Exactly a month today, we here at United Way of King County wrapped up our 11th season of the Free Tax Campaign!

If you don’t know, the Free Tax Campaign is a volunteer program which provides free tax preparation for low-income families and individuals in King County.  Along with tax prep, our volunteers also connect people to valuable asset-building services such as helping them apply for public benefits, pulling credit reports, applying for the FAFSA, and a number of additional services.

So how did our 11th season go?  We’ll let our numbers do the talking:

One in five kids is at risk of hunger in our community.  The number of Latino and African American children struggling with hunger  is even higher. In King County there are 99,000 kids who take part in the free and reduced-price lunch program for low-income families.  It’s great that these kids are getting nutritious meals during the school year and when they are out on vacation, they’re also eligible for the summer meals program – a free, federally funded program that provides meals to children during the summer months.   But in the summer in Washington only 1 in 7 kids takes part – ranking us 40^th in the nation in participation.  Our community is missing the opportunity to leverage millions in federal dollars that could be used to feed our kids all summer long.

United Way’s Hunger Free King County Initiative is making sure no kid is hungry during the summer months by increasing participation in the Summer Food Service Program “Summer Meals”.  In partnership with community based organizations, local government, and funders like the Walmart Foundation and The Boeing Company, we’ve increased the number of meals served by 24% over the last two years.  We’ve done this through investments in new sites, a multi-tiered outreach campaign and volunteer mobilization.

While investments in new sites, outreach activities, and technical assistance have yielded positive results, we believe that a more robust data-driven plan is needed to take this work to scale and move the needle on summer hunger.  In June, United Way is launching our One Million Meals Campaign.  We will mobilize new resources to accelerate our work in this area and increase partnerships, strategically located meal sites, and outreach to low income families.  At the center of this effort will be our One Million Meals Campaign Corps – a group of summer VISTA’s, Interns, and volunteers who will work collaboratively fight summer hunger.

2013 Strategies include:

• Invest in a coordinated public private partnership through the Statewide Summer Meals Work to guide the work.
• Secure Summer VISTA positions and fund internships to engage young people in summer work experiences that support summer meal sites.  These young people will attend a comprehensive “boot camp” on hunger relief and summer meal programs before they are deployed in the field.  They will be placed with Community Agencies, Schools, Parks Departments and Housing Organizations throughout King County.  This Summer Hunger Corps will set up meal sites, distribute food, manage logistics, and support enrichment activities that engage children and generate interest in the program.  They will also conduct outreach activities to ensure families know about the program.
• Expand the number of sites open 40+ days during the summer from 44% to 60% (an additional 50+ sites operating 40 days per week could result in 12,500+ meals).  UWKC will make small grants of funding and staffing to support this effort.
• Invest in new sites in underserved areas of King County.
• Strategic outreach to low income families near underserved sites.  We will also tap into a partnership with the Seattle Mariners to help promote the program.
• Expand outreach through local faith communities in King County.

United Way of King County is very excited about the promise of the One Million Meals Campaign.  It builds on our experience from previous years and our ability to mobilize volunteers and community members.  Most importantly, it is data-driven and we anticipate it will yield exceptional results.

Emerging Leader Kayleen Burnett and Senator Keiser at Lobby Day

As members of the United Way Emerging Leaders Task Force, we were asked to represent the next generation of philanthropists at Lobby Day in Olympia. At first, we were skeptical. Would any real progress come from our efforts? Would anyone pay attention to our opinions? Over the course of the day and following weeks, we discovered that we could make our voices heard.

We not only spoke with 24 legislators, but we also had two members testify in support of items from United Way’s legislative agenda.  The first was House Bill 1302 (and its companion Senate Bill 5405), which would extend foster care up to 21 years of age for all foster youth. Foster youth currently age out of the system at 18, with the exception of youth in school.  Being close to that age ourselves, we know how critical it is to have support during the transition to adulthood.  The second hearing was on HB 1369, which would allow kindergarten teachers to use the first days of school to connect with the families of incoming kindergarteners. With this opportunity, teachers and parents can ensure a successful transition to the K-12 system.

Propelled by our momentum, we continued to advocate after Lobby Day. Nearly 50 Emerging Leaders signed a petition in support of extended foster care, which was sent to both the House and Senate. Our voices, along with many other groups’ voices, were heard: both extended foster care bills are moving to conference and then to the governor to sign.

