The Better Business Bureau (BBB) suggests a few simple rules when selecting a mover will go a long way toward protecting yourself from being victimized by scammers this summer.

May is National Moving Month and the start of the busiest time of the year for changing residences. More than 37 million Americans—or about 13 percent—move to a different home every year, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau.

“Moving can be an overwhelming and expensive process, but it’s important to not put your valuable belongings in the hands of a moving company you cannot trust,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “When it comes to such an important decision you can prevent being scammed by doing thorough research on moving companies, and selecting a BBB Accredited Businesses or a business that has a good rating with the BBB.”

In fact, complaints against Movers have been on the rise. The Chicago BBB has received 402 complaints in the past 12 months, compared to 301 for the previous 12 month period, or a 33% increase. In addition, inquiries about Movers are up with 54,608 in the last 12 months, compared to 39,508 for the previous 12 months, or an increase of 38%. These complaints were primarily about damaged or lost goods and final prices in excess of original estimates.

“Because anyone with a truck and a website can claim to be a mover, our industry is plagued by con artists who don’t adhere for honesty and ethical conduct,” said American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) President and CEO Linda Bauer Darr. “When it comes to such an important decision, you can prevent a lot of headaches by checking on a company in advance to identify which put customer service and integrity first.”

The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and northern Illinois suggests the following for choosing a reliable moving company:

• Research the company thoroughly. Check the company’s rating with your BBB, which maintains more than 17,000 Business Reviews on movers across North America.
• Get at least three written in-home estimates. No legitimate mover will offer to give you a firm price online or over the phone. Also keep in mind that the lowest estimate can sometimes be an unrealistic low-ball offer which can cost you more in the end.
• Know your rights. Research your rights as a consumer with either FMCSA for interstate moves or the state in which you reside for moves within that state. Also, enlist the help of BBB or local law enforcement if the moving company fails to live up to its promises or threatens to hold your belongings hostage.
• Consider getting full value protection. It may cost a few dollars more up front, but it can provide some peace of mind and eliminate a headache after your move. Investing in full (replacement) value protection means any lost or damaged articles will be repaired or replaced, or a cash settlement will be made to repair the item or to replace it at its current market value, regardless of age. It’s important to note that the required minimum coverage of 60 cents per pound would not cover the replacement cost, for example, of a flat panel TV if damaged in transit.

With Complaints Up 33%, The Better Business Bureau Urges Consumers to be Smart when Selecting a Moving Company | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

By Andrew Thomason   Illinois Statehouse News

CHICAGO – Faults in Illinois’ political geography came to the surface Monday during a state Senate Redistricting Committee Monday.

Many minority groups voiced their worries about ignoring these fault lines during the upcoming redrawing of local, state and federal electoral boundaries in the state.

The Asian population of Illinois, which is the fastest growing minority population in the state, is particularly at risk for under-representation, several minority group advocates said.

The Chicago-based Asian American Institute, a nonprofit organization, says its mission is to “empower the Asian American community through advocacy, by utilizing education, research and coalition building,” according to its website.

Gandhi said that in addition to simply growing in numbers, the Asian community has become more civically engaged. For example, the number of registered voters in Chinatown has triple since 2000, according to Teresa Mah, of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community.

The 2010 census found that the Asian population in Illinois grew 39 percent. The Hispanic population, by comparison, grew 32.5 percent.

Redistricting takes place every decade in conjunction with new population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Mah, Gandhi and others said they are concerned about the lack of influence Asians and other minority groups have in elections, in part due to the fact that their demographic groups have been spread out during past remapping efforts.

No Asian candidate has ever been elected to the Legislature or any statewide office.

Groups said they intend to use census data to draw their own maps and present those during later hearings throughout the state.

While submitted maps and the testimony of the more than 20 people who testified will be available for anyone involved in the redistricting processes, there is no law that requires legislators to factor those comments and proposals into how the lines are laid out.

Most of those who testified in the packed hearing room said the only way to ensure their wants and needs are met is by having another round of hearings once a map has been drafted but before the legislature has voted on it. There is no requirement for that, though that’s not for lack of trying.

Concern about how quickly a new map could be passed has been raised because of the current political landscape in Springfield. For the first time since the adoption of the 1970 constitution, Democrats control both chambers in the Legislature and the governor’s office.

The next redistricting hearing is slated for April 6 in Springfield.

