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Our Community is Changing - Are We Ready?
The January 10th meeting of the CAN Board of Directors featured a Report on the State of the Safety Net for the Austin Metro Area. While the population of the five-county metro area grew by almost 40% from 2000 to 2012, the poverty population grew by 85%. Poverty is growing the fastest in areas outside of the city limits of Austin. To better understand how our community is responding to this change, CAN staff interviewed service providers and community leaders. The report highlights the needs and gaps in the current safety net and recommendations for improvements.
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CAN Board January Meeting Highlights
In addition to the new Safety Net Report, the CAN Board welcomed its newest partner, Goodwill Industries. Goodwill President & CEO Jerry Davis said his agency helped more than 3,000 people find employment in 2013 and plans to develop a charter high school for adults who wish to earn their high school diploma.
Stephanie Hayden, Assistant Director of Austin Travis County Health and Human Services shared the City of Austin's new social service process. The City plans to release a Request for Applications from non-profit agencies to compete for $13.8 million for social services on February 25th.
A recording of the meeting may be viewed on Cable Channel 6 under the Boards and Commissions tab.
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CAN Community Council - 2014 Focus on Special Populations
The CAN Community Council meetings in 2014 will focus on better understanding the unique issues and concerns facing specific populations. The first meeting on Monday, January 27th will feature a panel presentation with Nelson Linder, with the African American Quality of Life Initiative; Teresa Perez-Wisely, with the Hispanic Quality of Life Initiative; and Vince Cobalis, with the Asian American Resource Center.
The meeting will be held on Monday, January 27th from 4 - 6 p.m. in the Alamo Room at Workforce Solutions Capital Area, 6505 Airport Boulevard.
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Let us bring our information to you!
Do you have an organization, board or community group that would appreciate an overview of community conditions?
CAN staff are available to make presentations. We have recently presented to Hispanic Austin Leadership, Impact Austin, East Austin Rotary, the Central Health Board of Directors and church groups.
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More than 1,000 Twitter followers!
 Join the 1,000 Twitter followers getting updates on news, meetings, research and more at CAN_Austin.
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CAN Partners
Austin Chamber of Commerce
Austin Community College
Austin ISD
Austin Travis County Integral Care
Capital Metro
Central Health
City of Austin
City of Pflugerville
Community Justice Council
Del Valle ISD
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas
Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce
Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Huston-Tillotson University
interfaith Action Central Texas
Manor ISD
One Voice Central Texas
Seton Healthcare Family
St. David's Foundation
St. Edward's University
Travis County
United Way for Greater Austin
University of Texas at Austin
Workforce Solutions - Capital Area
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Travis County Snapshot
population growing older and poorer
Travis County Research and Planning has released its annual Snapshot from the American Community Survey with an analysis of key socio-economic data points from the annual U.S. Census Bureau survey tool and comparisons of change from 2007 to 2012.
A few highlights from the report are....
- Travis County has a large working age population. Adults (18-64) comprise about 750,018 (68%) of the county's population of 1,095,584.
- The population over 65 is the fastest growing age group, growing by 32%,from 64,710 in 2007 to 85,458 in 2012.
- While the child population grew by only 7% from 243,609 in 2007 to 260,108 in 2012, the child poverty rate increased from 19% to 26% in that time period.
- Travis County residents have a high educational attainment level. 45% of Travis County residents have a Bachelor's Degree or higher, compared to 19% of Texans and 14% of Americans.
- 31% of Travis County residents speak a language other than English at home.
- Median household income, when adjusted for inflation, increased for the first time since the Recession began in 2009. But, the Median Household Income of $57,368 is still lower than 2008's inflation-adjusted Median Income of $59,149.
- 36% of all Travis County residents are considered to be "low-income," living below 200% of the federal poverty level.
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37% of Uninsured Texans
will not qualify for coverage under the Affordable Care Act
There are about 6.2 million uninsured non-elderly Texans. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that about 20% of of these adults will not qualify for health insurance assistance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) due to immigration status. Another 17% will not qualify for insurance coverage because they fall below the poverty line. According to the original ACA design, legal residents who live in poverty would have been covered through Medicaid, but since Texas decided not to expand Medicaid, these people have no coverage options under ACA. These people fall into what Kaiser calls the "coverage gap."
