Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

CALIFORNIA VOICES 4 CHILDREN

Jun 05, 2002

California Voices 4 Children is an online community of people committed
to
the well-being of children and families in California. California
Voices 4
Children is sponsored by Action Alliance for Children at
http://www.4children.org

Please forward this email news bulletin to others who might be
interested!

IN THIS ISSUE:

ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AND LEGISLATION
* 100% Campaign Update on Proposed Health Insurance Cuts in California
* Cal Healthy Schools
* Children's Defense Fund Continuing Campaign for Federal Child Care
Funds
* State of the Air 2002

FROM THE ONLINE DISCUSSIONS
* Ask Questions About Fundraising!
* Reinstating California's Top Income Tax Brackets

FALL CONFERENCE PLANNING -- LOOKING AHEAD
* California's Focus: Family Strengths
* Building Community to Improve Health
* 14th Annual National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children
and Youth Conference
* National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference
* Training -- Center for Collaborative Planning

NEW RESOURCES
* 2002 Kids Count Data Book
* Failing to Make Ends Meet: A Report on the Economic Status of Women
in
California
* Healthy Start, Grow Smart
* Ready Web
* Taking Action: Confronting the Health, Social, and Environmental
Factors
Associated with Asthma in the Latino Community
* Two Roads to Reform: Comparing Research on Vouchers and Class-Size
Reduction

FROM THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER
* Shortchanging child care: The kids feel it
* Grassroots Snapshot -- Kids campaign against gun violence in L.A. /
Instantaneas de la comunidad -- Campana de jovenes contra la violencia
por
armas de fuego en Los Angeles
* In My Opinion - How should California balance its budget

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ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AND LEGISLATION

100% Campaign provides an update on advocacy efforts to ensure that
health
insurance coverage for low-income families is not cut from the state
budget. Summarizes the status of cuts to health insurance proposed in
the
Governor's May Budget Revision -- and how the legislative subcommittees
have rejected many of them. Also has talking points for contacting
legislators and a fact sheet on impact of the proposed cuts on working
families' health. Online at
http://www.100percentcampaign.org/alerts/blast42.htm

Cal Healthy Schools provides information and advocacy tools on efforts
to
reduce pesticide use in schools in California. Includes a new report,
Learning Curve, that finds highly toxic pesticides still common in
California schools despite 2000 legislation and the negative effects of
pesticides on children's health. Also has a pesticide action kit on
how to
campaign for least-toxic pesticide management policies in school
districts,
with downloadable resources in English and Spanish. Online at
http://calpirg.org/healthyschools

Children's Defense Funds continues to offer tools for contacting
federal
lawmakers and media about the need to support new investments in child
care. Includes an online action center, organizing toolkit, checklist
for
advocates, and facts about the importance of child care. Online at
http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org/Indexcc.htm

State of the Air 2002, from the American Lung Association, finds that
the
nation's most ozone-polluted metropolitan areas and counties are in
California. Has information on the negative impact of high ozone
levels on
children's health. Provides an Action Center to contact legislators in
support of clean air. Online at
http://www.lungusa.org/air2001/index.html


Launching an advocacy campaign? Want to let others know about key
legislation affecting children and families? Get the word out through
the
online discussion board at California Voices 4 Children,
http://www.4chi
ldren.org/voices.htm
Check out listings of other advocacy opportunities at
http://www.4children.org/mastcal.htm
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FROM THE ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT FUNDRAISING!
Stephanie_Roth writes:
Kim Klein and I are happy to answer your questions about grassroots
fundraising strategies ... We have approximately 45 years of
fundraising
experience between us and want you to know that it really is possible
to
raise the money you need.

Most of the money given away in the United States (from non-government
sources) comes from individuals (over 75%), and most of the money from
individuals comes from working class, middle class and poor people -
NOT
rich people. So what are you waiting for? ... Look forward to hearing
from
you....

[Ask questions about fundraising or share your fundraising strategies
at
http://shadeaux.vosn.net/~children/ikonboard/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cf
649a9673fffff;act=ST;f=4;t=7]


REINSTATING TOP INCOME TAX BRACKETS
Lupe Alonzo writes:
unfortunately, many of the proposed cuts in the May Revision of the
budget
will disproportionately affect low income children and their families.
it
is time to demand that all Californians share in the responsibility of
balancing the budget. its time for an increase in state income tax to
those
in the upper income tax bracket....

below please find a sign-on letter for reinstating the top income
bracket.
several members from the Children's Roundtable have already signed on
but
we need MORE support!

[Read the sign-on support letter and find out how you can sign on at
http://shadeaux.vosn.net/~children/ikonboard/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cf
ce6e47bf7ffff;act=ST;f=7;t=30]


Join the discussion board at California Voices 4 Children,
http://www.4children.org/voices.htm
Post now and get a FREE subscription to the Children's Advocate!
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FALL CONFERENCE PLANNING -- LOOKING AHEAD

Aug 26-28: California's Focus: Family Strengths. Sacramento. Sponsored
by
the California Department of Social Services. To register, contact RCE
Conference and Training Services, (800) 858-7743

Sep 23-25: Building Community to Improve Health. Sacramento. Sponsored
by
the Sierra Health Foundation. For information, contact i.e.
communications,
(415) 616-3930;

Oct 5-8: 14th Annual National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children and Youth Conference. Los Angeles, CA. California Department
of
Education, (916) 657-5342

Nov 20-23: National Association for the Education of Young Children
Conference. New York, NY. NAEYC, (202) 232-8777; www.naeyc.org


Training -- Center for Collaborative Planning offers workshops around
the
state on community development, leadership, and advocacy. CCP, (916)
498-6960; www.connectccp.org