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

Minority communities ask for more representation | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — LATINA Style Magazine, the premier magazine addressing the needs of the Latina professional and business owner, is proud to kick off the LATINA Style Business Series Tour in Chicago, IL. The event will take place on Thursday, April 14, 2011 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Macy’s on State Street located at 111 N. State St. Chicago, IL 60602.

The Business Series, unique to LATINA Style Magazine, is a well known business development program empowering Latina entrepreneurs across the country. Over 28,000 Latina entrepreneurs and professionals have benefited from participating in this exciting and informative one-day business program since its conception in 1998.

The Business Series will showcase expert presenters to speak and interact with the audience. Participants will benefit from workshops and panel discussions about “Business structure including accountability, compliance and financing,” “Marketing using traditional and new technology methods of engaging customers,” and “Networking.” Participants will also learn to look successful with a limited budget from a fashion presentation by Macy’s, Inc.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic community in Illinois now exceeds 1.5 million in population, including nearly, 1 million Hispanics residing in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. As of 2006, over 17,000 Hispanic owned businesses help the state of Illinois generate nearly $3 million in revenue.

Our event co-chairs are dynamic Latina Leaders from Illinois: Diana Palomar Scott, Vice President of Community Affairs for ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV), and Gloria Castillo, President of Chicago United, a racially diverse corporate membership organization, which develops programs and advocates policies that build leadership relationships across racial groups to foster conditions of equal access to opportunities in executive level management, corporate governance and supplier diversity. Diana is responsible for guiding the station’s public service efforts and on-air PSA campaigns. She works with the non-profit community to help them enhance their media/marketing efforts, resource development and advocacy. As president of Chicago United, Gloria is an advocate for diversity and multicultural unity.

Our 2011 title sponsor, Macy’s, has engaged their local cosmetics partner, to showcase an all-day makeover lounge for attendees! Come and pamper yourself, at the Macy’s Make-up Lounge and receive tips from local makeup artists on achieving a professional look in the season’s best colors. Join Macy’s experts, as they share tips and tricks for creating a professional image in the workplace. This must-see seminar focuses on key pieces to enhance your career wardrobe and is sure to put you on the fast track to success.

Take advantage of the discounted registration fee of $45 ($100 at the door). To secure your admission, register online, by Friday, April 8, 2011. Please visit http://bs.latinastyle.com/register.php Fee includes: breakfast, awards luncheon, a gift bag, two-year subscription to LATINA Style Magazine, and the chance to win raffle prizes donated by our sponsors! For more information or to register for the Chicago Business Series, please visit our web at www.bs.latinastyle.com.

LATINA Style Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for the professional Hispanic woman, hosts the LATINA Style Business Series, bringing resources to entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in the local area.

SOURCE LATINA Style Magazine

http://www.bs.latinastyle.com
http://bs.latinastyle.com/register.php

Join LATINA Style to Celebrate 13 Years of Empowering Latina Entrepreneurs in Chicago, IL | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The following is being released by the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

What: Today, the Census Bureau shipped local 2010 Census data to the governor and leadership of the state legislature in Illinois. After confirmation of receipt, usually within 24 hours of shipment, the Census Bureau will issue a news release with five custom tables of data for the state. Tuesday’s release is expected around 3 p.m. EST. At that time, the full set of data will also be available via FTP download at http://www2.census.gov/census_2010/01-Redistricting_File–PL_94-171/. Within 24 hours after release, the data will be posted on the Census Bureau’s new American FactFinder site http://factfinder2.census.gov.

The data will include summaries of population totals, as well as data on race, Hispanic origin and voting age for multiple geographies within the state, such as census blocks, tracts, voting districts, cities, counties and school districts.

According to Public Law 94-171, the Census Bureau must provide redistricting data to the 50 states no later than April 1 of the year following the census. As a result, the Census Bureau is delivering the data state-by-state on a flow basis in February and March. All states will receive their data by April 1, 2011.

For More Information:

For more information on the Census Bureau’s Redistricting Data Program, visit http://www.census.gov/rdo and http://2010.census.gov/news/press-kits/redistricting.html.

Please visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/ for an interactive map showcasing county-level population change from 1960 to 2010, as well as state-level data on race and Hispanic or Latino origin for 2010. The widget will be updated as states are released and can be embedded on your website.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube (/uscensusbureau).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

Census Bureau Ships Local 2010 Census Data to Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Over the last ten years, the South Loop area saw a population boom unlike any other Chicago neighborhood, according to recent census estimates. Most of the new residents are white and the white population increased threefold in the last ten years.

