Healthy Kids Good for All of Us

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: A “Win” for Low-income Children

In the midst of political divisions, we can rejoice in some good news. On Dec. 13, President Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 – also known as the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill.

This new law will make enormous strides in the nutrition standards and availability of the foods served in our schools.

This bill guarantees that more children will have access to the healthy, nutritious foods they need to thrive – both during the school year and during the summer.

This is great news because with our economy still in recovery mode, this bill ensures that children from struggling families will receive a reduced cost or free school lunch. It also helps ensure that those foods are healthier and sets important standards for foods not already in the school lunch program.

Child hunger is a real problem in this country. Currently, the poverty rate for children is 20.7 percent – up from 15.6 percent in 2000. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directs resources to a variety of programs that fight hunger and malnutrition in our communities. These programs include the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch Program.

The new law also works to stem the dramatic rise in childhood obesity in the United States by removing sugary drinks and candy in our schools’ cafeterias and increasing funding for fruits and vegetables. This is especially crucial as one in three children are currently either overweight or obese – up dramatically over the last 20 years.

Click here to see a video of President Obama signing the bill into law.

Hunger in our backyards

While many of us gather around Thanksgiving feasts with copious amounts of food, families on limited incomes are struggling to feed their children.

Although we might not realize it, hunger is a serious issue plaguing our country. Nearly 50 million people in the United States regularly don't have access to adequate amounts of food, the highest number ever since records have been kept. At some point in their lives, 50 percent of all children in this country will have relied on food stamps for survival.















Feeling guilty yet?

Instead of simply sitting around and feeling bad, do something! I thought of a few things that we can do to combat hunger:

1) If there's one thing that any of us can do, regardless of expertise or resources, it's volunteer time at a local food bank or soup kitchen. While some people, particularly around the holidays, do volunteer to help feed the hungry, it's really a full-time job and the people who operate these facilities need full-time support. We have several soup kitchens in the area – check your local listings to find one near you.

2) If you grow your own food you might consider planting an extra row this spring to help feed the hungry. Millions of pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs are already donated each year by gardeners throughout the country. You can be among them!

3) Support companies and stores that donate to hunger relief causes.

4) Donate to CANI; CANI combats hunger by connecting families to resources for food and helping them on become self-sufficient.

Sick Days? Not for the Working Poor

“Would you like a sneeze with that?”

Unfortunately for many who work in the food industry, sick days are simply not an option.
A recent survey underlines the sick reality (pun intended) for workers in the restaurant industry.
The Restaurant Opportunity Center, a national organization that helps train and advocate for workers, released a recent report that might make you sick to your stomach in more ways than one.

The report, “Serving While Sick,” is based on more than 4,000 worker surveys and hundreds of interview with employers and workers (mostly full-time) from across the country. It is the largest survey of its kind, and its findings call attention to some frightening trends in the industry.

Perhaps least surprising is the fact that almost 90 percent of those responding to the survey did not receive health insurance from their employer. If that fact weren’t bad enough, 90 percent of restaurant workers don't receive paid sick days and nearly two thirds (63 percent) reported that they cooked or served food while sick.

To me this unsettling fact extends beyond the rights of the worker. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how this might affect the health of the consumer. Who wants to eat food prepared by someone who might accidentally sneeze on it?

Disgusted? Oh, but it gets worse. The report found that nearly half of restaurant workers had cut themselves on the job and almost 45 percent had burned themselves. According to the report, immigrants and people of color, who make up the majority of the restaurant workforce, were particularly impacted and, "experience the combination of poor job conditions, high workplace risk factors and low access to employment benefits."

This is certainly a case where the plight of the poor affects us all… especially if you eat in restaurants. Now that’s some food for thought!

For more information about how CANI helps connect people to medical care, see our Web site: www.canihelp.org/CoveringKids.htm.

Healthcare Reform and YOU

Healthcare reform has been a hot topic of conversation in the past year; but what does it all mean to YOU? How will it affect our community? Tune in to a special program Sept. 22nd at 7:30 p.m., on PBS, Channel 39 and find out for yourself!

