Help inspire more lives of leadership, support WRI’s 18th Annual Gala honoring: Lynn Lewis and Professor Thomas Angotti, Picture the Homeless, Hunter College Center for Community Planning & Development (CCPD); WRI alumni Beatrice Lopez-Tucker, Michelle Rivera, and Irma V. Williams; and Cohort 18 Community Leadership Students. Come and celebrate with us on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 from 6:30pm-9pm in Hunter College Faculty Dining Room, 8th floor west building. For more information, please contact

Student Leaders Go to Albany
to Make Education Count

On February 27, 2013, Welfare Rights Initiative students brought their determination and personal stories to Albany to remind state policy makers that nothing should deter a person from seeking a quality education.

The focus of the trip was to draw attention to Senate Bill 1419, sponsored by Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn). This proposed legislation would allow baccalaureate and advanced degree programs to count towards work requirements for students receiving public assistance. The Assembly passed A.3473, the companion bill in early February 2013

Thirty WRI and CUNY Law students met with 20 of their New York State (NYS) legislative leaders. After an early morning bus trip from NYC, students arrived to have breakfast and speak to a gathering of over 200 groups representing NYS Empire State Economic Security Campaign (ES2). The day was full of energy and hope for NYS families receiving welfare: Make Education Count!

Each year, Welfare Rights Initiative assists hundreds of undergraduate students on public assistance who are working toward a better future. Reports show workfare programs don’t support long-term economic mobility because these assignments rarely lead to livable wage jobs.

To underscore this point, WRI called on Hunter College student and advocate Christina Chaise, to speak on behalf of young adults like her who face severe obstacles that compromise attempts to pursue higher education as the best way out of poverty. Christina shared her experiences with state legislators and the media:

“As a resident of public housing and a recipient of public assistance, I had internalized the stereotype society imposes upon the people of my community. Well, I am here today to shatter that perception and provide a true resolution that can address poverty: higher education.”

She went on to explain how New York State welfare policy allows two-year college students to count class time towards mandatory work hours, but not four-year college students.

“People enduring economic hardship shouldn’t have to choose between survival and a fighting chance at achieving financial freedom and security. Workers with bachelor’s degrees consistently earn more on the job, $200 more and higher a week, than those with associate’s degree.”

Christina presented other supporting data to accentuate her call for urgent policy change:

“Not only would this bill save administrative costs for the state, it will also expand opportunities for a better quality job and a better quality life for members of our communities. Nearly 90 percent of students receiving welfare who obtain a bachelor’s degree will move permanently off welfare and earn enough to move out of poverty.”

For more details about this recent Welfare Rights Initiative advocacy event, click to read coverage from the NYS Legislative Gazette or visit wri-ny.org.

Financial Aid Info:

Work-Study Questions:

How do I apply?

To be considered for this award, you must fill out your financial aid applications by an established filing deadline and request consideration for FWS by checking the appropriate box on the FAFSA. FWS money is awarded on a first-come, first served basis. The College receives a fixed amount of money each academic year to make FWS awards. Once this money is awarded, there is no more for that academic year. You are encouraged to file your financial aid applications early when you receive your award letter from the College, it will indicate whether or not you have been awarded FWS.

Am I paid an hourly wage or a salary?

You are paid by the hour, your rate of pay being determined by the job location and the nature of the work involved. You will receive at least $7.25 per hour for on-campus positions. The rate of pay can be higher for jobs off-campus but will be no lower than $7.25 per hour.

Are work-study earnings taxable?

The money you earn from Federal Work-Study is generally subject to federal and state income tax, but exempt from FICA taxes (provided you are enrolled full time and work less than half-time).

Federal Work-Study earnings during the calendar year should be included in the totals for AGI on the FAFSA. Work-study earnings should only be included when they represent financial aid to the student, since the answer to this question is used as an exclusion from taxed income. The student should also be careful to report amounts based on the calendar year, not the school year.

From the Staff and Student Leaders at Welfare Rights Initiative!

FNS is authorizing the replacement of 50 percent of the October benefits for households in Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan and Westchester Counties and the 76 designated ZIP codes in New York City. We estimate the total benefit replacement amount to be approximately $65,000,000.

The feds also approved the state waiver to allow SNAP recipients that reside in areas that currently have individual assistance designations (i.e. Bronx, Kings, Richmond, Queens, New York, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester) to have the ability to purchase hot foods and hot food products with SNAP benefits, and to consume them on-premise, where practical, through November 30, 2012.

