make ends meet and put food on their tables.

One measure of the increasing need is the number of hits to the Arizona Community Action Association’s ArizonaSelfHelp.org website (http://www.ArizonaSelfHelp.org), which prescreens individuals for 31 social service programs. 

In May, a record 11,226 individuals accessed the website for assistance, nearly 5,000 more than in April of this year.  From April 2008 to April 2010, the number of people seeking assistance nearly tripled from 2,625 to 6,419.

“While available services are cutback or eliminated, the number of individuals and families needing help continues to grow,” said Arizona Community Action Association Executive Director Cynthia Zwick.  “There is a lot of desperation in our communities putting increasing pressure on the social service agencies who are there for them.  The fact that we’re seeing so many more people on the Arizona Self Help website certainly shows how severe the problem is.”

At the same time, enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, crossed the 1 million barrier (1,020,648 individuals) in April, a 25.64% increase from 812,359 individuals in April 2009.  The average amount for nutrition assistance is $1.43 per meal, or 75% of monthly food costs.

Individuals and families qualifying for SNAP assistance ($1,174 gross monthly income for single individuals; $2,389 for a family of four) can only use the pre-loaded SNAP EBT  cards for food and food products.  Alcohol and tobacco products are not allowed.  Each card is protected by a PIN number and there is no cash option on the cards.

Emergency SNAP assistance also is available as is help for seniors, persons with disabilities and homeless individuals and families.  

ArizonaSelfHelp.org offers free and confidential prescreening for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Childcare Assistance; Head Start; SNAP (formerly food stamps); Women, Infants and Children (WIC); School Lunch; Emergency Food; Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); Federal Housing Assistance; Utility Discounts; Social Security Retirement; Senior Adult Independent Living (SAIL); Social Security Disability Programs; Arizona LongTerm Care System; Federal Earned Income Tax Credit; Federal Child Tax Credit; Individual Development Accounts; Federal HOPE Tax Credit; Federal Lifetime Learning Tax Credit; Medicare Part D; CoppeRx Car; AHCCCS; Medicare and Medicare Savings; and One-Stop Career Center Services.

For information, visit www.arizonaselfhelp.org or www.azcaa.org.  For information about SNAP retailers, visit www.fns.usda.gov/snap.

For Arizona Self Help and SNAP training, call Katie Kahle at (602) 604-0640, Ext. 19 or by email at kkahle@azcaa.org.

POVERTY NUMBERS

• More than 881,000 people in Arizona lived in poverty between 2005 and 2007

• Arizona’s child-poverty rate for 2005-07 was 20.2%

• From April 2009 to April 2010, the number of individuals in Maricopa County on SNAP rose 31% and statewide by 25.6% to 1.02 million.

• More than 283,000 Arizona households are considered food insecure

• The average Arizona household receives $294.44 in monthly SNAP benefits, or $1.43 per meal, 75% of monthly food costs

• Arizona is in the top 5 states nationally in food-insecure households

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Heat Relief for Low-Income Arizonans

June 7, 2010

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The summer heat can be a killer. But help is available for low-income Arizonans struggling to pay cooling costs: lower power rates, subsidies and weatherization assistance.

Arizona Community Action Association director Cynthia Zwick says helping families with their power bills can head off bigger problems.

“The inability to pay a utility bill is the second-leading cause of homelessness. When families don’t have the funds to pay those bills, other things start to fall apart in their lives. And they can become ill.”

If you need help, Zwick says the first step is to contact your local utility. She says they are willing to work with families to avoid disconnections and in many cases will set up payment plans. Further help is available by contacting your local community action agency, she adds.

Zwick points out that a family of four making up to $33,000 dollars a year can qualify for a reduced electric rate.

“All the major utility companies have a discount rate for income-eligible families. That would mean families living at 150 percent of poverty.”

Another program will provide utility bill subsidies for folks making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, she says.

Community action agencies have an emergency fund to help folks who have fallen behind on their electric bills, Zwick says.

“There’s some funding also available for deposits, if a deposit is a requirement. And there’s funding available for assistance with a repair, and sometimes for replacing appliances in the home.”

But Zwick cautions that money for energy assistance is limited. She estimates 500,000 Arizona homes are eligible, but only enough funding is available to help 30,000.

More information is available at www.azcaa.org.

