When Colleen Ison-Hodroff’s husband bought a reverse mortgage on their fully-paid home through Financial Freedom, a subsidiary of OneWest, the broker assured the couple that Colleen could keep living there even if her husband passed away. Yet, just days after her husband’s funeral, Colleen received a notice that she had…
Archives: Voices
The Trump Agenda Poses A Major Threat to America’s Children
Editor’s note: As we approach the inauguration of President Trump, this Washington Monthly piece by Olivia Golden is a must-read item. Olivia is Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Policy, and, we are proud to say, serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Coalition on…
The Urgency of Now!
The deadline is TODAY, January 19th! Please add your organization’s name to the national sign-on letter going to the new Congress and Administration insisting that vulnerable populations be protected. Here is where you can read and see who has already signed the letter. Here is where you can sign the letter. …
Opposing Andrew Puzder for Labor Secretary
Last week we reported on workers who were treated unfairly at restaurants controlled by the company run by CEO Andrew Puzder, nominated to be the next Secretary of the Department of Labor. Below is the text of a letter by CHN opposing his nomination, sent to Senators on the Health, Education, Labor…
Human Needs Report: the 115th Congress Begins
The 115th Congress convened on Jan. 3 and hit the ground running. CHN just released our latest edition of the Human Needs Report, with a look at what Members have been working on in their first two weeks as they prepare for the swearing in of Donald Trump as the…
Thousands Nationwide Come Out to Fight Repeal of the Affordable Care Act
The line of cars snaking into the parking lots at Bowie State University was the first clue that on January 15people in Maryland were determined to stand and fight against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They were responding to calls from members of Congress, organized labor and activist…
Secretary of Labor Violations?
“My experience at Carl’s Jr. left me feeling hopeless. I tried to communicate the problems experienced with my supervisors, and yet the problem continued and nothing was done about it. If Andrew Puzder allowed these things to happen at a company like Carl’s Jr, how would he protect workers across…
People are not blight
Editor’s note: Voices for Human Needs is pleased to welcome guest authors James Grinnell, James Abro and Bret Stephenson. Their bios appear beneath this post. By James Grinnell, James Abro and Bret Stephenson In April 2016, Reno, Nevada began using a $1 million blight mitigation fund to restore parts of…
Why care so much about the poor?
Why care so much about the poor, the destitute and the disabled? That is the question that I recently woke up asking myself. I do care, and the people whom I admire most care, too. Now 83 years old, I have spent the majority of those years writing about people…
Protecting the Affordable Care Act
“The ACA is a lifeline to our family. Without it and its benefits, our family will suffer greatly.” – Alexis, New Port Richey, Florida On the first day of the new Congress, Senate Republicans took the first concrete steps towards repealing the Affordable Care Act. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, they…
Two perspectives: A CEO and a front-line McDonald’s worker
Editor’s note: The following blog post is authored by Kenan Heise, a Chicago journalist who has for decades illuminated the lives of poor people in his morally powerful writings. He has written for the Chicago Tribune and other major daily papers; he founded the “The Neediest Children’s Christmas Fund” in 1969 with the help…
Will Dr. Price ‘do no harm?’
Editor’s note: The following blog post is authored by Kenan Heise, a Chicago journalist who has for decades illuminated the lives of poor people in his morally powerful writings. He has written for the Chicago Tribune and other major daily papers; he founded the “The Neediest Children’s Christmas Fund” in 1969 with the help…