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CAN has a new web address:
CAN has a new url to match our new name. Check out the CAN website for research and reports. You will also find our Work Plan and the agendas, minutes and presentations from the CAN Board of Directors and Community Council meetings.
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"Together We CAN!" is a collaborative project of CAN and Leadership Austin. The website shares practical ideas for action we can all take where we live, learn, work and serve to make our community a better place. You can also share how YOU make a difference.
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The Safety Net:
Our Community is Changing - Are We Ready?
The population of the 5-county Austin MSA is increasingly suburban and poor. There are important implications of this demographic shift for the agencies that provide services. CAN's Report on the State of the Safety Net for the Austin Metro Area takes a look at key safety net gaps and needs and makes recommendations for improving it. You can also view the Powerpoint presentation to the CAN Board of Directors and video.
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Children & Youth Focus of February CAN Board Meeting
Success by 6 and Ready by 21 will share data, information and plans for improving opportunity to all children in our community at the upcoming CAN Board meeting. These presentations are being made in response to recent input at the 2013 CAN Policy Forum where participants prioritized the need to "consider investments in early education as economic development".
The CAN Board meeting will be held on February 14th from 1-3 in the Boards and Commissions Room at Austin City Hall. Watch the meeting live or recorded on Cable Channel 6 under the Boards and Commissions tab.
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African American, Asian and Hispanic Quality of Life Initiatives Share Priorities
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 featured 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 Council's February 24th meeting will focus on the unique challenges and issues facing our community's fast-growing aging population. The meeting will take place at Workforce Solutions at Airport Blvd. from 4 to 6 pm.
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Let us come 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 of 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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Inequality for All
film marks 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty
The film "Inequality for All" will be screened at the Capitol on February 5th at 2 p.m. as part of a 50-state Capitol tour to mark the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty.
The film features former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich and demonstrates the devastating impact of the widening income gap on the American economy. Following the film, there will be a brief panel-discussion. The screening is free, but reservations are required.
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Income Segregation Stifles Economic Mobility
Statesman article highlights impact of the economic divide in Austin area
The Sunday Statesman featured an article on the economic divide in Austin. According to the article, Austin has one of the highest rates of economic segregation among large U.S. cities. As mixed-income communities disappear, there are repercussions for people of all income levels. The article draws on research from the Harvard Equality of Opportunity Project. This study finds that low-income children from mixed-income neighborhoods are more likely to advance to higher income brackets than children from economically segregated neighborhoods.
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Texas Left Me Out
campaign to provide health insurance to more Texans
While thousands of Texans living above the poverty line are successfully purchasing health plans on the Marketplace and getting help to pay for it, more than one million of Texas' poorest adults are still being left out due to Texas' choice to refuse billions of federal dollars to extend coverage to them. The Cover Texas Now Coalition will kick off a new campaign to share the stories of Texans caught in the coverage gap. Websites in English and in Spanish encourage people to share their stories of how having no insurance impacts them and their families. A press conference to launch the "Texas Left Me Out" campaign will be held on February 5th at 10 a.m. at the Texas Capitol in the Speaker's Press Room.
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Photo ID Reminders
in preparation for March elections
In preparation for the March 2014 election, postcard reminders are being sent to voters with information about the type of photo identification required at the polls and how to obtain a free Election Identification Certificate from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). The Travis County Voter Registrar asked the Texas Secretary of State to provide information about voters with no state issued identification in order to target the mailing to voters who may not have what they need on Election Day.
More information about photo identification is available at www.keepcalmvoteon.com or by calling 512-238-VOTE.
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Austin City Government 101
forum educates people on how to get things done in city government
The League of Women Voters, KUT, KLRU, and the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life are hosing two sessions to help people understand how City government operates and how to participate.
The first session on Saturday, February 8th from 10 a.m. to noon will feature City Manager Marc Ott and other current and former city officials to discuss the functions of city government. The Saturday, February 22nd session will feature a panel including Nelson Linder, President of the NAACP, Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, and Susan Morrison who will discuss how to effectively communicate with city officials. Learn more at lwvaustin.org.
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Sustainability Action Agenda
report on progress made
The City of Austin has released a Sustainability Action Agenda that tracks progress made to find balance between three goals:
- prosperity and jobs
- protecting the environment
- community health, equity, and cultural vitality
Initially launched on Earth Day of 2012, the Action Agenda identified 10 focus areas that help define how the City is taking action for sustainability. The Action Agenda reports on progress made.
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Nonprofit VOTE
free resources to help nonprofits get out the vote
Nonprofit VOTE has debuted a new website, www.nonprofitvote.org that includes the nation's largest online library of voter engagement resources for nonprofits. Partners include the Internal Revenue Service, the League of Women Voters, and other civic engagement experts. Nonprofits can find information, resources and webinars on voter registration, educating voters, getting out the vote and more.
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Grameen Comes to Austin
nonprofit micro-financer provides loans to women living in poverty
Started in 1976, in Bangladesh by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Grameen offers microloans, training, and support, to transform communities and fight poverty in low income areas. New to Austin, Grameen seeks women who live at or below the poverty level and may not be able to receive loans from traditional banking institutions.
The program seeks groups of five women to form a Grameen Group, in which each woman receives a $1500 microloan to build a small business in her community. Every week groups meet with a Grameen America staff member in a borrower's home to make loan and saving payments, continue their education, and build peer networks. Learn more at grameenamerica.org or contact Marielle Septien M.Septien@grameenamerica.org.
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MetroRapid
more frequent service and fewer stops along high-use corridors
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Capital Metro's new MetroRapid bus service was launched last week. The high-tech, high-capacity buses provide express service along Lamar, Guadalupe, Lavaca and South Congress. The buses will run every 10-12 minutes and have fewer stops than regular buses. The long, red buses offer free wifi and bike racks. Learn more.
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Project Connect
help select future transit projects in Austin's Central Corridor
Project Connect will hold a public workshop on potential transit projects in the Central Corridor - an area that includes downtown Austin, UT Campus, Highland Mall/ACC, and East Riverside. Participants will offer input on types of service and routes. The come and go event will include light refreshments, music and fun activities for kids. Help turn Project Connect's regional transit vision into a reality.
Project Connect Central Corridor Public Workshop
Saturday, February 8th
9:30 a.m. - noon (come and go)
ACC Highland, 6001 Airport Boulevard
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African American Family Support Conference
strengthening health and behavioral health for families
Registration is now open for the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference. The conference on February 25th and February 26th seeks to strengthen awareness of health and behavioral health services available in the community and to eliminate health disparities through culturally sensitive education and supports.
This year's conference will also feature an 8-hour Mental Health First Aid training session especially for clergy. The session introduces non-healthcare professionals to risk factors, warning signs and available services for people who have a mental illness. Learn more about the Conference and the Clergy Only Mental Health First Aid Session.
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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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