The federal government is reimbursing 100% of what it costs states to expand Medicaid to all legal residents living in poverty for the first 3 years of the law and will cover 90% of the cost in years after that. Texas Impact has created a "widget" on its website that tracks how much federal funding Texas is loosing each second due to the Legislature's decision to not expand Medicaid. The amount totaled more than $152 million as of noon today. The widget is based on estimates by former Chief Deputy Comptroller Billy Hamilton in his report Expanding Medicaid in Texas.
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ACC Expanding Training
programmer training expanded to meet employer demand
 Austin Community College is expanding its Accelerated Programmer Training, an online program designed to speed entry into high-demand tech careers and lead to a college degree. ACC and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce will host an information session about the program this Saturday, January 18th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Highland Business Center, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and to help with online registration. RSVP to the Austin Chamber.
According to the Austin Chamber, last fall more than 7,400 Central Texas job openings required computer and IT skills. Half of the top ten posted positions are in the information technology field, with average annual earnings ranging from $46,000 to $96,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All credits earned through the program will count toward a certificate or associate degree. Financial aid, scholarships, and tuition payment plans are available.
Learn more about the online Accelerated Programmer Training.
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Cap Metro Launches New Fare Structure
new app helps you buy passes and plan your trips on the go
Fares for Capital Metro services will change beginning Sunday, January 26th. Fares are divided into three basic categories: Local, Premium and Commuter. Click here for more details.
A new CapMetro App will be available January 20th for free from the Apple Store, Google Play or Windows Phone Store. The new CapMetro App will let you easily buy passes and plan your trip on the go.
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Free Tax Assistance
Foundation Communities tax centers now open for business
Don't pay to have your taxes done. Foundation Communities' IRS certified volunteers will prepare taxes for free for individuals and families who make less than $50,000 annually. The Tax Centers, located at five Austin-area locations, hope to help 18,000 people complete their taxes this year. The Tax Centers also offer a drop-off option. You can stop by with your documentation, complete the intake paperwork, and have a brief visit with a tax preparer. The Center will call when your return is ready to pick up.
Learn more about what to bring with you to appointments and where the Tax Centers are located.
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Volunteers Needed
help students apply for college financial aid
The Austin Chamber is recruiting volunteers to help high school seniors and their parents file federal/state financial aid applications (FAFSA/TAFSA) to help pay for college. For many students, completing these forms correctly can be the difference between having, or not having, the money needed to pay for college.
The Chamber will host several training luncheons for prospective volunteers from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. over the next several weeks. Volunteers commit to help staff at at least one Financial Aid event this spring. Contact Drew Scheberle, Senior Vice President for Education and Talent, for more information.
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CodeNEXT
community character workshops
The CodeNEXT team invites you to let them know what you value about your community. CodeNEXT, a three-year effort to revise the City of Austin land development code, is more than rewriting land use rules and regulations, it is an opportunity to create a better city that meets the needs of our current residents and future generations. The new code must reflect the unique character of neighborhoods throughout Austin. That's where you come in!
Join CodeNEXT next week to have fun, learn, and contribute. What you share will help shape the future land use, development, and growth of your favorite places.
Jan. 16: NORTH 6:30 pm - 8:30m pm Murchison Middle School cafeteria 3700 N. Hills Drive Jan. 24: CENTRAL 7:30 am - 9:30 am (morning) St. David's Episcopal Church, Sumners Hall 301 E. 8th Street Jan. 25: EAST 10 am - noon ACC Eastview Campus, Auditorium 8500 3401 Webberville RoadThe CodeNEXT Community Character Workshops will gather your opinions on what makes your neighborhood great and how it can be improved.
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CAN is a partnership of governmental, non-profit, private and faith-based organizations which leverage mutual resources to collectively improve social, health, educational and economic opportunities in our community.
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