Update: September 13, 2011
Oregon Poverty Rate Underscores Need for Action
Today's U.S. Census data release, showing a significant increase in the share of Oregonians living in poverty, underscores the need for a robust jobs program and greater investment in the public structures that protect the vulnerable and create economic opportunity.
The picture painted by the Census data was not pretty. Poverty in Oregon rose from 11.7 percent in 2007-08 to 13.8 percent in 2009-10. Nationally, poverty increased 1.9 percentage points to 14.7 percent over the same time periods.
In Case You Missed It: OCPP Op-ed on Oregon Health Exchange
Today's Oregonian published an op-ed by OCPP policy analyst Janet Bauer that explains why it's vital for the newly created Oregon health exchange to bargain for the best possible prices on health insurance plans. It begins:
Now that Gov. John Kitzhaber has nominated a governing board for the newly established Oregon Health Insurance Exchange, we have a sense of the political interests that will influence this key component of the state's plan for achieving universal health coverage. But a crucial issue remains uncertain: Will the exchange, when it begins operations in 2014, negotiate for the lowest prices on health insurance plans on behalf of Oregonians?
The answer to that question could determine the exchange's very survival. For unless it can compete with plans sold outside the exchange in terms of price, the exchange risks collapsing.
Read the rest of Health insurance marketplace: Oregon Health Exchange must bargain to survive.
September 17 Conference: Hunger and the Budget Crisis
OCPP executive director Chuck Sheketoff will be the keynote speaker at the September 17 conference Hunger and the Budget Crisis: A faith-based call to action.
The conference will examine how the current federal budget crisis threatens devastating cuts in programs that help the poor and reduce hunger, both within our country and overseas. The conference will formulate an advocacy action plan to protect these programs and affirm the idea that a budget is a moral document representing the values of our nation.
Details:
Date: Saturday, September 17 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Place: Mercy Corps Global Headquarters, 45 SW Ankeny St., Portland
Attendance to this event is free of charge.
The event is sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Oregon Food Bank, Jubilee Oregon, Catholic Relief Service, Oregon Area Jewish Committee, Portland Archdiocese - Office of Life, Peace and Justice, George Fox University Centers on Global Studies & Peace and Justice, Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger.
For more information or to register contact: Mike Hiland, breador@frontier.com.
September 27: Workshop on Non-Profit Advocacy and Election-Related Activities
- What is the definition of lobbying and how is it different from advocacy?
- How much can a 501(c)(3) lobby?
- What are the disclosure and registration requirements for lobbying in Oregon?
- May a 501(c)(3) group pay for or distribute voter guides?
- Can nonprofits get involved in initiatives and referenda?
Learn the answers to these and many other questions at the workshop Worry Free Advocacy: Understanding the Rules of Nonprofit Advocacy & Election-Related Activities.
This one-day workshop is intended for nonprofit managers, board members, staff and volunteers.
Details:
Date: September 27, 2011 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Place: Northwest Health Foundation (Bamboo Room), 221 NW Second Avenue, Portland Cost: NAO members pay $ 45; nonmembers pay $ 50
For more information and to register, please click here.
This event is sponsored by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, the Oregon Center for Public Policy and the Alliance for Justice, a national leader in providing informative and entertaining trainings on the rules of advocacy for nonprofit organizations.
Of Note