Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Asset Building

The Best Value in the Subprime Market: State Predatory Lending Reforms

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 07:53:59 -0600

Predatory mortgage lending in the sub-prime market (for those with bad or no credit, who cannot qualify for prime interest rate loans) is a serious problem for low- and moderate-income families. Twenty-eight states have passed comprehensive reforms or enacted regulations to curb specific predatory practices. This report from the Center for Responsible Lending study finds that state reforms not only cut down on abusive practices, but also increase access to loans for people who need it most.

Capital Income More Concentrated at the Top

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 07:20:55 -0600

In late February 2006, CBPP uncovered overlooked data from the Congressional Budget Office that show that the richest 1 percent in the United States received about 58 percent of all capital income in 2003, compared to 38 percent in 1979. This report looks at who received income from interest, dividends, rents, and capital gains from 1979 to 2003.

Ways to Work site

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 13:37:23 -0600

Ways to Work provides small, low-interest loans to working poor families (sponsored by the Alliance for Children and Families). Find out more about how they�re serving low-income families.

Reports Address Financial Literacy for Low-income Families

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 09:58:21 -0600

The Finance Project�s Providing and Funding Financial Literacy Programs for Low-Income Adults and Youth examines federal programs that provide resources to develop financial education programs for families, including the Social Services Block Grant and TANF. Banking the Unbanked: Helping Low-Income Families Build Financial Assets, focuses on developing strategies to help former TANF recipients develop assets as they move into the workforce and toward self-sufficiency.

Healthy Communitites, Healthy Youth

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:24:29 -0600

Start: Nov 3 2005 - 7:00am

End: Nov 5 2005 - 1:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT+4

From November 3-5, 2005 the Search Institute presents the 2005 Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth Conference. "The Asset-Building Get-Together: Creating Intergenerational Community" is the theme for this year's conference which will be held in Dallas, Texas. If you're interested in learning how to promote positive youth development through asset building, this conference is for you!

CFED Policy Briefing

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 15:27:18 -0500

CFK reports from: Hall of States Building
Event: "2005 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard: Can Families Still Achieve the American Dream?"
Organized by: Corporation for Enterprise Development
Where/When: Washington, D.C., July 29, 2005

Experts at a Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) policy briefing said they believe CFED's 2005 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard will generate discussion and collaboration on asset development for working families.

How to Raise a Family and a Career Under One Roof

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 08:41:01 -0500

Reviewed by Nancy Irene Boehm

I really liked author Lisa Robert's style of writing. I was able to read the book quickly and comprehend the contents easily. Her writing is light and enjoyable. It kept my interest through the entire book. The stories were great. The one where she is in labor and trying to finish a thesis had me giggling all day.

The format of the book was excellent, also. As a computer programmer I work with many task lists. The tasks were laid out in detail with time estimates on how long to accomplish the tasks. It would be easy for someone to start a business by just following the task laid out in How to Raise a Family and a Career Under One Roof.

Connecticut Assets Network

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 14:27:04 -0600

The mission of this organization is to help communities build their capacity for mutually beneficial problem solving by helping them to discover and share the strengths and assets of all their members.

A Look at the $335 Billion Federal Asset-Building Budget

Mon, 06 Dec 2004 07:41:12 -0600

The idea that the federal government could play a role in helping low-income families accumulate assets to educate their children, buy a home, or plan for their future may be new, but the federal role in helping other households accumulate assets is well established -- primarily through tax breaks for home ownership, retirement savings and other investments.

According to this Corporation for Enterprise Development study, federal subsidies for asset development total $335 billion a year (nine times the annual highway/transit budget) -- but heavily favor already-wealthy families. In fact, over a third of the asset-building benefits go to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans (those who typically earn over $1 million per year).

A Piece of the Pie

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:48:09 -0500

Financial education is important for kids. But for those whose families have no significant assets, the lessons might seem pie-in-the-sky. A five-year pilot project utilizing the concept of "stakeholder accounts" aims to make asset-building real for some of these children and their families.

Beyond the Piggy Bank

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:54:59 -0500

In our consumer culture, kids learn early about wanting and spending, but may not know much about the other side of the equation-working, earning and saving. In Denver, a program that gives 5th graders a taste of the world of work and paychecks has become a highlight of the school year for hundreds of children. Robert Ebisch reports on a day in the life of Young AmeriTowne.

Nickels, Dimes and Big Bucks

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:57:48 -0500

Every time you use your low-rate credit card to pay for a carload of groceries from Price Club, you're benefiting from an efficient market economy and a sophisticated financial infrastructure - benefits that are out of reach for hundreds of thousands of low- and moderate-income American families. In the first of two articles, Caitlin Johnson looks at the high cost of living outside the financial mainstream.

A Comprehensive Guide to Creating a Car Ownership Program

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 17:18:16 -0600

Many Americans take car ownership for granted -- but low-income families who cannot afford a car often find public transportation inadequate. A car can often make a big difference, helping workers keep their jobs and provide low-cost family outings. This handbook lays out the challenges and strategies for community-based programs seeking to help low-wage families get and keep a working car.

Accessing Affordable and Appropriate Credit

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 17:20:12 -0600

Low- and middle-income Americans have more access to credit than they did in the 1970s, but it often comes at a very high cost, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This foundation report shows that when low-income families rely on so-called "fringe financial services", they lose out on the chance to use credit to build assets, and to establish good credit histories. In addition, community reinvestment efforts that reward investors but not residents often lead to gentrification and destabilization. The foundation recommends policies that help low-income families use home ownership to bu

Educating Children without Housing: A Primer

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 20:37:31 -0600

The manual provides innovative strategies for educators and school administrators, state coordinators and policymakers, and advocates and attorneys to play a role in ensuring the education rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Cost: $15.