These changes partly reflect Chicagos overall increase in white population. However, the neighborhoods changes are unique and show an area transformed from sparsely developed to dense, affluent and full of young professionals.

Historically, what you saw was the return of young professionals to the city who could not necessarily afford Lincoln Park or other Near North Side neighborhoods, said Virginia Carlson, president of Chicagos Metropolitan Information Center, a non-profit research and consulting group.

Curt Winkler, a professor of urban planning at the University of Illinois Chicago, described what has happened the last ten years as a feedback loop.

There was new housing that brought in entertainment and restaurants, Winkler said. And the entertainment and restaurants then brought in additional people.

These population estimates come from an analysis of the latest American Community Survey data compiled by the Census Bureau between 2005 and 2009. ACS is distinct from the ten-year census: The Census Bureau is scheduled to release 2010 Census data next month.

ACS data corresponds to the 77 recognized Chicago neighborhoods. One of these neighborhoods is the Near South Side, whose boundaries are roughly south of Roosevelt Road, north of 26th Street, west of the Chicago River, and east to Lake Michigan.

Between 2000 and 2009, the Near South Side population skyrocketed 75 percent from 9,509 to 16.657 residents. No other neighborhood came close: the next highest population increase was the South Sides Burnside neighborhood with a 25 percent jump.

The Near South Sides neighboring Loop and Near West Side saw population increases of 23 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

Equally eye-popping was the Near South Sides sea change in race demographics.

The white population jumped 203 percent from 2,502 residents in 2000 to 7,591 residents in 2009. The black population, meanwhile, stayed basically the same going from 6,103 to 6,148 residents. The neighborhoods small Latino population increased slightly to 802 residents.

What has happened on the Near South Sides bears only a tenuous similarity to citywide trends.

Whites will likely become the citys biggest racial group for the first time since 1980. However, Chicago is actually estimated to have lost 45,000 residents in the last ten years.

Kevin Jackson, executive director for the Chicago Rehab Network, points out that in many neighborhoods white residents pushed out black residents as housing prices increased.

In the Near South Side, though, blacks were not displaced its just that white residents came back in droves, mainly to the new South Loop high rises.

Also, while overall median city income slightly declined from 2000 to 2009, it increased by almost 40 percent in the Near South Side. The median Near South Side household income is almost $80,000 compared to about $47,000 citywide.

One reason for these demographic changes was the previous under-development, Jackson said.

The increase in population was a no-brainer given that there wasnt housing here before, he said.

City policies also played a role.

There has been a conscious effort to develop that area, including beautification efforts by Mayor Daley who lives in the South Loop, said Winkler

But the biggest reason was the Near South Sides proximity to downtown jobs.

There did seem to be a shift in the last ten years to more people who saw biking and walking to work as a healthy alternative, Winkler said.

Jackson suggested that South Loop development was fairly inevitable.

If you have a lucrative housing market twelve blocks north of downtown, why not have the same twelve blocks south of downtown? he said.

Time will tell, however, if the Near South Side will take after the Near North Side and become a community of established wealth. Along with the Loop and Near West Side, the Near South Side has recently endured a major increase in foreclosures.

Also, the Near South Side must prove it has the housing, schools, and other facilities that will keep new families in the neighborhood.

You need housing stock that is suitable to families and children, Winkler said.

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Originally reported by Chicago Journal. Read the original story here.

South Loop transformed | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

(Flickr/Jorge Ravines)

According to new data released in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Demographic Analysis; young Hispanic people are now the fastest growing part of the population.

Kenneth Johnson is a demographer at the University of New Hampshire. He said in Chicago the Hispanic population makes up the majority of the city’s population growth.

“Chicago is losing many of its other populations,” he said. “The growth of the Hispanic population through natural increase is one of the few new sources of growth for the city of Chicago and an important area of growth for the Chicago metropolitan area.”

The Demographic Analysis shows the nation’s population was roughly 308 million people as of April 1st this year. That estimate falls in the middle of the population analysis; the high end of the analysis reaches up to over 312 million people. The results of the demographic study will be used to help analyze the 2010 Census results due out later this month.

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Hispanic youth now the largest growing demographic in United States | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Four Small Business Owners Will Receive $5,000 Grants To Help Grow Their Businesses

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 18 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — To recognize the value and importance of small business growth across the country, Sears Holdings is conducting a competition that will award four $5,000 grants to small businesses with the Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro/Your Company, Your Future grant competition starting this October through December 31, 2010.  According to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanic-owned firms increased by 43.7 percent, more than twice the national rate, between 2002 and 2007.  With small business representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms, Sears Holdings aims to encourage growth within this segment of the economy.

