Secretary Hilda Solis Keynotes Working Families Policy Summit

Click here for policy papers released at the Summit.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis was greeted at the California Working Families Policy Summit Luncheon with a standing ovation.  At the conclusion of her speech, which addressed jobs development and family-friendly work practices, the crowd of over 400 California leaders once again rose to their feet in appreciation for her vision and commitment.

A copy of the Secretary’s speech and additional photos from her visit are available….

Summer Meal Program Coalition Launched to Combat Hunger & Obesity — Webinars to be held in Spring 2010

CCRWF is helping to lead the Summer Meal Program Coalition, a new statewide network of leaders and organizations united to combat hunger and obesity by increasing access to subsidized summer meal programs.  Nutrition education will be integrated into all aspects of our work.

Members of the Coalition include:

▪ California Department of Education

▪ California Association of Food Banks

▪ California School Boards Association

▪ California After-School Network

▪ Bay Area Partnership

▪ California Food Policy Advocates

▪ Food Research Action Center (in DC)

▪ Redwood Empire Food Bank

▪….

Register Now!

Click here to go directly to online registration.

Click here to view the Summit Program.

THE CALIFORNIA WORKING FAMILIES

POLICY SUMMIT 2010

featuring Keynote Speaker

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis

and

a taped message from

First Lady Michelle Obama!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Sacramento Convention Center

Hosted by:

California Center for Research on Women and Families

Co-Sponsors:

California Legislative Women’s Caucus

California Commission on the Status of Women

You can register for the Full Summit, the Luncheon Only, or Workshops Only.

Through Friday, February 19, the charge to attend the Full Summit or Luncheon Only is $39.

There is no….

Hearing of the Workforce Protection Subcommittee, Committee on Education and Labor

Attend Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s Congressional hearing on working families:

Friday, November 13th, at 10:30 am

Marin County Civic Center

Board of Supervisors Chambers

3501 Civic Center Drive

San Rafael, California 94903

Testimony will be heard from:

Ann O’Leary

Executive Director, Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security

University of California, Berkeley School of Law

Joan Williams

Director, Center for WorkLife Law

University of California, Hastings College of the Law

Joan Blades

Co-founder, Moveon.org and Momsrising.org

For more information, contact Congesswoman Woolsey’s District Office at

415-507-9554.

….

Now Available Online: Child Care and Early Learning Webinar

Over 200 California leaders joined us for the second Working Families Webinar: California’s Child Care and Early Learning System:  Where we are . . . and where we want to go, held Thursday, October 15, 2009.

Click here to hear and view the Child Care and Early Learning webinar.

The webinar featured Senator Carol Liu, Chair, Senate Human Services Committee; Catherine Atkin, President, Preschool California; Nancy Strohl, Executive Director, Child Care Law Center; and Jennifer Peck, Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth.

Please Cal….

Will the Governor Support or Oppose Gender Discrimination in Health Insurance?

Two bills that address gender discrimination in health coverage - AB 119 (Jones) and AB 98 (De La Torre) - are on their way to the Governor’s desk. You can view the Senate Rules floor analyses for AB 98 and AB 119, which include lists of supporters and opponents.

Below is an opinion piece from Beth McGovern, Legislative Director for the California Commission on the Status of Women, which sponsored AB 98.

From Beth McGovern

Discrimination against women is alive and well….

Safety Net Webinar Now Available Online

Click here to hear and view the Safety Net webinar.

On August 20, CCRWF launched its first Working Families Webinar: How Safe is California’s Safety Net?

The webinar featured Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg; Scott Graves, California Budget Project; Farrah McDaid Ting, California State Association of Counties; and Ana Pagan, Merced County Human Services Agency.

Please Cal WebEX directly at 1-866-229-3239 if you have any trouble connecting to the presentation.

Interested in viewing the PowerPoints from the webinar?

Click on the links below.

An Overview of Recent….

From the Executive Director: The Exhilaration and Distress of Releasing the CWS Primer

A year of research and writing has culminated in the release of our updated Child Welfare Services primer.

While it is typically thrilling (and exhausting) to complete a long project, this conclusion is punctuated not only by exclamation points and asteriks to acknowledge incredible partners, but also by an ellipses. . . . as we all wait for cuts to the programs and services that support our state’s most vulnerable children and families.

I am among the many pragmatists struggling with the….

Supporting SFSP Outreach

CCRWF is working with the  California Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Nutrition Services Division of the California Department of Education to increase outreach to families and children eligible for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).   Together we developed materials to help legislators reach out to low-income families to encourage their participation in the Summer Food Service Program.

Everyone agrees this partnership is a “win-win” scenario:  Children ages 18 years and younger living in eligible low-income neighborhoods have increased access to nutritious meals, while the….

Join the Discussion on the Governor’s Budget Scenarios

Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference on May 14, 2009, to unveil two revised budget proposals for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Here’s the press release for the conference, a new analysis from the California Budget Project, and an initial report by the Western Center on Law & Poverty, all of which provide a summary of proposed cuts.

Here are reactions from the following:

Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles

“The deep cuts included in both of Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposals reflect the impact the….