08-10-1992 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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. <' .•V 5W" |-r^v'^y-' ^ . 1 ”^. t5jij!.;|.^- . .. .: ,A r The rise in the number of working poor persons in suburban Hennepin is a growing concern because WHHS believes that the well being of workers, their families, our communities and our economy are inextricably linked. In un attempt to address the root problems facing the working poor, WHHS has received planning money from the Northwest Area Foundation to initiate a research and collaboration effort to develop a model for business innovation and restructuring. The project is called Creative Innovations in Business, and its goals would be to upgrade jobs, restore wage and income growth and make a contribution towards putting the Minnesota economy on a high-skills, high-wage path. WHHS completed two additional studies as pan of the Working Poor project. The first. "Community Development Block Grants in Suburban Hennepin, 1987-1990" detailed the trends in the amounts and use of CDBG funds in suburban Hennepin. The second report, “Establishing Community Development CoT^orations in Suburban Hennepin: Creating Economic Development Strategies and Successful Businesses," examined the potential for the community development corporation model as a strategy for suburban Hennepin economic development. WHHS is providing assistance to the newly-formed West Hennepin chapter of the .MN Senior Federation - Metropolitan Region.* Attendance at quarterly general meetings averages 300 people. WHHS has been working with the Meadowbrook Action Committee, a St. Louis Paik neighborhood group, to ^Ifill their mission to develop and facilitate program which promote the empowerment of low-income families and individuals toward economic self- sufficiency. The Committee received a $50,000 grant from Hennepin County in February to run a program to employ unemployed residents in neighborhood maintenance and development projects. Developed a legislative agenda for the 1992 session and advocated at the legislature for the items in agenda categories of initiatives in the agenda included children s issues, jobs, economic assistance; energy; food; housing; taxes and revenue; health care; mental health; criminal justice; lead abatement and transponation. Continued to be an active member of Jobs Now Coalition, a state coalition of 40 organizations, and to be their administrative and fiscal agent. WHHS continues to be an active advocate at the state and county level for the development of quality jobs. WHHS and the graduates of our Mazebusters Program advocated at the State Legislature for passage of a bill establishing Mazebusters pilot programs throughout the state. Th** legislation passed out of the Health and Human Services Policy Committees in both the House and Senate but did not receive the $350,000 necessary to implement the pilots. The Mazebuster's lobbying efforts were featured in the WCCO news segment, Eye on Minnesota. ■ ’-\0 ^ A.. -