Business owners can enter by completing an online form and submitting a brief essay on what inspired them to create their businesses.  Entrants also can refer up to four friends to participate.

In a further effort to encourage small business owners, Sears Holdings enlisted the help of well-known Hispanic journalist, talk show host and entrepreneur Cristina Saralegui, who recently launched an exclusive soft home line collection, Casa Cristina™. The bed and bath collections, currently available at Sears and Kmart stores in both the U.S. and Puerto Rico, were created by Saralegui and inspired by her Miami home as well as memories from her childhood.

“Sears Holdings is proud to do its part to support small businesses in the United States while encouraging business owners to pursue their dreams of economic prosperity,” says David Friedman, SVP and president, Marketing, Sears Holdings. “We were inspired to take on this effort by the recent launch of the new Casa Cristina home line at Sears and Kmart by renowned Hispanic journalist Cristina Saralegui.  As one of the country’s most recognized journalists and entrepreneurs, Cristina is a true example of the American dream.”

Saralegui’s Casa Cristina line, which recently launched at Sears and Kmart stores, is one of the award-winning journalist’s ventures which also include a production studio and a bilingual website.  ”I’m very excited about the opportunity Sears is offering small businesses and as Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close, I want to encourage Latin-owned businesses to participate and keep striving to make their dreams a reality,” said Saralegui.  ”I’m honored to have inspired the company to take on such an effort.  As a business owner, I know firsthand how valuable it is to feel supported and encouraged.  I urge business owners across the country to go online and register for a chance to win a Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro/Your Company, Your Future Grant.”

To participate, business owners can visit www.sears.com/tuempresatufuturo to register and to view contest rules*.

*No purchase necessary.  A purchase will not increase chances of winning.  Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.), 18 years and older who own their own business for at least one (1) year.  Void where prohibited.  Contest ends December 31, 2010.  For official rules and prize descriptions, visit www.sears.com/tuempresatufuturo.  Sponsor: Sears Holdings Management Corporation: 3333 Beverly Rd., Hoffman Estates, IL  60179.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada.  Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance.  Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year.  Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands’ End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands.  It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart.  We are the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually.  Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.  For more information, visit Sears Holdings’ website at www.searsholdings.com.

About Cristina Saralegui

Twelve–time Emmy® award winning Cristina is one of the most recognizable and trusted names in the Hispanic community. Time magazine selected her as one of the “25 Most Influential Hispanics in America” and Home Furnishings News (HFN) Magazine named her one of the “50 Most Influential People in Design and Home Furnishings.”  Cristina is the host and executive producer of “The Cristina Show” one of the highest rated programs on Spanish-language television airing Monday nights at 10PM on the Univision Network.  Cristina made headlines this summer when she announced that after 21 years she would be ending her show this fall. The last episode of “The Cristina Show” airs on Monday, November 1st.

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation

http://www.searsholdings.com

Sears Holdings Encourages Small Business Growth With Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro/Your Company, Your Future Grants | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO (AP) — New census figures show poverty rising in Illinois.

The U.S. Census Bureau figures were released Tuesday. They show increases in both the number and percentage of people living in poverty from 2008 to 2009.

Last year, 13.3 percent of Illinois residents had incomes below the poverty threshold, up 1 percentage point from 2008. Nearly 1.7 million Illinoisans were living in poverty in 2009.

Thirty other states saw similar increases. The census says a family of four making less than $22,000 a year is living in poverty.

Vermilion County in eastern Illinois had the highest poverty rate of the state’s largest counties, with nearly 24 percent of residents in poverty.

The figures come from the American Community Survey, which is sent to about 3 million households each year.

New census data show poverty rising in Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO (AP) — In the midst of an economic downturn, Illinois children were slightly more likely to be covered by health insurance in 2009 than the year before, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau figures.

The numbers suggest government safety net programs, including former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s “All Kids” expansion of coverage, are helping some children when parents lose benefits along with jobs.

The census data released Tuesday show the percentage of Illinois children with health insurance grew between 2008 and 2009, from about 94 percent to about 95 percent.

Macon County had the highest rate of uninsured children of the 23 largest counties in Illinois. The 2009 census data show nearly 14 percent of Macon County children were uninsured that year.

Among Macon County residents of all ages, about 15 percent were uninsured, the census data show, making it one of the highest county rates of uninsurance in the state, along with Cook and Kankakee counties. The overall rate of uninsurance in Illinois was 13.3 percent in 2009.

