All posts created by nancy.wolanski@unitedwayri.org

From Urban Institute --

The Community Loan Center (CLC) Small Dollar Loan Program was created to offer workers an affordable alternative to high-cost credit. Developed by the nonprofit come dream. come build. and its community development financial institution partner in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the program provides employer-sponsored loans of up to $1,000 with effective annual percentage rates below 22 percent (much lower than a typical payday loan). Payments are made by automatic payroll deductions to reduce risk for lenders and improve access for borrowers. Since launching in 2011, CLC has developed into a franchise model, issuing more than 117,000 loans to more than 35,000 borrowers across multiple states.

Why This Matters The CLC Small Dollar Loan Program offers important insights for employers, lenders, and policymakers seeking to expand access to affordable credit. The approach differs from traditional small-dollar lending by (1) delivering loans as an employer-sponsored benefit with no credit requirements, reducing barriers to uptake, (2) structuring repayment through automatic payroll deductions, which lowers risk for lenders and simplifies repayment for borrowers, and (3) offering more affordable terms than payday loans. The program demonstrates that it is possible to meet borrowers’ short-term financial needs with a sustainable, lower-risk loan model that benefits both employees and employers.

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From Urban Institute --

Amid national economic uncertainty, communities across the US are looking for ways to spur local growth. Often, equity and growth are treated as competing goals. But our new research on Fairfield County, Connecticut, shows this isn’t true. Equity isn’t just a moral goal; it’s an economic growth strategy.

Our recent report shows that closing racial and ethnic income gaps in the county could add $15.6 billion to the local economy. This is not a local success story waiting to happen—it’s a powerful example for communities nationwide that addressing racial inequities can boost local economies.

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Join Cornell University’s most celebrated scholars and industry experts for candid conversations that enlighten and challenge. From finance and tech to arts and culture, the Cornell Keynotes podcast hosted by eCornell delivers timely discussions on trending topics and current events.

Topics include:

• Boost your influence: Insider strategies for earning major media attention
• The AI talent shift: How to lead and transform your team
• The art of building influence: Five key components of emotional intelligence
• Does diversity influence creativity? The psychology and science of workplace creative outcomes
• Truth-telling techniques for high-performing teams

Learn more and listen

SNAP Updates from RI DHS

New federal laws affect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Rhode Island. Some changes to SNAP will happen November 1 and some may take effect the next time you renew your benefits.

If your benefits are affected because of these changes, you will receive a notice before November 1, 2025, or during your renewal/recertification period explaining which changes apply to you.

Prior to November 1, 2025, you may get a Benefit Decision Notice from DHS that shows changes to your SNAP benefits because of the new federal laws. Briefly, the notice may include information about:

• Changes to your benefits due to your immigration status - This provision makes changes to non-citizen eligibility for SNAP

• Changes to your benefits due to how utility expenses are calculated - Households without an elderly or disabled member in the household are no longer eligible for a Standard Utility Allowance deduction based on a payment from the LIHEAP program. Households without an elderly or disabled member must provide documentation of payments for heating or cooling expenses to determine eligibility for a Standard Utility Allowance deduction

• New work requirements you may need to meet to receive SNAP - The ABAWD exception may no longer exist if you are: under age 65 and over age 17, do not have the responsibility to care for a dependent child under 14 years old, or are a homeless individual, a veteran, or are 18 to 24 years old who aged out of foster care.

• Loss of your exemption to the work requirements based on homelessness, veteran status, or being under age 24 and aged out of foster care

• Loss of your exemption to the work requirement because you do not provide care to a dependent child under age 14

Other exemptions may be available.

Learn more about SNAP from RI DHS

From the State of Rhode Island Department of Health:

Enrolling in the Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry (RISNER) lets police, fire, and other first responders in your community better prepare for and respond to your needs during a hurricane, storm, or other emergency.

Many people may need extra help during a time of emergency, including people who:

• Use life support systems such as oxygen, respirator, ventilator, dialysis, pacemaker, or who have chronic conditions and require treatment (e.g., have diabetes and require insulin);
• Have mobility needs and use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, cane, or other mobility device;
• Are visually impaired, blind, hard of hearing, or Deaf;
• Have speech, cognitive, developmental or behavioral health disabilities; or
• Use assistive animals or a prosthesis.

