TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Nearly 3 million Floridians are living in poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau 2009 numbers. That's 1 in 7 people overall and 1 in 5 children. The Florida Association for Community Action is urging "let's talk about it" during a town hall symposium on poverty tonight at Florida A & M University, Tallahassee.

Wilma McKay, executive director of the organization, says one of the questions being asked is, "Why aren't any statewide candidates talking about poverty?"

"We have a big issue and that issue needs to be visible. It needs to be a part of the policies that are being made by our politicians, but I really don't think they see it as a priority during this election. I'm afraid that if they are elected, they'll feel like that when they get into office."

The Association for Community Action invited nine candidates for statewide office to attend the symposium to discuss their policies on poverty, but so far none has accepted, she says, due to scheduling conflicts. McKay hopes the town hall will lead the legislature to establish a Florida Council on Poverty to take a look at the issue and to map out some solutions to what she calls a "growing problem."

The recession has created long lines at many of the 29 Community Action agencies across the state, McKay says, and it has brought in a different kind of client.

"Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs; a lot of them were middle-income people. More and more people are becoming homeless. So with no income and nowhere to live, of course they're falling into poverty in record numbers now - folks who were never in poverty before. The face of poverty is definitely changing."

McKay says Community Action agencies were created in 1964 to eliminate poverty. Census data shows 30 million Americans were living in poverty then, and now that number is nearly 40 million. McKay says there has never been enough money to go around, and she urges making a more concerted effort to fix the problem.

"The agencies only have a certain amount of money available to help, and in a lot of cases they run out of money before their next funding cycle. With more resources, we could definitely help a lot more people reach levels of self-sufficiency where they would need no more assistance."

"Symposium on Poverty" takes place at Lee Hall Auditorium on the Florida A & M University Campus at 6 p.m. tonight. More information is available at www.faca.org.




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La Niña is bringing a cooler, wetter winter to Oregon and likely driving up heating bills as systems work harder.

This is the third year of major price hikes for Pacific Power and Pacific Gas and Electric, with rates up by 40% from four years ago.

One report found nearly half of Americans struggle to pay their utility bills and last winter, a January ice storm and rate hikes saw power shut off for a record number of Oregon households due to lack of payment.

Jami Seymore, home energy expert for the Energy Trust of Oregon, said this winter, one way to save on energy bills is to lower the thermostat at night.

"Every degree you drop that thermostat, you can save about 3% on your energy bill," Seymore pointed out.

Seymore recommended setting the thermostat to around 67 degrees during the day and about 59 at night. If you have a heat pump, do not change the temperature more than a few degrees either way for maximum efficiency.

The most helpful way to save money is to keep the heat inside by insulating walls, attics and floors. Seymore noted filling in gaps around the home like door frames, windows and mail slots can save up to 20% on heating costs. She added Energy Trust of Oregon can help cut the costs of projects.

"Energy Trust offers higher incentives for people with lower to moderate incomes to be able to make some of those changes a little more affordable," Seymore emphasized.

One source of energy loss people may overlook is the air filter. Seymore recommends changing it about every three months, or every time the season changes.

"A dirty air filter, that actually slows all that airflow coming in," Seymore observed. "It's going to waste energy and it's going to cost you more money."

If you need help with utility bills, Seymour advised checking with your utility provider first, as most have assistance programs and payment plans. You can also apply for Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates, which offer assistance for installing high-efficiency electric appliances, along with insulation and air sealing measures.


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Temperatures are dropping in the Commonwealth and community action agencies said help is available for those struggling to pay their heating bills.

The federal Home Energy Assistance Program helps households making less than 60% of the state median income, which for a family of four is just under $95,000.

Liz Berube, executive director of the community action agency Citizens for Citizens, serving the Fall River and Taunton area, called the eligibility requirements very generous.

"These are clearly for people who work, or you were working and you're laid off, you're on worker's comp, people who slip through the cracks," Berube outlined. "This could be the program for you."

Berube pointed out the website HeatingHelpMA.org has information on heating and other energy savings programs, as well as a link to an online application portal.

The Department of Public Utilities recently approved natural gas rate hikes for National Grid and Eversource customers. Monthly bills could increase from 11% to 30%.

Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, said she is already hearing from her constituents in the Second Essex District, wondering how they will make it through the winter.

"Every single day, the biggest call to our office is housing insecurity and how am I going to heat my home," Lovely reported. "How am I going to be able to stay in my home?"

Lovely is grateful for the federal, state and local partnerships making the heating aid program possible.

Joe Diamond, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than twenty community action agencies helping families apply for needed services, said keeping people warm is about more than lowering energy bills.

"It is a health program. It's a safety program. It's a housing preservation program," Diamond explained. "It is also a program that allows people to access other programs."

Diamond noted if households qualify for heating help, they automatically qualify for weatherization programs, which can include new insulation, appliances or heating systems. Public safety officials stressed the programs save both money and lives. They emphasized well-maintained heating equipment is much less likely to cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.


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The Save the Children Action Network is asking Iowans to support candidates in the upcoming election who invest time and political muscle in solving children's issues.

Paige Chickering, Iowa state manager for the Save the Children Action Network, is reminding voters about the importance of early education, high-quality affordable child care and school meals for kids. She noted a growing percentage of them are hungry and their families rely on some form of government help.

"In Iowa specifically, USDA data show that about 40% of SNAP beneficiaries -- and that's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- are children," Chickering explained. "About one in six children, 15.4%, face hunger in Iowa, according to a Feeding America study."

Chickering pointed out the Save the Children Action Network has endorsed a slate of bipartisan candidates in statewide races who have adopted strong positions on children's issues, including taking on hunger in Iowa.

Chickering highlighted a Ready Nation study shows the critical shortage of child care options in Iowa is costing the state at least $1.2 billion in parents' lost wages and productivity every year. She added helping kids should not be up for debate.

"The issue of prioritizing children in Iowa is a really, truly bipartisan issue," Chickering asserted. "It's been really clear from all the people that we've worked with, our volunteers, everyone we've spoken with, that this is something that everyone is prioritizing."

The action network is also calling on Iowa politicians to approve the summer "Sun Bucks" program in 2025, which would make food available to lower-income families when kids are out of school for the summer. Iowa opted out of the program this year.