This half hour call-in program, called “A Closer Look a Healthcare Reform,” will feature expert panelists:
• Mary Haupert, Executive Director, Neighborhood Health Clinic
• David Roos, Executive Director, Covering Kids and Families of Indiana
• Jim Porter, Senior VP Revenue Cycle Management, Parkview Health
• Paige Wilkins, Covering Kids and Families Supervisor, CANI

Tune in, call in, and learn what you need to know about healthcare reform.

School Supplies: Breaking the Bank?

It’s back-to-school time, and that has me thinking a lot about an issue that has generated quite some buzz. The rising cost of school supplies is a drain on all socioeconomic classes, but low-income families especially feel the pinch.

In addition to buying new clothes, backpacks, lunch bags, etc. parents are expected to shell out more money for “communal” school supplies for classrooms.
So what are these parents supposed to do? Choose between buying food and school supplies? Purchase some of the supplies and hope it works out?
The stark reality is that back to school time costs the average family about $424, according to the National Retail Federation. That includes $225 for clothing, $103 for shoes and $96 for school supplies.

Luckily there are programs out there for needy families, such as the Salvation Army Fort Wayne’s Tools for Schools. The Salvation Army Tools for School program is designed to provide basic school supplies for children whose parents cannot afford the items necessary for their child(ren) to succeed in school. The program compensates for some basic expenses by supplying children with book bags, notebooks, pens and pencils, etc.

The Tools for School program operates on the generosity of people in the community who donate needed supplies during the summer months. More than 1,700 children were assisted during the 2010 Tools for School campaign here in Fort Wayne.

Those who want to be further engaged can Adopt a Classroom. Through this project donors provide additional funds to purchase hands on learning materials.

Bottom line: All children deserve a quality education and school supplies are part of that equation. If you can help … do it!

Child Care: More Expensive than College?

Parents need affordable and reliable child care so they can go to work or school. Child care is among the top expenses for working families, and there is no sign of relief in the near future.

Since 2000, the cost of child care has increased twice as fast as the median income of families with children. Families in Indiana are not immune from this trend. According to a study from the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), “Parents and the High Cost of Child Care,” Indiana is among the ten least-affordable states for full-time infant care in a center. The other nine states include Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, California, Oregon, Illinois, Washington and Wisconsin.

To put this in perspective, in 40 states the average annual cost for center-based care for an infant was higher than a year’s tuition and related fees at a four-year public college, according to the report. Something is very wrong here.

So why are childcare costs on the rise? The study says that it actually has to do with the recession. Because many parents have been forced to work part-time, get second jobs, or work odd hours, their child care needs have been changing. Part-time childcare and care during odd hours is more expensive.

So what can we do to remedy the situation? NACCRRA makes the following recommendations:

• Increase investments in child care fee assistance and in quality improvement efforts.
• Provide resources for expanding child care capacity to meet the child care needs for working families.
• Reduce barriers that prevent families from easily accessing child care fee assistance.
• Meet the child care needs of working families by ensuring that publicly funded pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs make full-day, year-round child care services available.
• Design a system of child care that helps families at all income levels have access to affordable, high-quality child care.
• Improve state and federal tax credits and deductions to help all families pay for child care.
• Require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the National Academy of Sciences, to determine the cost of quality child care and report back to Congress.

These are a few ideas. What ideas do you have?

CANI is the intake agent for the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) in Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties. The CCDF helps families afford quality child care. Parents must be working, going to school, or receiving job training to qualify.

However, funding is limited for CCDF and there is almost always a waiting list. Can you help? Would you like to sponsor a family who needs help paying for child care? Email me, laurencaggiano@canihelp.org for more information on how you can help.

For more information about CANI’s Child Care Assistance program, visit. www.canihelp.org.ChildCare.htm.

Homelessness: A Gray Area

If you have a roof over your head, you can’t be homeless, right? That’s not always the case. Homelessness is a complicated issue and, not always easy to define by government standards.

According to the Center for American Progress, shared housing situations among the poor in America are commonplace. Specifically, this refers to a scenario like a mother raising her children in her parents’ home. Others might stay with other relatives (grandparents, cousins, aunts, or uncles, friends, or acquaintances.)

These shared housing situations are often referred to as being “doubled-up,” and in some circumstances they’re considered a form of homelessness due to their high levels of instability. “Doubling up” is defined by the Center as an individual or family living in a housing unit with extended family, friends, and other non-relatives due to economic hardship, earning no more than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.

