America Sees Boom in Volunteerism

Are you a volunteer? Do you feel like your actions contribute to the community? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone—you’re in good company! According to PARADE Magazine, we are in the “midst of a volunteer boom.” Recently, the good people at PARADE conducted a survey and found that out of 1008 participants, 94% feel that it is “important to be involved in a community cause.” This is great news for organizations like FamilyWorks that depend on the crucial work of volunteers. Gladys, who runs the teen parent program, knows firsthand the invaluable contributions made by volunteers. “If it wasn’t for volunteers who help me with my teen parent program, I would drive myself mad with all the extra little things!”

This past year there were about 308 volunteers who helped at FamilyWorks, both at the food bank and the resource center. These gracious people contributed over 7,000 hours of work. Most of what we offer here depends on the work of these volunteers. The FamilyWorks After School Program, for example, consists of 27 volunteers who show up on a weekly basis to help out elementary school students. These fine folks have contributed 385.5 hours of volunteer work to date since the start of the school year!

So what do YOU think? Has there been an increase in volunteerism? Do you feel more likely to volunteer or to bring your children to volunteer now compared to your parents?

Nation & World | More families going without enough food | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | More families going without enough food | Seattle Times Newspaper.

Did you see this article in which more families are going without enough food?  This is not news to us.  We have seen the rise in families using our food bank.  But we live in such a generous community that we have been able to meet the need.  We hope that soon the ecomony picks up, people find jobs and are able to meet their finaincial needs.  Until then, we will remain open to help those who need it.

2009 Greenwood CoolMom & FamilyWorks Holiday Toy Swap‘n’Sale

Looking for some cool (inexpensive) toys for your kids? This November, FamilyWorks will collaborate with CoolMom.org in a first annual Swap n’ Shop Toy Sale.

The sale itself will be Saturday, November 14 – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Woodland Park United Methodist Church, 302 North 78th St., Seattle, 98103. Please support us by donating your gently-used toys!

Your toys will go to loving homes while raising money for CoolMom and FamilyWorks. FamilyWorks is a food bank and family resource center that nourishes and strengthens individuals and families by connecting people with support and resources. FamilyWorks offers gently used donated toys, books, infant clothing, and kids clothing to families.

Come to our first annual Swap n’ Shop Toy Sale and show us your support!

Thank you!

An Interesting Option to Avoid Layoffs

Many states, including Washington, have an interesting option to avoid layoffs in the bad economy: work-share. Instead of cutting people’s jobs, several people work fewer hours per week. The lost hours are at least partially subsidized by unemployment aid. The extra time can be spent looking for other employment, or at leisure. This way, the companies keep their trained/skilled labor, and the employees keep their jobs and (as required by the state) their benefits. When the economy picks up again, the employees go back to full-time, and no training or hiring time is required. The problem, of course, is twofold: 1) many states don’t have a program set up and don’t have the resources to set one up in the current bad economy, and even those states that do have to do outreach to sign up individual companies, and; 2) because much of the low-income sector involves unskilled, low-trained workers, this program would not interest the employers of the low-income, and thus the numerical majority of our society is unlikely to benefit from this program. Nevertheless, it is an interesting potential layoff-avoidance strategy. Click on the photo for the full story.

Hunting and Gathering for Sustainability

Local farms, trying to stay afloat in this era of large agribusiness, are getting creative in their selling tactics. One local farm, in an effort to promote sustainability, invited several local top chefs to experience harvesting and butchering first-hand. These chefs butchered a goat, collected pine nuts from pine cones, and got milk for their cooking – all in one place. Sustainability, supporting the local economy, and getting in touch with one’s food – all admirable goals, if you have the stomach for it. Do you?

The Seattle Times: Local News: Tiny farm wants to change the world — one chef at a time.

The Columbus Dispatch : Food aid touted as economic tonic

Are food stamps actually stimulating the economy? Some argue that yes, they are. For every dollar the government invests in the food assistance program, the economy receives $1.73. This makes food stamps seem like an awfully good economic investment. They also ease the burden on overwhelmed food banks, prompting some Ohio food banks to hire outreach workers to ensure that those who are qualified are receiving their benefits. But some economists argue that the immediate benefits are not worth the long-term growth, i.e. the cost of the program, which will likely be paid by future taxpayers. What do you think about the issue?

 

  Click here for the full article.

 

Foreclosure Crisis Hits Poor Renters Hard: Evicted Families Have to Fight to Live Together | AlterNet

First the economy went sour, and now we focus on how it is affecting us all. But this article has data to show that while yes, the poor economy is affecting us all, it is affecting some of us more than others. Click the link below for the AlterNet article.

Foreclosure Crisis Hits Poor Renters Hard: Evicted Families Have to Fight to Live Together | Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace | AlterNet.

Take Your Talent to Work Day

One of our Facebook friends posted this on her Facebook profile, and we came across it. How uplifting and what a great thought in these tough times! Please check it out and be inspired. And don’t forget the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive on Saturday – TWO DAYS AWAY!

WorkStrong » Blog Archive » Take Your Talent to Work Day.

Michelle Obama Highlights Food Security Issues

Michelle Obama serves food at a D.C. soup kitchen to highlight food security issues in the current economy and demonstrate what we all can do to help.

Working professionals head to food bank – CNN.com

Here’s yet another article on the trend of working professionals, people who’ve never had to use food banks previously, who are now using food banks. FamilyWorks, too, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people served at our food bank in the past 6 months.  One silver lining in this cloud is that perhaps when the economy recovers, more people will, having been personal beneficiaries of food banks, be advocates for us all. Another positive note is that people are drawing together as communities to support each other in these tough times. Check out the full CNN article below.

 

 

Working professionals head to food bank – CNN.com.