News

Tuesday, September 13, 2011. 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern
Call-In Number: 1-888-390-4470; Passcode: AFI

Join us to hear from federal and state
officials about the government’s interest in forming partnerships
between Assets for Independence (AFI), asset building, fatherhood, and
child support programs to help parents in the child support system build
assets and ultimately, be able to better provide for their children.
These partnerships are already occurring in various areas of the
country. Speakers will discuss how helping parents who pay child
support to build financial strength is part of the new direction of the
Office of Child Support Enforcement. State Child Support Enforcement
leaders will describe ways that child support agencies can help parents –
where appropriate – address child support debt and monthly payment
amounts so that they are better able to meet child support obligations
and save money.

Speakers for this session:

- Jennifer Burnszynski, Director, Division of Technical Assistance,
U.S. Office of Child Support Enforcement will discuss the new family
supportive direction of the child support system, and how helping
noncustodial parents build assets is part of this focus.

- Michael Hayes, Director for Family Initiatives, Child Support
Division, Texas Office of the Attorney General will discuss why his
agency is partnering with AFI organizations in Texas to help
noncustodial parents build assets, and the roles that fatherhood
organizations and child support are playing to help fathers connect to
AFI services.

- David Stillman, Interim Assistant Secretary for the Economic
Services Administration, Washington State will discuss why his state’s
child support agency is partnering with AFI organizations to help
noncustodial parents, and some of the remedies the state child support
agency is offering parents to help them become more financially stable.

http://idaresources.org/Event?id=00U7000000Ek4jPEAR

Chicago’s Money Smart Week is an annual effort to promote and increase the public’s exposure to financial education. Banks, schools, libraries, credit unions, churches, government agencies and community organizations work together to provide hundreds of financial education workshops, seminars and activities throughout the state. Topics range from basic budgeting and retirement to entrepreneurship and paying for college. The events are meant to serve a wide audience and include classes in Spanish as well as numerous activities for youth.

Money Smart Week (MSW) was created to address inadequate financial education levels in the general public. In 2001, over forty partners convened joined the Chicago Federal Reserve to create the Money Smart Advisory Council. Since then MSW has grown steadily. The Advisory Council’s goal is not only to educate, but to also connect the public with resources and experts they access throughout the year. MSW has spread throughout country.

With the current financial recession and low levels of personal savings, it is more important than ever that families are given the tools to make smart financial decisions. Federal initiatives like the Financial Literacy and Education Commission and the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability are also working on new program to expand Americans’ knowledge of basic personal finance and are calling on states to coordinate remedies and resources.

More information about Money Smart Week, including a schedule of events, can be found at the Chicago Federal Reserve website or at this link: http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/education/msw/index.cfm

The Illinois Asset Building Group recently released a report on the Racial Wealth Gap.

Tuesday, April 19, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST/1:00-2:00 CST

Katherine Dahlem, Senior Associate, Abt Associates, Inc., will present the findings from focus groups conducted in 2010 by the Center for Financial Security and Abt Associates, Inc., as part of the Financial Literacy Research Consortium. These focus groups gathered information about how people with disabilities and their families address financial planning, understand Social Security Act regulations, address employment, and interact with school systems. Dahlem will detail the findings which suggest that information about financial planning is vital to people with disabilities and caregivers to help them address financial and care needs.

Karen Harris, Director, Asset Opportunities, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, will discuss how this research can be practically applied to effectively promote financial planning and help people with disabilities understand rules and regulations.

Register Now!

The Poverty Scorecard rates every Member of Congress on how they voted on anti-poverty legislation. Visit http://povertyscorecard.org/ to find out how legislators voted in 2010.

WEBINAR: Accessible Assets, Part 2: Asset Development Strategies for People with Disabilities

Thursday, February 17, 2011 1:30 PM- 3:00 PM CST

Register Now: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/786745491

People with disabilities have lower employment levels, report lower levels of savings, and are more likely to experience poverty than those without disabilities. The inextricable connection between disability and poverty requires special attention to developing policies and programs to give people the ability to save, acquire assets and permanently escape poverty.

