Policy Update, August 29, 2014

Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).

In honor of the Labor Day weekend, we are providing you a slightly abbreviated (and late-in the day) Update this week. Happy weekend! If you are enjoying a three-day weekend, be sure to thank everyone you encounter who is working (wait staff, cashiers, hospital and emergency personnel, and so many others).

Hunger in America: 1 in 7 Americans rely on food pantries and meal programs

Feeding America issued its new Hunger in America 2014, the largest and most comprehensive study of people seeking food assistance in the U.S. A few of the findings about households at food pantries and meal programs:

1 in 7 Americans relies on food pantries.
39% of households have a child under 18.
1 in 3 households has a senior member over 60.
54% report at least one employed person at some point in the past year.
Among households with an employed person, the individual with the longest employment duration is more likely to be employed part-time (57%) than full-time (43%).
20% of households at food pantries have at least one member who has ever served in the military; 4% have a currently active duty member of the military, Reserves or National Guard.

Read the executive summary or the full report. Know someone who needs food or want to donate or volunteer at a pantry near you? Call 2-1-1 for information.

Legislative Study Committees

The Legislative Council has appointed the interim study committees. Current meetings scheduled on the calendar include:

Sept. 2 and 23 - Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
Sept. 10 and 23- Roads and Transportation
Sept. 15 and 29 - Business Personal Property and Business Taxation
Sept. 15 and 22 - Corrections and Criminal Code
Sept. 16 - Education
Sept. 16 - Pension Management Oversight
Sept. 18 - Courts and the Judiciary
Sept. 24 - Government
Sept. 25 - Environmental Affairs
Sept. 30 - Fiscal Policy

If you missed a committee meeting, the new format on the General Assembly's website allows you to watch the recording of the committee meeting. Visit the specific interim committee's web page.

HIP 2.0 open for public comment

The plan for HIP 2.0 as submitted by Governor Pence to the federal government is open for public comment through September 21, 2014.

Comments may remain anonymous. Submit your comments online or upload a document with written comments. You may also review previously submitted comments.

Middle skills gaps in Indiana

According to lo

ng-term projections for Indiana's labor needs, 55% of all job openings between 2010-2020 will be "middle skill" jobs that require education beyond high school but less than a bachelor's degree.

Middle skill jobs account for 59% of Indiana's labor market, but only 48% of Indiana's workforce is trained for middle skill positions. See the Indiana fact sheet from the National Skills Coalition.

The Sector Strategies and Credentials of Opportunities reports from the Indiana Institute for Working Families detail these findings and provide recommendations related to sector coordination and policies related to increasing the number of needed certificates.

IaUW Public Policy

IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on programs and policies that help:

children prepare for and succeed in school;
individuals achieve and sustain financial stability;
individuals access quality healthcare; and
communities thrive, including a strong 2-1-1 network and charitable sector.

Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.

Frequently Requested Links / Documents

iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.

Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.

NEW - Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.

IN211.org - Search for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.

NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly

- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.

Library of Congress

- Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.