Pam Fessler

Can Federal Funds Help Social Service Groups Work Smarter?

Pam Fessler — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:51:00 +0000

When President Obama first took office in 2009, he had an idea called the Social Innovation Fund.

"We're going to use this fund to find the most promising nonprofits in America," he said when announcing the plan. "We'll examine their data and rigorously evaluate their outcomes.

Overshadowed By Moore, Carney, Okla. Recovers From Twister

Pam Fessler — Mon, 27 May 2013 08:47:00 +0000

Moore, Okla., has gotten the lion's share of resources and attention following last week's tornado. A tornado hit Carney, Okla., last week too. No one died in Carney, but three dozen homes were damaged or destroyed — a big blow to a tiny town.

'Please, No More Clothes': Okla. Asks For Monetary Donations

Pam Fessler — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:55:00 +0000

The tornado that devastated much of Moore, Okla., has drawn loads of donations from across the country: food, clothing, medical supplies, toys. Much of it is needed by the victims, but not everything.

After every disaster, relief groups usually ask for one thing: money. But writing a check or texting a donation isn't always that satisfying for those who want so desperately to help.

House, Senate Consider Cuts In Food Stamp Program

Pam Fessler — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene. Good morning. Food stamps are used by one in seven Americans. The average recipient receives about $133 a month. Now if that sounds hard to live on, the House and Senate are considering steep cuts in food stamp program - or SNAP benefits, as they're known - as part of a major farm bill. Depending on one's perspective, the cuts would either reform the program by closing loopholes, or cause severe hardship for hungry children and senior citizens.

Advocates Struggle To Reach Growing Ranks Of Suburban Poor

Pam Fessler — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:07:00 +0000
Poverty has grown everywhere in the U.S. in recent years, but mostly in the suburbs.

Sequester Puts Some Needing Housing Aid 'Back To Square One'

Pam Fessler — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:56:00 +0000
Congress decided last week to ease the effects of the across-the-board federal spending cuts on travelers upset over airport delays. But low-income Americans who rely on government housing aid are still feeling the pain.
Housing authorities across the country have all but stopped issuing rent vouchers as they try to deal with the cuts known as sequestration.

Changes Help San Diego Homeless, But Long Road Remains Ahead

Pam Fessler — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:46:00 +0000
Two years ago, we reported on an ambitious campaign to end homelessness in downtown San Diego, a city with one of the largest homeless populations in the nation. The effort involved an unprecedented coalition of business leaders, community groups and government agencies.
At the time, some advocates for the homeless — after years of seeing other, failed efforts to get people off city streets — were skeptical that the campaign would amount to much.

Obama Forms Presidential Commission To Study Voting Problems

Pam Fessler — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:54:00 +0000
President Obama has established a new bipartisan commission on election administration, something he promised to do in his Feb. 12 State of the Union address. He signed an executive order Thursday making it official.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration is being headed by two longtime Washington attorneys, Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg. Bauer was general counsel to the president's re-election campaign and is also Obama's former White House counsel.

Free Tax Help Protects Low-Income Filers From Pricey Loans

Pam Fessler — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:15:00 +0000
As this year's tax deadline approaches, hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans are relying on free services to help them with their returns.
Tax preparation fees — even a few hundred dollars — can be a burden for those living on the margins. And taxpayers desperate for cash can fall prey to high-cost loan offers that eat into their refunds
At the free tax-preparation site at the main library in Washington, D.C., about 30 taxpayers wait for help from volunteers.
Millicent Gamble is hoping for a big refund this year.

Health Problems Compound For Aging Homeless

Pam Fessler — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:47:00 +0000
Tony Lithgow and Andrea Mayer have been living under a highway overpass in downtown Baltimore since last year. He's 49 and has been homeless on and off for eight years. She's 51 and has been homeless for 10 years.
Living on the streets has clearly taken a toll on the couple, both physically and mentally. While they're standing at a corner waiting for a free city bus to take them to a soup kitchen, Tony shouts at a passenger staring at them from a car stopped at the light.
"We're homeless!" he calls out to the man.
Andrea tries to get him to stop, but Tony is on a roll.