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From the State of Rhode Island Department of Health:

Enrolling in the Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry (RISNER) lets police, fire, and other first responders in your community better prepare for and respond to your needs during a hurricane, storm, or other emergency.

Learn more

Blocking mass layoffs of federal workers.
A district court blocked the Trump-Vance administration from conducting an unlawful government-wide reorganization and mass layoffs of federal workers during the government shutdown. The court granted a temporary restraining order after multiple federal agencies issued “reduction in force” notices to over 4,100 civil servants. The court also found evidence that the firings appear to be politically motivated. Democracy Forward Foundation, Altshuler Berzon LLP, and the Democracy Defenders Fund represent the plaintiffs, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 1236, AFGE Local 3172, and American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.

Ensuring services reach vulnerable populations. A federal court issued a preliminary injunction, blocking the Trump-Vance administration from threatening inclusive service providers with funding cuts. Following Executive Orders 14151, 14173, and 14168, which claim to redefine the federal government’s policy position on civil rights, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development attempted to impose conditions on grantees that provide services that do not align with these new policies. Democracy Forward Foundation, Jacobson Lawyers Group, National Women’s Law Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island represent the plaintiffs, who are a coalition of domestic violence, sexual assault, housing, youth, and homelessness organizations.

Restoring legal counsel for unaccompanied migrant children. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump-Vance administration’s motion to revisit a district court order, which had stopped the administration from cutting funding for a program that provides legal representation for unaccompanied minors during immigration proceedings. The order keeps a district court’s preliminary injunction from April in place. Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Justice Action Center, and Amica Center for Immigrant Rights represent a coalition of immigration nonprofits, including Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, Social Justice Collaborative, and National Immigrant Justice Center, among others, in the case.

Blocking federalized National Guard deployment in Illinois. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals permitted the Trump-Vance administration’s effort to federal National Guard troops in Illinois, but affirmed the district court’s temporary restraining order that prevents deployment of the troops into Chicago or elsewhere in the state. Per the order, the National Guard troops may remain stationed at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, Illinois. The Seventh Circuit then further affirmed the decision by extending that order and denying the administration’s request for a temporary pause while the appeal is pending.

The Community Health Network’s (CHN) mission is to empower Rhode Islanders to manage their health by connecting them to evidence and community-based prevention and management programs aimed at improving their quality of life. These programs provide the tools to take control of your health and manage your health conditions with guidance and support on physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being.

At the CHN, we envision a state where people can prevent or self-manage chronic conditions and build healthy lifestyles with strong healthcare and caregiver support systems.

CHN classes have been proven to help people with chronic conditions such as pre-diabetes, diabetes management, and heart disease. Classes are also available to support caregivers, improve balance, manage chronic pain, help quit tobacco, and more!

Learn more and search classes

Request a CHN Presentation

Do you run a healthcare office, program, or agency that would benefit from a CHN presentation? Email Erica Hanson at Erica.Hanson@health.ri.gov to set up an in-person or virtual event.

Brown Mindfulness: NEW Free Offering

Start your Week with Mindfulness

Starting September 8th, join our mindfulness community every Monday at noon ET for a free 30-minute gathering. Each session includes a guided meditation and an optional check-in. Take time to pause, breathe, and reconnect. Free and open to all.

Register

Share Trusted Resources from Reputable Partners to Help Stop the Spread of Vaccine Misinformation

Myths and misinformation about health are often spread through social media. Healthcare professionals and community partners play important roles in helping people and families avoid vaccine misinformation and accessing accurate evidence-based information.

By sharing information from trusted local and national partners, we can all work together to help ensure that everyone, especially expecting parents and people with certain medical conditions, can make informed health decisions for themselves and their families to meet their needs.

RIDOH's Office of Immunization recommends the following resources for trusted and reliable evidence-based information:

American Academy of Pediatrics: aap.org. Immunization Action Coalition: immunize.org. Let’s Get Real Campaign: letsgetrealaboutvaccines.org. Vaccine Education Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: chop.edu/vaccine. Vaccine Integrity Project: cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project.