As a follow-up to the first webinar on asset building and the disability community, this FREE webinar will highlight asset building strategies for individuals with disabilities to achieve self-sufficiency and introduce new and innovative asset building programs. Slated to speak are:

• William Gorman, Executive Director, The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois (SILC);

• Patti Lind, Executive Director, The Abilities Fund;

• Joyce Armstrong, Project Director, Connect to Work Center, State of Connecticut Bureau of Rehabilitation Services; and

• Joyanne Cobb, Analyst/Project Officer, Office of Project Development and Research, the Social Security Administration.

These experts will assess opportunities and self-sufficiency strategies, and discuss expanding entrepreneurial opportunities and access to capital for people with disabilities through the proposed Connect-Ability program and the Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects.

THE NEXT FRONTIER IN PUBLIC BENEFITS: ELECTRONIC BENEFIT CARDS

Thursday, February 3, 2011 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM CST Register Now: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/845481163

The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and Consumers Union present a FREE webinar on the implications for low-income families of receiving public benefit payments through electronic payment cards (EPCs).

This webinar will discuss the differences between various electronic benefit payment methods and investigate the implications of the new trend toward EPCs for low-income families. Slated to speak are:

• Kay Kuhlman, Assistant Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO);
• Walt Henderson, Director of the EFT Strategy Division, the U.S. Department of Treasury;
• Suzanne Martindale, Attorney and Associate Policy Analyst, Consumers Union;
• Lauren Saunders, Managing Attorney, National Consumer Law Center (NCLC);
• Jean Ann Fox, Director of Financial Services, Consumer Federation of America (CFA); and
• Judith Glassgold, Senior Policy Advisor on Health and Domestic Social Policy, Congressman Sandy Levin (D-MI).

Join us at the upcoming Illinois Asset Building Group Conference on October 14-15, 2010. Advocates, policy makers, practitioners, financial institution representatives and other participants will come together for two exciting days of asset building panels and discussions. Current session topics include:

• Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap
• Strategies to Assure Quality Banking Services
• Building Financial Skills in Target Populations
• Government Programs to Expand Ownership
• Predatory Lending Regulations and Alternatives
• Credit Building as Asset Building
• Matched Savings Programming 

The conference will be a great opportunity to network with other organizations and individuals from across the state concerned with economic stability for individuals and families.

When: October 14-15, 2010

Where: Chateau Hotel and Conference Center, Bloomington, IL

Register now at http://illinoisassetbuilding.org/conference.

Scholarships are available for those in financial need. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until October 1, 2010. For more information, please contact Ebony Thomas (312.870.4931 or enthomas@heartlandalliance.org).

The Florida Asset Building Coalition invites you to attend the Northeast Florida Economic Opportunity Summit on Friday, September 10, 2010. There will be workshops and information sessions, resource information, network weaving, and capacity building aimed at creating more economic opportunity in Northeast Florida. The Summit is presented by Access Florida Finance Corporation, The Jacksonville Port Authority, and State Farm in partnership with the First Coast African American Chamber.

Dr. Carlton Robinson serves as Chair of the Florida Asset Building Coalition Steering Committee, and Director of the First Coast African American Chamber. Please join us for the FABC Regional Network Weaving Circle at the Summit, Dr. Fred Seamon of MGT is facilitating the FABC session, Asset-based Community Development - Building Regional Networks. Admission to the Network Weaving Circle is free, you must register to confirm your attendance and lunch.

Complete the FABC registration form on our website and fax to 904-766-7276 before September 3, 2010. For more information contact: Karen Landry at (904) 766-7275.

August 31 and September 1, 2010
Special Asset Building Summit September 2, 2010.
Bozeman, Montana

Rural Communities Conference: Neighborhoods, schools, cities, and towns are bringing all kinds of people into creative community problem solving and building a future for the rural West. The Rural Communities Conference is your chance to share, learn, connect, and mobilize with others dedicated to creating thriving rural communities. Join us and find solutions, share success stories, and adopt new tools. Leave ready to move from waiting to learning, from talk to action. Register Here!

Asset Building Summit: Assets are not defined narrowly in the sense of one’s vehicle, home, or savings account—but rather encompass the non-tangible assets inclusive of one’s health, education, and socialcapital. In other words, assets represent a broader array of resources that enable people and communities to influence the decisions that affect their lives and ability to participate in society in meaningful ways. Join us after the Rural Communities Conference to discuss economic development in the framework of human, political, and economic assets. Register Here!