For Immediate Release Friday,
February 22, 2013
Samantha Jo Warfield sjwarfield@cns.gov; 202-606-6775 |
National Service Agency Grants to Support 80,000 Senior Volunteers205 organizations receive Senior Corps grants through competitive process
WASHINGTON, DC – The Corporation for National and
Community Service (CNCS) today announced more than $14 million in
funding to support organizations and nonprofits across the country.
The organizations will leverage the experience and talents of RSVP Senior Corps
volunteers in schools, conservation projects, disaster response, veterans’
services, and other priorities.
Nearly 80,000 new senior volunteers will have the
opportunity to serve through 205 organizations receiving awards in 35 states.
These funds were awarded as part of the first grant competition since 1971 for
RSVP, one of three Senior Corps programs administered by CNCS. Grantees
selected will address a wide range of community issues, from disaster response
and early childhood education to veterans and military families and
environmental stewardship.
A complete list of grants is available here.
“Today, more than ever, communities need the talents
and skills of all citizens to help solve our most pressing challenges,” said
Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. “Americans age 55 and over are a powerful resource
to help communities achieve real change. These new RSVP grants will provide the
bridge to connect seniors to meaningful service opportunities, so that they may
deliver the enormous social and economic benefits we know are good for our
nation.”
Established in 1971, RSVP engages Americans age 55
and older in volunteer opportunities across the country, allowing citizens to be
a part of the solution to community challenges. RSVP volunteers provide support
to veterans and their families, help seniors to live independently in their
homes, mentor at-risk youth, and provide critical support to communities
recovering from disasters. While serving, RSVP volunteers also improve their own
lives, by staying active and civically engaged.
In 2012, 320,000 RSVP volunteers delivered more than
47 million hours of service in their communities. Through community and
faith-based organizations, RSVP volunteers served more than 563,000 veterans,
mentored more than 82,500 children, and provided independent living services to
more than nearly 742,000 elderly adults.
“Older Americans bring a lifetime of skills and
experience as parents, workers, and citizens that can be tapped to meet
challenges in our communities,” said Dr. Erwin Tan, Director of Senior Corps at
CNCS. “Given the many social needs facing our communities – and the growing
interest in service by 55+ American citizens – this is a moment of unprecedented
need and opportunity for our programs to take advantage of an extraordinary wave
of human capital that has the potential to transform our nation.”
As part of the agency’s focus on driving greater
innovation and impact, organizations receiving 2013 RSVP grants will report
their progress using the performance measures CNCS adopted as a result of the
bipartisan 2009 Serve America Act. CNCS has embraced competition and
performance measurement for the RSVP as a way to achieve greater impact in
communities and the nation and to encourage innovation through adoption of new
ideas and services.
The next Senior Corps funding opportunity will open
sometime mid-year. Americans who seek to volunteer with a Senior Corps program
can search for local opportunities in their area at seniorcorps.gov.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
National Service Agency: 205 organizations receive Senior Corps grants through competitive process
Security Clearance: Watch your credit report
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A study
on credit report accuracy recently found that 1 in 5 of the participating
consumers had an error on at least one of their three credit reports.
Why Do Credit Report Errors Matter? Errors on your credit report can negatively affect your credit score, which is used to evaluate your applications for credit cards, loans, jobs, housing, insurance, and more. What Can You Do? Check Your Credit Report Check your credit report with all three credit reporting agencies at least once a year (you are entitled to one FREE credit report annually from each agency (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax)). Checking your report will help you 1) identify and correct errors that could be affecting your credit score, and 2) protect yourself from identity theft. Dispute Errors If you find an error on any of your credit reports, follow instructions on the report that explain how to dispute errors. If errors have not been corrected after you've disputed them with the credit reporting agency, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Get more information about disputing errors on your credit report. |
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Grenada opposition wins clean sweep in general election
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21526209
Grenada's failure to recover
from the devastation of Hurricane Ivan was one of the election issues
Election supervisors said the preliminary figures showed the NNP had won all
15 seats.
The governing National Democratic Congress admitted defeat.
If the results are confirmed, Keith Mitchell, who served three terms as prime minister between 1995 and 2008, will return to power.