The doubled-up population also has also been growing steadily, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. In 2008 there was an 8.5-percent increase in the number of people in families who were sharing the housing of others due to economic hardship compared to 2005.

Sadly these living situations are often not a matter of choice, but rather one of necessity.
These “doubled up” families represent a stark reality in the housing market. 51 percent of low-income renters and 43 percent of low-income homeowners in 2007 spent more than half their income on housing.

And the recession hasn’t helped their cause. Elevated rates of unemployment, long-term unemployment, and underemployment are greatly harming these families as many find themselves unable to keep up with mortgage and rent payments.

The worst part about this situation is that only some of these families and individuals are counted as homeless, but maybe they all should be?

According to the 2010 Point in Time Homeless Count of Hoosiers, an annual census designed to count the number of homeless in a region, there were approximately 585 people experiencing homelessness in northeast Indiana.

Per the count, “homeless” is defined as anyone staying in a shelter, living on the streets or in a place unfit for human habitation. “Doubled up” and temporarily housed folks do not count as “homeless” unless they are staying in a motel as an alternative to a shelter that is paid for with public funds.

Here is the breakdown of the results of the census:

• 418 households
• 337 single adults
• 55% male/ 45% female
• 81 families
• 155 Children in families
To me, these figures are misleading because, according to the state, they don’t account for “doubled up” families. Think of the families who are not being accounted for, many whom are teetering on the edge of homelessness.

To read more about this trend, check out the Center for American Progress article.

A Leap of Faith

I live downtown and encounter people asking for money on a regular basis. (These people may or may not be homeless or in need.) So when a man approached in my apartment parking with a “sob story,” I was quick to write him off as just another fraud.

I’m glad I didn’t. Sometimes a man in need is truly a man in need.

The man, named Tracy, was in need of gas money to drive down to Indianapolis to be with his daughter who was in critical condition at Riley Hospital for Children. He told me he had tried to get help from some churches downtown, but they were closed since it was in the evening. His last resort was to ask someone for money. That someone happened to be myself.

Despite hearing his sad story, I was reluctant at first. After all, I was going on vacation and strapped for cash myself. Yet something inside told me to help him. I caved and gave him all I had in my wallet. (a measly $7) Despite my donation, he told me he still didn’t have enough money to fill his gas tank. I hesitated and then took a leap of faith. I told him to wait there while I went upstairs to my apartment to get more money.

I returned and he was waiting patiently. I handed him the cash. He expressed gratitude for my generosity and told me how I was a blessing. He reassured me he would settle up with me when he was paid in a few days. I was going out of town, so I told him there was no hurry. Still, he was insistent on repaying his debt and asked for my phone number so he could get in touch.

While on vacation I pondered the incident and wondered if the man was genuine. I had told myself that, if nothing else, I had done a good deed. I didn’t expect to see the money again.

To my surprise, I had a voicemail from Tracy waiting for me when I returned. He said he wanted to meet up to repay the money. I returned his call and told him his honesty was refreshing, but not to worry about repaying me. I asked that he donate the money to a charity.

Moral of the story? Sometimes you have to go out on a limb to help people. Sure, there might be people out there trying to cheat the system, but for every one of those, there are probably four who are truly in need.

Schools Face the Facts of Poverty

A good indicator of poverty is the percentage of students who come from families who are at or below the Poverty Line.
Children who attend these schools face so many disadvantages over their more affluent peers. If you thought things were bad before the financial crisis, they just got a lot worse.

According to the newest report from the U.S. Department of Education, 16,122 schools in the U.S. are considered to be "high poverty" schools. ”High Poverty Schools” are defined in part as children who are coming to school hungry each day.

In public schools, if more than three-quarters of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, they are labeled as such. Between the 1999-2000 and 2007-2008 school years, the percentage of high poverty schools rose from 12 to 17 percent. The alarming part is these figures don’t take the recession into account. Think about the stark reality of these statistics.

The report also indicates that the overall poverty level of children rose, leading researchers to believe that more children are signing up for free meal programs.

Let’s face it−children who attend high poverty schools face incredible difficulties beyond the mere fact they are poor. Put simply, they are not treated the same as their middle or upper class peers.
How so? For one, they are far less likely to be taught by teachers with advanced degrees. Most well-educated teachers flock to affluent districts where they don’t have to worry about the issues surrounding poverty.