Doug Ramsey, Public News Service – AZ

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Stimulus money helps weatherize low income homes in Arizona

Posted: Jun 02, 2010 3:40 PM MST

Updated: Jun 02, 2010 5:41 PM MST

By Brian White – email

The Pima County weatherization assistance program is gathering local contractors and technicians to help low income home owners and renters “seal up” their houses.

The reason?

“It puts more money in people’s pockets,” Housing Specialist Jesus Duran said.

It also helps lower utility costs by improving the insulative value of the home, Duran added. Which in turn, lowers electricity consumption.

Duran said weatherizing homes can cut an electric bill from $130 to $45.Low income houses spend up to 30 percent of their income on utility bills. Other households spend about 5 to 6 percent, the county estimates.

For someone like Joyce Kotzamanis, that means a lot. Crews were busy working on her home Wednesday. 

They sealed up leaky ducts, removed an old furnace and installed a new air conditioning unit.

Kotzamanis is grateful for the work, which cost about $13,000.

“It’s a God send,” she said. “I hope more people learn about the program.”

Arizona will receive over $57 million from the federal government for weatherization projects through March 2012. Officials expect over 6,400 homes in Arizona to be completed during that time.

Since 1977, 24,000 homes have received weatherization assistance in Arizona.

Experts estimate more than 436,000 homes in the state remain eligible for assistance.

DO YOU QUALIFY?

Find out by checking out the Pima County Community Actiona Agency Weatherization Assistance Program at 520-243-6787.

Or the Arizona Community Action Association’s page on their website that lists energy programs: http://www.azcaa.org/find-help/programs.

 Weatherization story from KOLD News 13 in Tucson (video)

Link to story on KSWT 13 News, serving Yuma, El Centro, and Mexicali

Coverage of Foundation for Senior Living’s Weatherization Program from the Phoenix Business Journal

 

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Office of Attorney General Terry Goddard

Terry Goddard Receives Award for Protecting Arizona Consumers

(Phoenix, Ariz. May 13, 2010) Attorney General Terry Goddard today received the Presidents Award from the Arizona Community Action Association for his work protecting consumers in Arizona.

Goddard was lauded for his efforts in directing funds from a multi-state Bank of America settlement to 12 nonprofit housing counseling entities in Arizona to provide assistance for consumers at risk of losing their homes. That settlement is expected to provide up to $245 million in economic relief for an estimated 13,000 Arizonans. Goddard also negotiated a settlement with Ameriquest Mortgage Co. that provided more than $5 million in restitution for over 9,100 Arizona consumers.

With Arizona among the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, a surge in mortgage fraud has followed. Goddard has gone after fraud artists with both criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. He recently joined U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in a Mortgage Fraud Summit in Phoenix with federal, state and local law enforcement officials, whose work will be helped with an additional $1.7 million in federal funds to Arizona to fight mortgage fraud. Goddard also has ramped up educational efforts aimed at preventing mortgage ripoffs.

In tough economic times it is more important than ever to combat the scam artists who rob hard working Arizonans of their last dollars, Goddard said. Fighting for Arizona consumers and protecting their rights has always been a top priority for me and the Attorney Generals Office. Arizona is at the center of the housing crisis, and I am committed to continue the fight to keep as many Arizona families as possible out of foreclosure and in their homes.

Each year we have the privilege of honoring a member of our community who has made a significant impact in the lives of vulnerable Arizonans, stated Margarita Leyvas, president of the Arizona Community Action Association. Attorney General Terry Goddard has done an excellent job of this throughout his career as a public servant. He has worked to ensure that consumers are informed about fraudulent practices that vulnerable Arizonans, particularly the elderly, fall prey to. We are proud to be honoring Terry Goddard for his dedication and commitment to Arizona residents.

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ARIZONA COMMUNITY ACTION ASSOCIATION URGES PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION 100 TO ENSURE HELP FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

 PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 26, 2010):  Proposition 100, which voters will be asked to approve on May 18, will keep the safety net for those most in need from fraying even further and is fully supported by the Arizona Community Action Association and its board of directors.

Executive Director Cynthia Zwick urged voters statewide to vote for the proposed temporary 1-cent sales tax that is projected to raise $900 million a year for the three-year life of the tax.  It will automatically repeal on May 31, 2013.  Two-thirds of the revenue would be used to fund K-12 education; one-third would go toward health and human services and public safety.