What we have found, and what we should have realized all along, is that young people have the power to impact our communities. It is estimated that by 2014, nearly half of the world’s workforce will be under the age of 40. With numbers that great, our voices can’t be ignored. It is up to us to start the conversation. It is up to us to take action.  Every voice counts and every voice deserves to be heard.

Kayleen Burnett, Liz Jaquette, and Tony Spinrad

Nationally, last year Comcast invested more than $334 million in programs and partnerships in 39 states. This includes $9.5 million of cash and in-kind support to United Way partners nationally. As part of that $9.5 million, Comcast provides airing of public service announcements which is valued at $2.5 million. One of Comcast’s signature programs is Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. This program focuses on closing the digital divide by providing low-cost internet access , computers and free digital literacy training to struggling families. Currently, more than 60 United Ways across the country support this wonderful program.

In an effort to support Comcast’s volunteer focus, last year, Comcast employees put in more than 454,000 volunteered hours, which was matched by Comcast Foundation grants for nonprofits in the amount of $1.5 million. Nationally, Comcast hosts one of the largest single day workplace volunteer efforts in the county called Comcast Cares Day. Locally, Comcast will host 13 different volunteer projects throughout the state. Sign up or get more information about it today.

United Way of King County thanks Comcast Corporation for its ongoing support of Comcast’s workplace giving campaign, participation in our annual Breakfast and for the company’s support of volunteerism in the local King County community. Congratulations on a job well done!

Local VISTAs with Mayor McGinn

Learning about nutritious food!

The House, Senate and Governor’s budgets all book savings from Medicaid expansion based upon numbers of new people enrolled in Medicaid and savings to the system resulting from integration of medical, mental health, prevention services resulting in less costly outpatient visits.  These savings assumptions, however, may prove inaccurate for several reasons.

Mental Health

The Governor’s budget and the House and Senate budgets assume that the statewide system of mental health Regional Service Networks (RSNs) are using $20 million per year in state-only funds to pay for outpatient services for people who are not on Medicaid, and that when these individuals become enrolled in Medicaid through Medicaid Expansion (with no state-match requirement in the first two years) state funds will not be needed.  The Senate budget does not detail how the cuts will be allocated across the RSNs, while the House budget allocates cuts based on the number of expected and actual Medicaid expansion enrollees and RSN spending on non-Medicaid outpatient services.

There are a number of concerns with these assumptions.

• RSN spending on outpatient services in FY 2012, according to the Revenue and Expenditure Report, was $15 million, but the assumptions for savings are over $20 million.
• Medicaid expansion will not cover everyone in need of outpatient treatment, including recent immigrants and people who go on and off Medicaid as income fluctuates. In addition, people are not automatically enrolled in Medicaid, and it will take major efforts and time to enroll many people with serious mental illness, especially when they are also homeless.
• There are huge differences in how RSNs use their state-only funds. King County spent no state-only funds at all in 2012 on outpatient services, since all state-only funds were already prioritized for crisis and commitment, inpatient and residential care services. If King County’s state-only funding is reduced, all the cuts will be taken out of these priority services. Other RSNs spend much more on outpatient services.
• Cuts of this magnitude will devastate critical response and crisis services which will impact thousands of individuals in King County.

Substance Abuse

The Governor, Senate and House budgets all have devastating reductions for critical substance use disorder services. All budgets assume savings from Medicaid expansion at levels that may be much too high given the lack of any experience managing such a major transition in public benefits. This assumption is deeply flawed, for the following reasons:

• Medicaid expansion will not cover everyone in  need of outpatient treatment, including recent immigrants, refugees and people who go on and off Medicaid as income fluctuates. In addition,  people are not automatically enrolled in Medicaid and not enough weight  has been given to the barriers to Medicaid enrollment for people who have  substance use disorders especially those experiencing homelessness.
• Many flexible state-only funds for substance abuse are spent on services that are not eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Critical services for those in crisis are not covered under Medicaid. Residential treatment and detoxification programs larger than 16 beds, substance abuse involuntary treatment, sobering services, emergency service patrol, group care enhancement and outreach are also not covered. These dollars serve people who are the hardest to engage, the most expensive to treat, and at imminent risk of hospitalization or incarceration.

