Story ideas for current Dobmeyer Communications clients:

Center for Law & Human Services (CLHS):

• 9/8/02: 2001 Tax year Final Results: Press releases, plus accompanying data (both in .pdf format).
• Name Change: The Center will soon be going through a name change - details due out around Labor Day. For more information, contact Doug Dobmeyer, 773/338-9825.

Statewide Agenda for Community Economic Development (SACED):

• September 17, 2002: Testimony before the House Labor Committee hearings regarding Job Training
• September 13, 2002 Media Advisories on Job trainging hearings
• House Hearings: Two House legislative hearings are scheduled as subject matter examines job training as a major ingredient to maintaining a vibrant economy in the state. The House Labor Committee will hold two hearings in September:
• Tuesday, September 17, 10 - 1, James R. Thompson Center, Room 16-503
  Witnesses include:
  • Margaret Blackshire, President state AFL-CIO
  • The Chicago Federation of Labor
  • Gene Cottini, S & C Electric Company
  • Others including employers using job training, participants in job training and non-profit providers
• Thursday, September 19, 10 - 1, State House, Room 114
  • Bob Miller, GCIU
  • Hazel Loucks, Deputy Governor for Workforce Development
  • Michael Ayers, Illinois Chamber of Commerce
  • Robert Wordlaw, Executive Director, Chicago Jobs Council
  • Others including employers using job training, participants in job training and non-profit providers
• For more information, contact Bob Wordlaw, Chicago Jobs Council/SACED, 312/252-0460, X 330 or Bob@cjc.net - Rep. Larry McKeon, House Labor Committee Chair, 773/348-3434.

Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR):

• Religious Guides: A series of guides on different religions is being prepared for use by the media. The guides will summarize major issues of religions, provide local spokespeople and websites. For more information, contact Khalid Awad at 312/629-2990 X 11 or khalid@cpwr.org.
• Spanish reps to visit Chicago: Representatives of government, religion and other entities from Barcelona, Spain will be in Chicago the third week of October to participate in the Diane Golden Institute for Interreligious Organizations. This is a preliminary event for the planned international conference of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona in 2004. For more information, contact Francesca DiBrito at 312/629-2990 X 13 or Francesca@cpwr.org.

Illinois Migrant Council (IMC):

• Housing: IMC just received final approval from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to launch the first rental subsidy program in Illinois for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The three-year, $750,000 project gets off the ground in the near future. For more information, contact Juliana Gonzalez-Crussi, Housing Coordinator, 312/63-1522, or jcrussi@illinoismigrant.org.
• National Farmworker Jobs Program: A vital program for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the US and Illinois is on the George Bush chopping block. The cuts are $80.7M nationally and $1.435M in Illinois. The cuts end the program on June, 2003.
• IMC represents 32,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Illinois. 1,200 of this number were enrolled in job related training programs. Many eligible MSFW receive support services such as emergency food; those seeking stable jobs may enroll in ESL classes and be placed in jobs.
• IMC is continuing to accept scholarship applications for formal education or occupational training at accredited Illinois institutions. Applicants must be: Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker, Hispanic or Other Minority; Accepted by an Illinois Vocational, or Two Year/Four Year College; Meet Low Income Guidelines established by the IL Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. For more information about the application process, contact: Esperanza Velasquez Telephone (312) 663-1522 X.210 E-mail: evelasquez@illinoismigrant.org

National Center on Poverty Law (NCPL):

• Family Care: NCPL led a legislative effort for adoption of Family Care health insurance for parents of children on KidCare. The program doesn't cost the state anything the first year. The federal Department of Health and Human Services has to issue a waiver for Illinois to have the program.
• NCPL is spearheading that campaign too. A decision is expected this summer. For more information, contact John Bouman, 312-368-2671, johnbouman@povetylaw.org.