United Way of California

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:

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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

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.”

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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

May 14, 2015

(Sacramento, CA) -  Pete Manzo, President and CEO of United Ways of California released the following statement on Governor Brown’s May Revision to his proposed California’s 2015-16 state budget:

“Our United Way network enthusiastically applauds the Governor for creating a refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit, joining 25 other states in helping low income working Californians to support their families. The proposed credit will benefit an estimated 825,000 families and 2 million individuals, a great start that we hope we can build on to reduce the high rate of poverty in California.”

While we are pleased to see the Governor’s commitment to fund a state Earned Income Tax Credit, we are also deeply disappointed in the May Revision’s failure to increase investments in much needed high-quality early childhood education, child care and health care.  

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