“We very much live paycheck to paycheck,” said school bus driver Kim Bennett, 49, of Decatur in Macon County. “By the time we pay for everything, there isn’t enough money left to get insurance.”

The loss of manufacturing jobs in Macon County left many families without health coverage, said Barbara Dunn, executive director of the Community Health Improvement Center in Decatur. The county’s high uninsurance rate for children will spur her health centers to be more aggressive in urging parents to cover their kids, she said.

“We are going to push them harder,” Dunn said. “We’re going to ask, why are they uninsured?”

Illinois was the first state to promise health insurance to all children. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s expansion of insurance to illegal immigrant children and children whose family income is too high for traditional government insurance cost $70 million last year.

The children added under “All Kids” – about 94,500 children in 2009 – aren’t eligible for federal funds, so the program’s cost falls on state taxpayers.

The new census data show other states with child insurance rates as high or higher than Illinois. Massachusetts, the model for the new national health law, did the best with 98.5 percent of children insured.

Others with high rates of insurance for kids in 2009 were Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

In Illinois, depending on family income, parents can pay from zero to $300 per child per month for coverage under All Kids. A family of four making $72,000 a year can pay $140 a month for two or more children, or $70 a month for one child.

Some parents don’t insure their children because they don’t want to pay the premiums, said Dunn, who runs several safety net health clinics in central Illinois. Others neglect to do the paperwork or are embarrassed to sign up for a government program, she said.

At about 5 percent, Illinois’ rate of uninsured children is far better than the national rate of 9 percent uninsured children in 2009.

“Illinois is proud to be among the top states in covering children, and is thrilled that the new data shows that 95 percent of all Illinois’ children have health insurance of some kind,” said Illinois Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos.

The figures come from the American Community Survey, which is sent to about 3 million households each year. The survey started asking about health coverage in 2008.

Nationally, the number of people covered by private health insurance fell from 201.0 million to 194.5 million from 2008 to 2009, according to the Census Bureau. The number covered by government programs climbed from 87.4 million to 93.2 million.

Census: Child health coverage rises in Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Immediate, Expert Analysis Available Regarding Counties and Places in the Midwest, Illinois, and Chicago Area

CHICAGO, Sept. 28 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The U.S. Census Bureau released new local information on income, poverty rates, and health insurance coverage from the American Community Survey on Tuesday, September 28. The Social IMPACT Research Center has done the analysis for you, creating a series of fact sheets that include a 2009 snapshot and trend over time analysis. Some highlights are below:

• 13.9% of Midwesterners are living in poverty. The number of people in poverty in the Midwest dramatically grew by 2,702,429 people from 1999 to 2009.
• The Illinois poverty rate rose 24% from 1999 to 2009. In 2009 the poverty rate in Illinois was 13.3%, up from 12.2% in 2008 and 10.7% in 1999.

Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29 experts on poverty issues will be available to provide analysis of the data and discuss their context and implications.

The new data cover state and local income and poverty estimates for the year 2009 as well as state and local health insurance coverage data. The Social IMPACT Research Center is creating customized fact sheets with local data for the geographies below available at http://www.heartlandalliance.org/povertyreport.

Illinois

ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES

Macon County

Will County

Evanston

Indiana

Adams County

Madison County

Arlington Heights

Joliet

Iowa

Champaign County

McHenry County

Aurora

Naperville

Kansas

Cook County

McLean County

Bloomington

Palatine

Michigan

DeKalb County

Peoria County

Bolingbrook

Peoria

Minnesota

DuPage County

Rock Island County

Champaign city

Rockford

Missouri

Kane County

Sangamon County

Chicago

Schaumburg

Nebraska

Kankakee County

St. Clair County

Cicero

Skokie

North Dakota

Kendall County

Tazewell County

Decatur

Springfield

South Dakota

Lake County

Vermilion County

Elgin

Waukegan

Wisconsin

LaSalle County

The Social IMPACT Research Center (IMPACT) provides dynamic research and analysis on today’s most pressing social issues and solutions to inform and equip those working toward a just global society. As such, IMPACT conducts research to increase the depth of understanding and profile of social issues and solutions; develops recommendations and action steps; communicates findings using media, briefings, and web strategies to influence a broad base of decision makers; and Impacts social policy and program decisions to improve the quality of life for poor and low-income individuals.

SOURCE Social IMPACT Research Center

Significant Increases in Poverty Throughout the Midwest and Across Illinois Indicate Families Mired in Hardship | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The number of US children being raised by their grandparents rose sharply as the recession began, according to a new analysis of census data. The reasons, while sombre, were not all economic.