The Arizona Community Action Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, provides services and resources for the working poor and newly poor through Community Action Programs and collaborations across the state.

“There are families in this state feeling the effects of cuts already in place to social and human services.  Many of these families are having to decide between buying food, taking medication or paying the utility bill,” Zwick said.  “That is not a choice anyone should have to make.  Without Proposition 100 even more families will be faced with the same dreadful dilemma.”

Zwick said that if the measure fails, additional cuts proposed to counter the loss of the tax-generated revenue would further devastate the state’s low-income families and would result in the loss of $442 million in federal matching funds.

 “We cannot address the ongoing budget deficit with more cuts.  There’s nothing left to cut.  We must find ways to generate revenue, even if it’s on a temporary basis to bridge the gap until the economy strengthens,” Zwick said.  “With more and more people seeking assistance for the first time and fewer and fewer resources available to them, where are they going to turn?” 

Zwick also said the individuals interested in helping those in need can make financial contributions to social and human service agencies or through ChooseToHelp.org, which will distribute funds to agencies statewide.

For more information about how to donate, visit www.azcaa.org.  For more information about Proposition 100 visit www.yeson100.com.

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ARIZONA FACING $30 MILLION IN CUTS TO NEEDY FAMILIES BEGINNNG JULY 1, 2010;

FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS MOST IN NEED TO BE LEFT WITHOUT HELP

PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 21, 2010):  More than 10,000 Arizona families will no longer receive assistance when $29.5 million in state-mandated cuts to the cash assistance program takes effect beginning July 1.

The biggest impact is a $27 million cut which reduces the lifetime limit families can receive cash assistance to 36 months from the current 60 months. This provision, which begins July 1, 2010, is estimated to eliminate services for 10,000 families, including 17,000 children. The Department of Economic Security (DES) will send notices to all households reaching their 34th month of benefits; the first households will be contacted as early as April 28. Services will also be eliminated for women in their third trimester of pregnancy if they do not already have a dependent child.

Additional cuts to programs that support vulnerable Arizonans include:

• $5.3 million for resources to provide in-home child welfare services, increasing the likelihood that children will need to be removed from home,

• $3.7 million for state services to the developmentally disabled affecting services for approximately 400 adults and 300 children,

• $2.4 million for short-term crisis services for 1,100 families and emergency services for 1,600 domestic violence victims, and

• $1.6 million for adult services through local Area Agencies on Aging, reducing services to vulnerable adults. 

These cuts come on top of previous reductions that resulted in nearly 10,000 working parents losing healthcare coverage through KidsCare and TANF cash assistance grant amount reductions affecting 38,500 low-income families.

“There is nowhere else for people directly impacted by these cuts to go for that help,” said Cynthia Zwick, Executive Director of the Arizona Community Action Association, a statewide nonprofit agency that provides resources and services to the newly poor and working poor through Community Action Agencies statewide.

Zwick said that some households currently receiving TANF cash assistance may be eligible for a short-term extension.

“We encourage anyone receiving a notification to speak with DES if they think they qualify,” she said.  “However, because only about a quarter of those being timed off the program will qualify for a hardship extension, I’m not sure what these people are going to do.  There’s really no way to make up this gap unless church groups provide support, but the faith community is already overwhelmed with people needing assistance at the same time that human service agencies statewide are under enormous pressure.”

Child-only households, where children may be living with a grandparent who has applied for assistance on behalf of the child also may have their services reduced.  Income eligibility requirements will begin to apply to families caring for children who are not in the foster care system when an application is submitted on behalf of the child.      

“One way Arizonans can help is to make donations of money, food, clothing or volunteer hours directly to a human service agency providing services or through ChooseToHelp.org,” Zwick said.  All donations to ChooseToHelp.org will be distributed to nonprofit human and social service agencies.

“Unfortunately, the situation will not get any easier for those in the greatest need as the legislature still faces enormous budget deficits that must be addressed,” Zwick said.  “We continue to see more and more men, women and families seeking assistance for the first time in their lives even as resources and staff continue shrinking.”

Zwick said these cuts offer strong reasons for voters to pass the proposed temporary one-percent sales tax on May 18.

“Funding from the temporary sales tax will go toward education, public safety and health and human services, including DES,” she said.  If the sales tax fails,  additional reductions to an already overburdened safety net system will occur.”

For more information, visit www.azcaa.org.

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