Sustainable Employment

"An entire street of boarded up, foreclosed houses."

Meghan Keaney — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:30:04 -0600

Carl Stevens of WBZnews radio reports with footage from Meeting House
Hill in Dorchester. It's worth it to see. It is one thing to read about all of the causes and repercussions of
foreclosures, but it's quite another to see the visual effect of how
the crisis is playing out in some neighborhoods, where tripledecker
homes, one after another after another, have been boarded up. Click the headline of this post to see the video, and let me know what you think.

You may also want to read the
editorial in today's Globe which points to a "virus of foreclosures" in the same neighborhood. (Thanks to Chris for pointing the editorial out for me via a comment on an earlier post. Click here, scroll down for his comment). read more »

1,625 people gained basic skills

Meghan Keaney — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:11:57 -0500

Because of United Way investments 1,625 people gained basic skills between July 1 and December 31, 2007.

2,346 people obtained employment

Meghan Keaney — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:14:49 -0500

Because of United Way investments between July 1 and December 31, 2007, 2,346 people obtained employment.

6,072 people gained job skills

Meghan Keaney — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:13:15 -0500

Because of United Way investments 6,072 people gained job skills between July 1 and December 31, 2007.

A New Breed of Need / Mike Durkin interview

Meghan Keaney — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:34:06 -0600

Last night, our new president and CEO, Mike Durkin, was interviewed on NBC nightly news as part of a segment called "A New Breed of Need." In the segment, NBC's Janet Shamilan reported on middle class families who, due to foreclosures or unexpected medical costs, are finding themselves in financial crisis. Brian Williams, who introduced the story summed it up in one phrase: "People who used to be donors are now in need of donation."

What's are your thoughts on this "national trend"? Its causes and long-term repurcussions?

Watch the video here then let me know what you think by posting a comment below. read more »

A New Perspective on Homelessness

Guest Blogger — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:41:18 -0500

The following is a post from SpeakUnited's very first guest blogger. Katie is a 7th grader at Wellesley Middle School. She was introduced to Homelessness issues by her mother who helped to implement a program in London for homeless teens called Business Action on Homelessness. Katie also recently researched homelessness for a school assignment and interviewed United Way housing expert Liz Curtis. Click the headline to see her post. read more »

A Personal Perspective on a Public Crisis

Elizabeth Curtis — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:41:08 -0600

On January 23, 2008 I bought my first home. At the same moment a single mother lost her home to the foreclosure process. Purchasing a home that was in foreclosure was difficult, both personally and professionally, but has given me a new perspective on what is happening across our country. read more »

Achieving the American Dream

Elizabeth Curtis — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:48:03 -0600

On November 13, The Pew Charitable Trusts released three reports from their Economic Mobility Project. The series presents information about various aspects to economic mobility - they look at the issue from generational, racial, and gender-focused lenses. "Economic Mobility of Families Across Generations" by Julia Isaacs finds that generally adults who were in their 30s and 40s in 2000 had more income than their parents' generation. Some of this can be explained by women entering the workforce and a decrease in family size. Also, the report states that 2 out of 3 Americans have higher family incomes than their parents did, and the higher the parents' income, the higher the income of their adult children.

However, the news isn't all good... read more »

Advising Section 8 Tenants whose buildings have been foreclosed

Paola Ferrer — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:05:58 -0600

The foreclosure of rental properties is forcing renters out of their homes in record numbers. In previous blogs, we have spoken briefly about the shift of former homeowners into the rental market, and how this increased demand on the rental housing supply will –inevitably-drive up rents. We have, however, neglected to discuss some tools that can help tenants slow down the onslaught on housing stability caused by these foreclosures... read more »

Are you good?

Donna Stiglmeier — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:55:25 -0500

The Center for Economic And Policy Research recently released a report Working Families and Economic Insecurity in the States: The Role of Job Quality and Work Supports” which found that only about one in four jobs are “good jobs” in a typical state, that is taking into account pay, employer-sponsored health insurance and retirement benefits.

In Massachusetts,
• 28.2% of jobs are “good jobs,” with a roughly equal amount
• 28.5% meets none of the ”good job” criteria
• 28% of people in working families are economically insecure read more »