These grandparents often give themselves high marks as caregivers, but many face distinctive stresses as they confront unanticipated financial burdens and culture shock that come with the responsibilities of child-raising.

In all, roughly seven million US children live in households that include at least one grandparent, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the most recent Census Bureau data, from 2008. Of that number, 2.9 million were being raised primarily by their grandparents – up 16 per cent from 2000, with a 6 per cent surge just from 2007 to 2008.

“Clearly something was going on” in those years, said Pew senior researcher Gretchen Livingston, a co-author of the analysis. “We don’t have the data to explicitly state that this is related to recession, but it’s a very educated guess.”

Reasons for grandparents taking over child-rearing duties are manifold – often involving a single parent who becomes overwhelmed with financial problems, is incarcerated, succumbs to illness or substance abuse, or dies. High rates of divorce and teen pregnancies fuel the phenomenon, as do long overseas deployments confronting some parents in the military.

“It’s almost inevitable that there is some stress around the reason these grandparents and grandchildren come together,” said Donna Butts, executive director of the non-profit advocacy group Generations United.

“You’re talking about older adults who have agreed to make some sacrifice in their life, and they need to have some support and respect,” Ms. Butts said. “There are a lot of emotions that the children and the grandparents experience – an anger, a loss of their traditional role.”

Roberta Jackson of Winston-Salem, N.C., went through that sort of emotional wringer eight years ago when she agreed to raise her grandson, Drew, who was 6 at the time, after his mother became incapacitated by bipolar disorder.

“When he came to live with me, I had just retired,” Ms. Jackson, 63, said. “I had raised six children of my own, and I wanted to do what I wanted. Drew didn’t want to be with me, and I really didn’t want to be responsible for him.”

For several years, Ms. Jackson said, Drew proved to be a disciplinary challenge. “The more rules I laid down, the more rebellious he got.”

But she enrolled the two of them in counselling sessions, got support from local agencies and sought out a host of activities for Drew, including a Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a youth football league. Drew, who will turn 15 later this month, has improved his grades, and his grandmother hopes he’s on track to go to college.

“We’ve become partners now,” she said. “We’ve learned to trust each other.”

According to the Pew Center, most grandparents give themselves high marks for the role they are playing in their grandchildren’s lives – with a majority saying they are doing a very good or excellent job and fewer than 10 per cent rating themselves at “fair” or “poor.”

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry notes that many children living with grandparents enter that arrangement with pre-existing problems stemming from abuse, neglect, prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, and loss of their parents.

“Many grandparents in this caretaking role underestimate or are unaware of the added burdens their new role as ‘parents’ will place upon them,” warns the academy. It urges these grandparents to seek support and assistance from other family members, clergy, social agencies and mental health professionals.

More U.S. grandparents raising their grandchildren | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The number of US children being raised by their grandparents rose sharply as the recession began, according to a new analysis of census data. The reasons, while sombre, were not all economic.

These grandparents often give themselves high marks as caregivers, but many face distinctive stresses as they confront unanticipated financial burdens and culture shock that come with the responsibilities of child-raising.

In all, roughly seven million US children live in households that include at least one grandparent, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the most recent Census Bureau data, from 2008. Of that number, 2.9 million were being raised primarily by their grandparents – up 16 per cent from 2000, with a 6 per cent surge just from 2007 to 2008.

“Clearly something was going on” in those years, said Pew senior researcher Gretchen Livingston, a co-author of the analysis. “We don’t have the data to explicitly state that this is related to recession, but it’s a very educated guess.”

Reasons for grandparents taking over child-rearing duties are manifold – often involving a single parent who becomes overwhelmed with financial problems, is incarcerated, succumbs to illness or substance abuse, or dies. High rates of divorce and teen pregnancies fuel the phenomenon, as do long overseas deployments confronting some parents in the military.

“It’s almost inevitable that there is some stress around the reason these grandparents and grandchildren come together,” said Donna Butts, executive director of the non-profit advocacy group Generations United.

“You’re talking about older adults who have agreed to make some sacrifice in their life, and they need to have some support and respect,” Ms. Butts said. “There are a lot of emotions that the children and the grandparents experience – an anger, a loss of their traditional role.”

Roberta Jackson of Winston-Salem, N.C., went through that sort of emotional wringer eight years ago when she agreed to raise her grandson, Drew, who was 6 at the time, after his mother became incapacitated by bipolar disorder.

