Press Releases
United Ways of California Joins Governor Brown to put $2.3 Billion in the Hands of California Working Families and Individuals
December 2, 2015
Los Angeles, — California. Today, United Ways of California joined Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and other California leaders to announce the launch of CalEITC4me, a statewide campaign involving community, faith, civic, labor and business leaders to ensure the first-ever California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) winds up in the hands of those who worked hard to earn it.
“United Ways of California is pleased to have collaborated with Governor Brown and other California leaders to address the lack of income gains for working Californians in the Post-Great Recession economic recovery and provide a much needed economic stimulus in the most economically distressed communities,” said Pete Manzo, President & CEO of United Ways of California. “With over 3.2 million California households struggling to meet basic needs, we are excited to see our long-term goal become reality. California’s EITC program will benefit an estimated 600,000 families and 2 million individuals, a great start that we hope we can build on to reduce the high rate of poverty in California.”
California’s New Asset Building Tools: Putting the Secure Choice Retirement Plan and the New State EITC to Work
Join asset building practitioners, advocates and funders for a conference on helping families and individuals build assets and plan for the future through two new programs. California Treasurer John Chiang and Controller Betty Yee will join other special guests on Tuesday, December 1 to discuss the laws, and what is necessary for successful implementations. Agenda items include:
Children's Health Advocates Hail California's Budget as a Historic Leap Toward Health Coverage for All Children
June 19, 2015
Sacramento, CA – Children’s health advocates commended state legislators and Governor Jerry Brown for crafting a budget that addresses key children’s health priorities. The budget agreement includes $40 million in 2015-16 to expand access to Medi-Cal coverage to all income-eligible children, regardless of immigration status.
“Thanks to leaders in California’s Legislature and Governor Brown, more than 170,000 undocumented children will get access to health coverage, and the preventive care they need to grow up healthy and lead productive lives,” said Wendy Lazarus, Founder and Co-President of The Children’s Partnership. “This budget is a tremendous step toward providing coverage to every California child. When we invest in our hardworking families and their children, we will see substantial and lasting impacts that benefit all Californians.”
United Ways of California Releases New Financial Stability Report on California Households
July 14, 2015
Los Angeles—CA. Almost 1 in 3 California households struggle each month to meet their basic needs, according to a report released today by United Ways of California.
The report, Struggling to Get By: The Real Cost Measure in California 2015, finds that 3.2 million California households do not earn enough income to account for the types of expenses—food, rent, health care—that are essential to maintain even an adequate level of economic security. Not only do these households not have enough money to save for the future or afford “luxuries” like eating out, but they are forced to confront tradeoffs each month about whether to forgo necessities like child care or doctor’s appointments in order to make ends meet.
Struggling to Get By introduces the Real Cost Measure, a new tool that provides a more realistic picture of poverty than the Federal Poverty Line. The Real Cost Measure creates “basic needs” budgets for households, using actual costs for food, housing, transportation, health care, childcare, and taxes throughout California.
Among the questions Struggling to Get By seeks to answer are: What is the true rate of financially challenged households? How many are led by working adults? What do we know about these households? What do their family configurations look like? What regions and communities struggle more than others? What do income challenges look like across race, ethnicity and gender boundaries and more.
Some of the key findings from Struggling to Get By include:
UWCA Applauds Bi-Partisan Vote on SB 4 - Health for All
June 2, 2015
(Sacramento, CA) - Pete Manzo, President and CEO of United Ways of California released the following statement following Senate passage of SB4 (Lara) - Health for All:
"United Ways of California applauds the historic, bi-partisan vote in the Senate this morning to pass SB4 (Lara) Health for All Act with a 28-11 vote. We thank the Senate who set aside partisan politics to lead the way in making all Californians healthy. For many years, United Ways of California and our member United Ways have worked to assure coverage for all California children—which means, all children, regardless of immigration status—and this bill brings our goal within reach. SB4 would not only create access for all children in California to grow up healthy and ready for life, but set the foundation for all workers and families to be insured as well.
Leaving hundreds of thousands of workers, students, and family members without coverage for preventable ailments does not protect our public health, nor does it reflect our values as Californians.
SB 4 is a more efficient use of taxpayers’ dollars that encourages preventive care and treatment of conditions before they become severe. SB 4 would ensure that the public health and welfare of all Californians is more secure. Today’s vote is a great start and we hope the Assembly and Governor will follow suit and not only support this bill but the $40 million in the Senate budget proposal to expand access to preventive care for all Californians.”
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United Ways of California improves health, education and financial stability results for low-income California families by coordinating the statewide advocacy and community impact work of 34 California United Ways.
Contact:
Peter Manzo, President & CEO
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877.355.8922 x1
Judy Darnell, Vice President of Public Policy
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831.246.3099
More Articles ...
- Governor Brown’s Earned Income Tax Credit Proposal is Important Step toward Helping Low Income Families, but May Revision Fails to Make Needed Investments in Quality Early Education and Health Care
- Governor’s Budget Proposal Good For Education, But Doesn’t Do Enough To Help Low-Income Families
- Brown Administration Calls For Extension Of Successful Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Senate on Right Path with Early Ed Investment