October 24, 2012 and November 28, 2012

1:30pm-3:00pm

Hunter College

695 Park Ave

(6 train to 68th Street-Hunter College)

East Building, 14th floor, Room 1413

WRI’s monthly Know Your Rights Trainings at Hunter College cover:

*HRA’s call in process

*TAG

*Notices of Intent

*Fair Hearings

*The Work-Study and Internship Law

*Helpful tips/strategies for self advocacy developed by and for students receiving public benefits

Visit WRI’s website: http://www.wri-ny.org or call the

Know Your Rights Hotline: 212-650-3592 for more information.

Voter Awareness Month begins Sept. 12 and ends October 12 – the last day that registration applications are accepted.

New York State primary elections are Sept. 13.

You can find out everything you need to know, including a how-to-guide, registration forms and information on the current election issues by visiting CUNY’s Voter Awareness Website.

Welfare Rights Initiative

Celebrates Our 17^th Cohort

at

WRI’s Annual Gala

Thursday, May 24, 2012 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

@ Hunter College West 8th Floor Faculty Dining Room

Honoring: Kathy Goldman, long-time community activist and founder of The Community Food Resource Center (CFRC);

Degna P. Levister, Clinical Law Professor and Supervising Attorney of Economic Justice Clinic, City University of New York School of Law;

Stephen Loffredo, Professor of Law and Supervising Attorney of Economic Justice Clinic, City University of New York School of Law;

Yvonne L. Moore, Executive Director, Daphne Foundation;

Cohort 17, Graduates of WRI’s one-year Community Leadership Program Fall 2011-Spring 2012.

Won’t you please support our mission to ensure access to education for all?

Every dollar raised sends a powerful message that poverty is simply not an option for our students. There are several meaningful ways to support WRI’s mission:

WRI Visionary Circle

$10,000 or more

• Reserved Table for 10 at the WRI Annual Gala.
• Sponsor Acknowledgement: Gala Program, Ceremony, Press Materials and Website.
• Opportunity to present a Community Leadership Award at the WRI Annual Gala.
• Framed and personalized original artwork  by WRI students.

WRI Leadership Circle

$5,000-$9,999

• Reserved table for 10 at the WRI Annual Gala.
• Sponsor Acknowledgement: Gala Program, Ceremony, Press Materials and Website.

WRI Patrons

$1,000 to $4,999

• 10 Tickets to the WRI Annual Gala.
• Sponsor Acknowledgement: Gala Program and Website.

WRI Advocates

$500 to $999

• 8 tickets to the WRI Annual Gala.
• Listing in the Gala Program.

WRI Friends

$100 to $499

• 4 tickets to the WRI Annual Gala.
• Listing in the Gala Program

WRI Alumni Admission

$50

• 1 ticket to the WRI Annual Gala.

WRI is a nonprofit, student activist and leadership training organization located at Hunter College. For more information about Gala and other sponsorship opportunities, please contact Maureen Lane at (212) 650-3494 or maureen@wri-ny.org.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT!

All donations are welcomed and tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
Please make checks payable to:  The Research Foundation of CUNY for WRI.

Employer matching gifts are greatly appreciated!

We are the Welfare Rights Initiative.

Based at Hunter College in NYC, Welfare Rights Initiative (WRI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to education as a steppingstone to life-changing opportunity. Each year, we assist hundreds of bright, ambitious, undergraduate students who are
striving for a better future despite the daily challenges caused by
financial instability.

Through academic courses, leadership training, legal assistance, policy education and advocacy, WRI’s participant-driven model builds essential skills and opens up personal advancement options for people on public assistance. Our staff and volunteers also collaborate with other activists, legislators and community leaders to defend and promote fair and just policies that remove potential barriers to education.

Celebrate Success!

We invite you to meet some of our accomplished alumni and the next graduating class of WRI success stories. We hope you will join us on Thursday, May 24, 2012 for our Annual Gala to socialize, raise funds and honor our 17^th student cohort as they celebrate completion of the one-year WRI Community Leadership Program. We are very proud to share this milestone event with you.

We believe no one should have to spend a lifetime clocking in and out of a dead-end, low-wage job. We also believe families on welfare shouldn’t have to choose between their survival and a chance to lift themselves and their children up to higher ground through higher education. Skills and credentials make all the difference. With your support, WRI is breaking the cycle of poverty, restoring hope, and expanding career options for hardworking people across New York City.

Did you know?

*  90% of CUNY Students on public assistance move out of poverty permanently after attaining a 4-year college degree.

*  Since 1995, WRI has trained and supported 4,000+ high school and college students to help them know and understand their rights, gain access to vital resources, and focus on making higher education their ticket out of poverty.

*  WRI Alumni are shining examples of what is possible through education.  Many of our former students have beaten the odds and gone on to thriving careers in social services, law, medicine, education and community leadership. Others are busy pursuing graduate degrees. Members of our vibrant alumni network regularly, give back to the program as mentors, volunteers, advisors and staff members so others may learn from their positive journeys.