“When he came to live with me, I had just retired,” Ms. Jackson, 63, said. “I had raised six children of my own, and I wanted to do what I wanted. Drew didn’t want to be with me, and I really didn’t want to be responsible for him.”

For several years, Ms. Jackson said, Drew proved to be a disciplinary challenge. “The more rules I laid down, the more rebellious he got.”

But she enrolled the two of them in counselling sessions, got support from local agencies and sought out a host of activities for Drew, including a Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a youth football league. Drew, who will turn 15 later this month, has improved his grades, and his grandmother hopes he’s on track to go to college.

“We’ve become partners now,” she said. “We’ve learned to trust each other.”

According to the Pew Center, most grandparents give themselves high marks for the role they are playing in their grandchildren’s lives – with a majority saying they are doing a very good or excellent job and fewer than 10 per cent rating themselves at “fair” or “poor.”

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry notes that many children living with grandparents enter that arrangement with pre-existing problems stemming from abuse, neglect, prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, and loss of their parents.

“Many grandparents in this caretaking role underestimate or are unaware of the added burdens their new role as ‘parents’ will place upon them,” warns the academy. It urges these grandparents to seek support and assistance from other family members, clergy, social agencies and mental health professionals.

Number of U.S. grandparents raising their grandkids rises sharply | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON – There were an estimated 4.3 million babies born in the United States in 2008 — and 340,000 of them, or 8 percent, were born into families where at least one parent was an illegal immigrant.

The Pew Hispanic Center study, which looks at March 2009 U.S. Census Bureau data, shines a light on the 14th Amendment argument, regarding so-called anchor babies, and whether or not all children born the U.S. should be automatically awarded citizenship despite their parents’ status.

While adult illegal immigrants make up only 4 percent of the U.S. population comparatively, since they are relatively young and have high birthrates, their children make up a higher percentage of the newborn population (8 percent).

The study also found that 7 percent of the youth population in the U.S. (children under the age of 18) were born to one or more unauthorized parents.

Nearly 4 in 5 of those 5.1 million children were born in this country, and therefore, are legal citizens. That means that 4 million children living in the U.S. who were born here to one or more unauthorized parents were automatically awarded citizenship. The remaining 1.1 million children were born elsewhere and living in the United States illegally.

About 85 percent of the parents who are illegal immigrants are Hispanic, according to the Pew Center findings.

The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. It was initially implemented to grant citizenship to children born of slaves.

That amendment is now the center of another immigration debate, an apparent spinoff of the debate revisited in the furor over Arizona’s new immigration law.

Arizona Sen. Russell Pearce, the sponsor of SB1070, is just one of a group of politicians who have called for the courts to take another look at interpreting the 14th Amendment.

In 2009, immigrants — both legal and unauthorized — made up 12.8 percent of the total population of the United States and 15.7 percent of the total adult population.

According to an Arizona Rasmussen Reports poll taken in July, 64 percent of likely voters said that children born to illegal immigrants should not automatically become citizens of the United States. 26 percent disagreed and say these children should become U.S. citizens.

Across the nation, 58 percent of voters say a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country should not automatically become a citizen of the United States.

The rest of the study examines family and household structure, including fertility rates among immigrant families. Click here for the data: pewhispanic.org/files/reports/125.pdf

More Talkers You Should See

• Republicans Target 14th Amendment – ‘Anchor Babies’
• Republicans Want Review of Birthright Citizenship
• Poll: 64% Say No to Anchor Babies
• ‘Anchor Babies’ at Center of Debate

Originally reported by FOX News Chicago. Read the original article here.

8% of US Babies Born to Illegal Parents | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, July 8 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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THURSDAY, JULY 8: HOT DOGS

Profile America — Thursday, July 8th.  Local businesses in Luverne, Minnesota, will host a unique annual event for the 47th time this evening, in which some 12,000 hot dogs and drinks will be given away free in a street fair setting.  This is just one event celebrating National Hot Dog Month.  Whether we call them frankfurters — noting their German origin, wieners, or just plain hot dogs, we love them.  From Memorial Day to Labor Day, we will eat 7 billion of them.  Americans will eat enough hot dogs just at major league ballparks this year to stretch from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg, Florida, and back again.  Hot dogs are an important part of the $26 billion a year processed meat industry in the U.S.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Chase’s Calendar of Events 2010, p. 362

National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Vital Hot Dog Statistics

2002 Economic Census, NAICS 311612

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 8 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, July 7 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7: FIRST CONCRETE ROAD