Use of flexible state dollars differs significantly by County and the proposed cuts will have greater impact on King County than on other counties. Our current 28 bed detox program, for example, is not eligible for Medicaid reimbursement due to federal law. King County also has a higher concentration of homeless individuals who utilize the Emergency Service Patrol and Sobering Services. Group Care Enhancement, a service unique to King County that reaches at risk youth, is also funded exclusively by state dollars and not eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

• House budget cuts $12 million statewide, $ 3.5 million in King County
  • House budget also cuts $2.6 million statewide in Criminal Justice Treatment Account funding $700,000 in King County
• Senate budget cuts $11.8 million Medicaid match statewide, $3.5 million in King County
  • 10 percent reduction in County Grants of $8 million- $2.5 million in King County
  • Eliminates funding for Community Organizing – $1.8 million state, $224,000 in King County
• Gov. Inslee’s budget cuts $6.7 million statewide, $2 million in King County
  • Eliminates funding for Community Organizing – $1.8 million state, $224,000 in King County

This comes on top of cuts to state-only dollars of 23 percent from the past two biennia and a reduction in County administration from 10 percent to 8 percent. Reductions now are premature and will further erode our infrastructure – right at a time when we should be expanding services to meet the increasing community need. The proposed cuts to substance abuse programs will dismantle a system right before a massive influx of new clients come seeking services.

All three budgets emphasize education including some early learning but deal with housing and basic needs differently.  The Governor proposes targeting $1.2 billion in education investments by closing more than $500 million in tax  breaks and continuing certain tax rates set to expire this year.  As part of the education package, he also includes a significant additional investment of 3,035 Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots and an increased ECEAP reimbursement rate.  Somewhat worrisome is the fact that the
governor only calls out ECEAP in his early learning investments and not services for children birth-three.

The $ 33.7 billion state general fund Senate budget provides $1.5 billion more for education (for children and youth, birth to 23 years) and some support services for the vulnerable, all with no new taxes.  In terms of United Way of King County priorities and our legislative agenda, the Senate proposal restores the State Food Assistance Program to 75% of federal food stamp benefits (up from the current 50%), increases ECEAP slots (350 in FY 2014 and 500 in FY 2015) and the reimbursement rate for ECEAP providers, increases the state investment in home visiting (by $1 million) and proposes enough additional funding to cover one more foster care group under Extended Foster Care ($3 million).  However, the Senate budget cuts Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) and eliminates Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD)–the two programs stemming from the former Disability Lifeline program.  Approximately, 22,000 people on ABD will no longer receive $197 monthly but could be eligible for HEN if they are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  The Senate budget also reduces child care funding lowering the number of slots available by 4,000 slots, and greatly reduces funding for housing and homelessness (see below).  The result is that the proposed cuts may disproportionately affect the same individuals and families that would be helped by the proposed program increases. The Senate explicitly assumes that nonprofits will step in and help those losing services.

In terms of housing and homelessness, the Senate budget:

• Significantly reduces the amount of support for Housing Trust Fund to $35 million, targets that amount to specific projects and eliminates one source of funding for the HTF by permanently redirecting the Real Estate Excise Tax to fund education.  This is a concern as the Housing Trust Fund is foundational to ending homelessness.
• Diverts $9 million of the Home Security fund (from Document Recording Fees) to support Housing and Essential Needs (HEN).  These funds
  support projects serving very low income, high needs populations.  Their diversion takes vital support from one housing program and using it to support another at a lesser amount.
• Cuts state administered homeless programs such as the Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG) by at least 50%.  The funds are the state’s primary funding for the counties’ various homeless housing programs and are used for emergency and time limited housing to get people into
  shelter.  This may cause an additional 11,500 people to experience homelessness.

The $34.5 billion House budget dedicates $1.9 billion to increased spending for K-12 education by repealing a variety of special B & O rates and tax exemptions.  In addition, there is a significant expansion of early learning programs including Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots, improved child care through increased reimbursement rates coupled with quality rating, and an increase in support for home visiting.  Significantly, the House budget continues support for Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) and Aged Blind and Disabled, the two programs formed from Disability Lifeline.  Like the Senate, the House budget supports Extended Foster Care and Medicaid expansion. Unlike the Senate, the House does not move to restore the benefit level for those receiving State Food Assistance. The House budget offers $51.5 million in Housing Trust Fund for 30 specific affordable housing projects affecting farmworkers, homeless veterans, people with chronic mental illness and people with developmental disabilities.  Lastly, the House budget includes a proviso to expand volunteerism in the state.

Some ideas we are bouncing around are to print the info on:

• Frisbees
• Wiffle balls and bats
• Tote bags
• Wooden paddles and balls

If we use your idea you could win 4 free tickets to our All-Star Classic Softball game where celebs come together and play their heart out for homeless youth!

Thanks for all your support!