Also, studies indicate that low-income students are less likely to graduate from high school. For example, an average of 68 percent of 12th grade students in high poverty schools graduated in 2007-2008, compared with a shocking 91 percent at low poverty schools. Even worse, high poverty school graduates enrolled in a four-year college or university 28 percent of the time, whereas 52 percent of graduates from low poverty schools did the same.

Like it or not, something has to be done. Children are our future. Programs like Head Start help preschool aged children and their families, but what happens when they graduate from the program? Who is advocating for them when they enter the school system?

We all need to advocate for quality education for all students. No child should be educated differently based on his or her income level. After all, obtaining an education is part of breaking the cycle of poverty. It may not be the ultimate solution, but it is a good place to start.

The Ugly Truth about Poverty and Obesity

Obesity is a problem that is plaguing our country, but did you know that the poor are the most vulnerable to this health risk?

You might think poor people would be thin, given that they are scraping by on what little sustenance they can afford.

The truth it’s not how much (or little) they are eating, but what they are eating. Some critics point to the mass availability of highly processed packaged foods and cheap meat made possible by government subsidy programs.

When hunger strikes and money is tight, many families tend to purchase the foods that offer the greatest caloric content for the price. More “bang for your buck,” so to speak. Unfortunately, these products usually aren't fruits and vegetables.

The fact that there is a correlation between poverty and obesity is not new news. It has been documented in numerous studies, and can be observed first-hand in many low-income communities across the country. So, the question is really this: how do we fix it?

Here are a few actions commonly proposed by policymakers:

• Stop the grain crop subsidy program that makes unhealthy processed food and cheap meat the most widely-available products in low-income communities.
• Call for an investment in school nutrition program to educate children about the importance of healthy eating.
• Begin to restrict the food WIC, SNAP and other recipients of federal food aid are allowed to purchase with their government benefits.

What do you think? Of course these suggestions would not totally eliminate the poverty/obesity link, but they could help to make healthy food more widely available, and consumed, in low-income communities.

A Fair Chance?

We all know poverty is hard enough on adults, but what about the kids?

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics April 12 indicates that the causes and conditions of poverty can slow a child’s development. Older research did not take factors like limited access to food and inconsistent home heating into account when studying the effects of poverty on children.

The study involved more than 7,000 children aged 4 months to 3 years who were brought to urban primary-care clinics or hospital emergency departments for care. Overall, these children were less likely to have normal growth, health and development -- or "wellness" -- if their scores were higher on an index that evaluated hardships. The discrepancy remained even after the researchers took into account factors that might throw off their findings.

It seems to me children in poverty do not get an equal shot at life. They don’t just end up behind; they start out behind. This data only underscores the fact that low-income children are fighting an upward battle when compared to their more affluent peers.
Still, we must tell ourselves the remedies are accessible. We can make sure that every kid in our communities has access to warm, stable housing, education, nutritious food and a safe environment. That’s where programs like Head Start come in, to level the playing field. No child should be left behind in this great land of opportunity.

Do your grandparents live in poverty?

What does retirement look like to you? Are you relaxing on a beach in Florida? Maybe playing golf everyday?

Unfortunately for many older Americans this leisurely lifestyle is far from reality. Due to the recession and other factors, many retirees live day-to-day on limited means. This generation worked hard for their retirement, but now are faced with a harsh reality of living in poverty.

Despite the Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security programs, millions of senior citizens are forced to live "on the edge." They have little money to provide for food, utilities, medical care or other basic needs.

However, according to the Federal Poverty Guidelines, these people are not considered to be “poor.” They are not able to qualify for federal government assistance because "they make too much money."

Why is this the case? The federal government is still using a formula from the 1960s that does not include housing costs and ever-rising medical expenses. Premiums for Medicare insurance alone have increased considerably in the last few years.

This reality might hit close to home if you have grandparents on fixed incomes. So what can you do to help the situation? You can start by lobbying your representatives to urge changes in income guidelines for assistance programs. And of course, you can support organizations like CANI that helps people at a variety of income levels (from the poorest of the poor on up to those who are very near, but not quite at, economic self-sufficiency). I know I don’t want my grandma to have to scrape by to live. Do you?

Stand Up For Yourself and Be Counted!

If you haven’t done so already, it’s the perfect time to complete your Census form.