The main theme during the election was the economic crisis.
Grenada has a 30% unemployment rate and the Caribbean Development Bank recently warned Grenada that it had unsustainable debt levels.
During his campaign, Mr Mitchell promised to make job creation his priority.
After the preliminary results came in, catapulting his party from fours seats to 15, he said he would also strive to unite the country.
"The victor is the one who has to reach out, the one who lost can't be expected to reach out; national unity will be a serious platform," he said.
He asked Grenadians "to have patience" with the new government, and to give it a chance to implement policies he said would revive the stalled economy.
The country has been struggling to recover from major destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Dozens of people were killed and 90% of the island's buildings were damaged or destroyed. Grenada's main export crop, nutmeg, was also devastated.
Grenada's failure to recover
from the devastation of Hurricane Ivan was one of the election issues
The governing National Democratic Congress admitted defeat.
If the results are confirmed, Keith Mitchell, who served three terms as prime minister between 1995 and 2008, will return to power.
The main theme during the election was the economic crisis.
Grenada has a 30% unemployment rate and the Caribbean Development Bank recently warned Grenada that it had unsustainable debt levels.
During his campaign, Mr Mitchell promised to make job creation his priority.
After the preliminary results came in, catapulting his party from fours seats to 15, he said he would also strive to unite the country.
"The victor is the one who has to reach out, the one who lost can't be expected to reach out; national unity will be a serious platform," he said.
He asked Grenadians "to have patience" with the new government, and to give it a chance to implement policies he said would revive the stalled economy.
The country has been struggling to recover from major destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Dozens of people were killed and 90% of the island's buildings were damaged or destroyed. Grenada's main export crop, nutmeg, was also devastated.
Maryland Emergency Management Agency: 2013 Exercise & Training Events
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
EPA fines six Arizona school districts for asbestos violations
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BEMA Network Members:
These types of violations should never have occurred with the confines of the U.S. within any state.
Federal guidelines for asbestos contamination and removal may be affecting schools, public meeting locations, and other facilities in your communities.
Zero tolerance for public safety. Not only should the school districts be fined, but State public safety and & health agencies must be held accountable to absorb these fines and recovery effort for the community, with no reduction in school services for the education of our children.
Charles D. Sharp
Chief Executive
Black Emergency Managers Association.
For Immediate Release: Feb 19,
2013
Contact: Rusty Harris-Bishop,
415-972-3140, harris-bishop.rusty@epa.gov
EPA
fines six Arizona school districts for asbestos
violations
More than
15,000 students to be protected by additional inspections, asbestos plans
SAN
FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined six
Arizona school districts a combined total of $94,575 for Asbestos
Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) violations. More than 15,000 children
attend the 25 schools not in compliance with the federal AHERA in these
districts.
During inspections conducted in 2011, EPA
inspectors discovered numerous violations, from failing to inspect facilities
for asbestos containing materials, failing to re-inspect campuses with known
asbestos containing materials, and failing to have an Asbestos Management Plan.
All of the school districts have since taken necessary actions to comply with
the law, with the cost of compliance reducing the penalties in most cases to
zero.
“Asbestos in schools has the potential to
harm the health of students, teachers, and maintenance workers,” said Jared
Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “EPA takes
these violations seriously, and we are satisfied the schools have now conducted
inspections and put their asbestos plans in place.”
Each school
district is allowed to subtract properly documented costs of complying with the
regulations from the penalty amount. The six school districts are:
Federal law requires schools to conduct an initial
inspection using accredited inspectors to determine if asbestos-containing
building material is present and develop a management plan to address the
asbestos materials found in the school buildings. Schools are also required to
appoint a designated person who is trained to oversee asbestos activities and
ensure compliance with federal regulations. Finally, schools must conduct
periodic surveillance and re-inspections of asbestos-containing building
material, properly train the maintenance and custodial staff, and maintain
records in the management plan.
Local education agencies must keep an updated copy of the
management plan in its administrative office and at the school which must be
made available for inspection by parents, teachers, and the general
public.
For more information about federal asbestos regulations
visit: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/lawsregs.html
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