State Leaders Discuss Social Mobility Issues in Chicago
from Move Up | www.movingupusa.org
This June, over 300 state and local elected officials from 45 states gathered in Chicago for the DLC’s annual National Conversation. The most dynamic portion of the weekend-long event centered on the breakout sessions, which allowed elected officials to discuss and share ideas about the most pressing issues facing our country and party.

Throughout the month of August, the DLC will be releasing audio from the breakouts. I will post the sessions that are relevant to social mobility and poverty reduction. Today, I link to two breakouts, one about social mobility and one about public school choice. Below you will find descriptions of the sessions including speakers and links to the audio.

Social Mobility: Lifting all Americans out of Poverty and Hunger

This session featured Joel Berg, former USDA Coordinator of Community Food Security and author of the upcoming book All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America?; José Cerda, vice president of communication and public policy at the Illinois Facilities Fund; Ralph Gildehaus, director of the Ohio Benefit Bank in Gov. Ted Strickland’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives; and Katie Campbell, policy analyst at the Progressive Policy Institute. The discussion focused on how state and local leaders can connect low-income Americans to all of the public benefits for which they qualify, and how a new poverty discussion coupled with smart policies can create a system of social mobility for all Americans.

Click here to listen and here to download.

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Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports that the IRS is reminding Arkansas residents to file for their Economic Stimulus Payments. According to the IRS, more than 5. 6 million Americans are eligible for $ 1. 7 billion. Read the full story here.

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Arkansas Families Struggling In Slow Economy, but The Benefit Bank is on a mission to bring hope, connecting communities to resources, and making a difference in the lives of Arkansans.Read full story www.todaysthv.com

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Deadline Extension for Property Tax/rent Rebate Program
Seniors and disabled residents applying for Pennsylvania's Tax/Rent Rebate Program now have until the end of the year to take action thanks to a deadline extension by Governor Ed Rendell.

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

Read More Here

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Leave No Money Behind This was Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's announcement at a May 13th press conference where he presented a coalition of agencies, including The Benefit Bank, that stand ready to help people file for their Economic Stimulus Payment. Standing by the mayor to present their servcies to the press:
Mayor's Commission on Aging, Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities, IRS, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, Polish American Social Services, CARIE, Senior Law Center, The Benefits Bank, New Courtland elder Servcies, Campaign for Working Families

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As Arkansas rises to stem the tide of loses in benefits
Fox News covers the momentum

Recognizing that millions of dollars in benefits go unclaimed every year, a partnership between the State of Arkansas and Arkansas Interfaith Conference, has launched the Benefit Bank of Arkansas.
Read the whole story by Jennifer Akers of Fox News here.

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The Ohio Benefit Bank has connected millions of dollars in assistance to people in need

Public service announcements featuring Ohio's Governor, Ted Strickland, in support of the Ohio Benefit Bank as a convenient, community-based program that helps people gain access to government programs targeted to benefit them.
Watch the public service announcement here