It’s just a questionnaire, what’s the big deal, you ask?

Well it is a big deal, in fact a HUGE deal.

The United States Census 2010 is important to CANI (and all Community Action Agencies) for a variety of reasons. First, it is this official count that is used as the key variable in a wide array of funding decisions for federal tax revenue. In fact, they tell me that $400 BILLION dollars worth of funding decisions are at least in part determined with Census data.

But there's more. In our efforts to engage the community and address the issues of poverty and economic stability, we need to be able to paint an accurate picture of our community. Where's the growth? What are the trends? What does our community look like? The Census helps to frame the picture and then CANI and other organizations add context.

Lastly, the Census puts people to work who might not otherwise be employed. In other words, they're hiring a LOT of people. Most of these will be temporary jobs but they pay pretty well, are very flexible, and might help create a cleaner, more impressive work history for someone to take with them to their next interview.

So what are you waiting for? Complete the application now!

Living in Poverty: Easier Said Than Done

Could your family survive on budget of about $1,800 a month?
Just the other day our executive director, Joe, and I were discussing how the families we serve are truly fighting an uphill battle. They work hard but can’t seem to make enough to get ahead.
According to the government (Department of Health and Human Services), a family of four making $22,050 would be classified as living in poverty in 2009.
This figure seems unreasonably low to me. In fact, the Institute for Working Families, a program of the Indiana Community Action Association (INCAA) has challenged this figure. According to the Institute, a family of four (two adults with one preschool aged and one school aged child) required a minimum of about $42,000 to sustain themselves in the Fort Wayne area in 2009.
That translates to monthly figures of: $667 for housing, $680 for food, $603 for childcare, $440 for transportation, $417 for healthcare, $409 for taxes and $281 for miscellaneous expenses.
When I look at my bare-bones budget, it comes to about $26,000 annually. And that’s just for myself. Think about the added expenses of three other people in a household!
Consider this as food for thought next time you think money’s tight!

Do YOU have a story?

It’s no secret that we have been facing a weak economy. Some recent data provides the real numbers that reflect what we have been seeing at CANI.

According to an article from the Associated Press, Indiana’s 211 network, which connects callers with health and human services agencies that can help provide food, utility and housing assistance, saw an 18 percent increase in calls. That translates to thousands of Hoosiers calling for help with utility and food bills.
The state's call centers fielded a record 445,000 calls in 2009, up from about 374,000 in 2008, said John Krom, executive director of the Indiana 211 Partnership based in Indianapolis, the article stated.
Many of those seeking help last year were first-time callers. These may be people who normally get by, but hard times have caused them to seek assistance. Health care, utility assistance and food topped the list of requests in 2009, according to the center's year-end report.
The Northeast Indiana 211 center, which serves 10 counties in the Fort Wayne area, reported an 11 percent increase in calls, with utilities, rent and food assistance among top requests.
Many of the people calling 211 are referred to CANI for help and we are able to help thousands of people each year. Despite this impact, there is always more that we could do and more families we could reach if we had greater resources. (Donations are gratefully accepted )
We are listening to the needs of the community and responding by developing ways to address these needs. CANI is the only agency of its kind in our region and we have the ability to reach the most people with the greatest needs.
Chances are you or someone you know has fallen on hard times as a result of the recession. Do you have a story? What are your challenges? How have you survived in these hard economic times?

The Cost of Bad Lending in Indiana

Predatory lending is an unethical practice that plagues many low-income people. Sadly, mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures are becoming more commonplace and the working poor are often the ones who are left in the cold.

The Center of Responsible Lending provided a snapshot of the foreclosure situation in Indiana. For example, in the third quarter of 2009 alone, there were 133,924 mortgages past due. And the situation is not getting any better. The Center projects 170,829 foreclosures between 2009 and 2012. And between 2006 and 2009, the foreclosure rate rose by an astronomical amount of 57 percent!

You can do your part to lobby for responsible lending legislation. More regulations on banks and other lenders could mean fewer people falling into the mortgage crisis mess.

We urgently need financial reforms that will make consumer loans safer for American families and the lending markets more fair and efficient for honest businesses. Find out more about the benefits of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency at www.responsiblelending.org/cfpa.