For more conferences and trainings, check out our expanded, online
Master
Calendar -- updated biweekly! -- at
http://www.4children.org/mastcal.htm
Got a conference or event coming up? Announce it on our online
discussion
board at http://www.4children.org/voices.htm
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NEW RESOURCES

2002 Kids Count Data Book, from the Annie E Casey Foundation, has state
and
national data on child well-being, demographic changes, education,
family
income, child health, and children in low-income working families.
Online
at http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc2002

Failing to Make Ends Meet: A Report on the Economic Status of Women in
California finds that 37% of single women in California and their
children
live in poverty. Recommends increasing accessibility to food stamps,
preserving low-income housing, and passing living wage legislation.
Women's Foundation, 340 Pine St, Ste 302, San Francisco, CA 94104;
(415)
837-1113; online at http://www.twfusa.org/media.html

Healthy Start, Grow Smart has tips for parents on breastfeeding, brain
development, check-ups, and how to soothe crying babies, as well as
resources. Free. US Department of Education, Publications, PO Box
1398,
Jessup, MD 20794; (877) 433-7827; online at
http://www.hhs.gov/topics/newborn.pdf

Ready Web, from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early
Childhood
Education, compiles resources for parents and educators on school
readiness, including tips, research, and statistics. Online at
http://readyweb.crc.uiuc.edu

Taking Action: Confronting the Health, Social, and Environmental
Factors
Associated with Asthma in the Latino Community has policy
recommendations
on health, housing, schools, air quality, and foundation funding.
Includes
a resource directory of coalitions, studies, and programs addressing
asthma
in Latino communities in California. Latino Issues Forum, 785 Market
St,
3rd Fl, San Francisco, CA 94103; (415) 284-7220; online at
http://www.lif.org/health/Asthma_Report.pdf

Two Roads to Reform: Comparing Research on Vouchers and Class-Size
Reduction finds that smaller classes far outpace vouchers in improving
student performance and raising test scores. People for the American
Way
Foundation, 2000 M St, Ste 400, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 467-4999;
online at
http://www.pfaw.org/issues/education/vouchers/TwoRoads052302.pdf


Putting out a new report or resource? Announce it on our online
discussion
board at http://www.4children.org/voices.htm
For more print, web, and video resources, check out our expanded,
online
Master Calendar -- updated biweekly! -- at
http://www.4children.org/mastcal2.htm
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FROM THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE

SHORTCHANGING CHILD CARE: THE KIDS FEEL IT
Shortage of subsidies and low pay for providers mean many kids don't
get
the quality care they need

Lana Phillips used to get anxious phone calls from her seven-year-old
daughter, Lena, at the end of the school day: "Mom, where am I supposed
to
go?"

Since Phillips couldn't afford to pay for consistent after-school care,
her
daughter was bouncing between the Boys and Girls Club-on days they had
room
for her-and other afternoon activities, navigating through different
buses,
different faces, and different rules every day.

[Read the full article at http://www.4children.org/news/502ccare.htm]


GRASSROOTS SNAPSHOT - KIDS CAMPAIGN AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE IN LA /
INSTANTANEAS DE LA COMUNIDAD - CAMPANA DE JOVENES CONTRA LA VIOLENCIA
POR
ARMAS DE FUEGO EN LOS ANGELES

Niko and Theo Milonopoulis, twins in ninth grade at Campbell Hall High
School, were 10 years old when a series of shootings rocked L.A. and
schools across the United States. "We were scared of being shot,"
remembers
Theo. "What if this happened at our school?"

Across town a year ago, Keith Garrett Jr., now a 10th grader at Lock
High
School in L.A., was injured in a drive-by shooting. "People are down
here
killing each other. It doesn't make any sense. I don't want to see
anyone
shot again," says Keith.

[Read the full article at http://www.4children.org/news/502gse.htm,
In Spanish at http://www.4children.org/news/502gss.htm]


IN MY OPINION - HOW SHOULD CALIFORNIA BALANCE ITS BUDGET?

California is facing a $22 billion budget deficit. We asked advocates
for
children's services how they would fill the gap: Raise taxes? Which
taxes?
Cut spending? How?

Governor Davis has declared that he opposes raising taxes; all the
advocates we interviewed said tax increases are necessary. Several
taxes
were popular with everyone- especially bringing back two top income tax
brackets, so people with incomes over $130,000 (individual) or $260,000
(couple) would pay more. Other tax ideas were more controversial.

[Read the full article - on ways the state can raise revenue and cut
expenses without cutting services for children and families -- at
http:/
/www.4children.org/news/502imo.htm]


Discuss these and other articles on the online discussion board at
http://www.4children.org/voices.htm
Read more articles from the Children's Advocate at
http://www.4children.org/current.htm
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California Voices 4 Children is an online community to connect and
inform
people committed to the well-being of children and families in
California.
California Voices 4 Children is sponsored by Action Alliance for
Children
and includes an online discussion board, email news bulletins, and
expanded
Master Calendar conference and resource listings online. For more
information, check out http://www.4children.org/voices.htm. A listing
in
this email news bulletin does not constitute an endorsement by AAC.

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California Voices 4 Children

Sponsored by
Action Alliance for Children, publisher of the Children's Advocate
1201 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94612
ph: (510) 444-7136; fx: (510) 444-7138; http://www.4children.org
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out California Voices 4 Children -- an online community
to connect and inform people committed to the well-being of
children and families -- at AAC's website, www.4children.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessine Foss, Online Community Manager
Action Alliance for Children, publisher of the Children's Advocate
1201 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94612
ph: (510) 444-7136; fx: (510) 444-7138
email: aacjessine@4children.org; web: www.4children.org