Profile America — Wednesday, July 7th.  The residents of Bellfontaine, Ohio, had a lot to talk about this week in 1891 — an eight-foot wide section of Main Street, where horses were hitched, had just been paved with concrete by engineer George Bartholomew, who supplied his own materials.  This was the first use of concrete as a road surface in North America. This experimental section not only proved to be sturdy, it still exists.  Now, it is a historical site, including a statue of Bartholomew. When the road in Bellfontaine was paved, America moved by horse and buggy, and just about every road in the nation was unpaved.  Now, there are just over four million miles of roads cris-crossing the country, including nearly 47,000 miles of interstate highway.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Kane’s Famous First Facts, 6622

www.ohioconcrete.org

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1053

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 7 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, July 5 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, JULY 5: ZIP CODES

Profile America — Monday, July 5th.  This is a key week in postal history.  The first stamps issued by the U.S. Post Office went on sale in 1847.  A five cent stamp pictured Benjamin Franklin, while one costing 10 cents honored George Washington.  Before then, there were no uniform stamps — a haphazard system of private postal services around the country had issued their own.  And in 1963, the postal service introduced the five digit zip code to help speed mail to the proper destination.  That year, Americans sent nearly 68 billion pieces of mail.  Today, the postal service handles nearly 208 billion pieces of mail annually — which works out to about two items for each person in the country every day.  Profile America is in its 14th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase’s Calendar of Events 2010, p. 351

Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 804

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 351

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 5 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, July 4 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SUNDAY, JULY 4: INDEPENDENCE DAY

Profile America — Sunday, July 4th.  Today is the most American of holidays — Independence Day. In towns from Oregon to Maine, there will be parades, band concerts, barbecues and of course, fireworks.  Sheboygan Falls, Minnesota, will host its annual Plastic Duck Race on the river, the Hometown Family Fourth in Hollywood, Florida, is expected to draw 100,000 people, and Mystic, Connecticut, will recreate an 1870 Fourth of July.  It was on this date in 1776 that the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, starting some 2.5 million people on the road to becoming a sovereign nation — a nation that today is home to close to  310 million Americans.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase’s Calendar of Events 2010, p. 355-356

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB10-FF.12

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 4 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, June 30 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30: MAIL WITH WINDOWS

Profile America — Wednesday, June 30th.  A patent was granted this month in 1902 for something that most of us would probably rather not see — an envelope with a transparent window in it, usually meaning a bill.  The inventor, Americus Callahan of Chicago, called his idea the “outlook” envelope.  The idea caught on quickly, as businesses discovered that it saved them the expense and time of addressing each envelope — since the address on the letter it contained could be seen through the window.  The year Callahan’s invention was introduced, there were nearly 76,000 post offices around the U.S.  While the amount of mail has grown enormously, there are now just over 27,000 offices.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Today in Science

440 International Calendar of Events, Those Were The Days

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1090

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for June 30 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, June 29 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, JUNE 29: QUENCHING SUMMER THIRST

Profile America — Tuesday, June 29th.  In the past, hot summer days meant that some enterprising youngsters in the neighborhood would setup a lemonade stand at five cents a glass, or the family would share a pitcher of iced tea on the front porch to cool off.  Today, the drink of choice is a soft drink, usually carbonated.  And while the summer heat does call for more to drink, Americans have a powerful thirst all year long.  As a result, we each drink about 49 gallons of soft drinks annually — up 15 gallons in 20 years.  The increasing popularity of bottled water has lead to an even greater increase.  In 1980, we each drank about 2-1/2 gallons of bottled water.  Now that figure is over 29 gallons a year.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 210

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for June 29 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON, June 20 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SUNDAY, JUNE 20: FATHER’S DAY

Profile America — Sunday, June 20th.  This is one of the nation’s favorite days — Father’s Day. However you celebrate the day — a funny card, perhaps a tool he’s always wanted, or dinner at his favorite restaurant, it’s a day to say thanks to the dads, stepfathers, grandfathers, and other father figures for all they’ve done for each of us.  The observance goes back a hundred years, when Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington, wanted to honor her father who raised six children by himself after his wife died.  The idea caught on and spread across the country, but didn’t become official until 1966.  Across the country, there are slightly more than 68 million men who are fathers.  Just under 26 million of them are part of married couple families with children younger than 18.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase’s Calendar of Events 2010, p. 331l

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB10-FF.11

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov

U.S. <!–more–>Census Bureau Daily Feature for June 20 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.