The EITC Explained

Taxes are on people’s minds this time of year. And appropriately, Friday Jan. 29 is EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) Awareness Day.

So what is the EITC and how does it benefit low-income families?

The EITC is basically “free” money for low-income folks who are working. Created in 1975, the EITC helps offset Social Security taxes and provides an incentive for work. It is the federal government’s largest benefits program for working families.

The credit can be significant: the new maximum credit for tax year 2009 is $5,657 for a family with three or more children; $5,028 for a family with two children; $3,043 for a family with one child and $457 if there are no children.

Think how much good $5,000 can do for a family in need!

As much as $6 million in tax credits go unclaimed in Allen County each year, so volunteers are working hard to help people who are eligible claim this money. Nationally, it’s estimated that 20 to 25 percent more people may qualify for EITC, but may not be aware of it.

There are more than 12,000 free tax preparation sites nationwide and CANI is proud to be a site again this year. Volunteers from the Volunteer Center @RSVP will be available at CANI from Jan. 30 to April 13, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m.

If you know of someone who you think might be eligible, please encourage them to ask about this tax credit. More information is available at www.irs.gov.

CANI Hits the Airwaves..

CANI’s Director of Community Services Pam Brookshire is now a bit of a local celebrity! Pam made an appearance Jan. 19 on WBOI’s “Midday Matters” to discuss the economics of Weatherization.

Pam was available to answers questions from callers about the program. A highlight: a client called to thank us for weatherizing her home. Check out the podcast here.

This begs the question: what exactly is Weatherization?

Making homes safer and more energy efficient are the main goals of the Weatherization program. Families with limited-incomes in Allen, DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties may qualify for home improvements including insulation and caulking. CANI also fixes heating systems, such as repairing poorly installed equipment or leaking heating ducts, and can repair or replace some furnaces.

Weatherization is among the many ways we help our clients save money. To learn more about CANI’s programs, visit www.canihelp.org.

CANI Seeking Students for Career Shadow Day

Think back to the days of your youth. Was there someone who inspired you to pursue your current career? You might not have realized it at the time, but positive role models and mentors can make a big difference in a child’s life.
Now we’re asking you to pay it forward. CANI is seeking low-income middle-school students (2010-11 school year) for participation in a career shadow day, as part of the agency’s newly established youth program. The purpose of the career shadow day is to expose local middle school students to various career opportunities.
CANI will act as a liaison between the mentor and the student. The coordinator will meet with students prior to the start of the program, which begins in late June, to help determine a suitable career to shadow.
This is a great opportunity to empower a child and expose him or her to the work place. Participants must be at 200 percent of poverty or below. Additionally, participants will have first priority for CANI’s IDA (Individual Development Account) program, which can help fund college expenses.
Referrals will be accepted through March 9. For more information, or to refer a student, please call Megan Kinney at (260) 423-3546 ext. 287, or e-mail megankinney@canihelp.org.

CANI Calls for Nominations for Award

Upon his death in September, CANI founder William G. William left a legacy in the community rivaled by few others. A true champion of the poor, he helped to establish many of the agency’s programs, several of which are still in existence today in some form.

The award was first created to honor the efforts of the now late William G. Williams, the first executive director of the Allen County Economic Opportunity Council, the former name of CANI.

In addition to Mr. Williams, past winners include current CANI Executive Director Joe Conrad and posthumously John Beeson of New Castle. Beeson was an employee of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and a champion of the poor.


We’re asking for your help! Maybe you know someone who has made significant efforts in the fight against poverty.

Here’s what we’re looking for specifically:

Nominees for the William G. Williams Award should demonstrate a commitment to helping communities, families, and individuals remove the causes and conditions of poverty. An award winner will be chosen based on the significance of his or her contributions in one or more of the following areas:

1. Helping low-income people become more self-sufficient.
2. Improving the conditions in which low-income people live.
3. Helping low-income people own a stake in their community.
4. Creating partnerships among supporters and providers of service to low-income people.
5. Increasing CANI’s capacity to achieve results.
6. Helping low-income people, especially vulnerable populations, achieve their potential by strengthening family and other supportive systems.

If you know of someone who fits the bill, do not hesitate to nominate him or her. E-mail me, laurencaggiano@canihelp.org, for an application.

Nominations are due April 15. The recipient will be honored at CANI’s annual meeting on May 4.