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JOIN--Jobs and Opportunity to Improve Neighborhoods--was a coalition of more than 100 community, human service, and advocacy groups organized in 1997 by the Institute for the Study of Civic Values in Philadelphia to fight for liberty and justice for
TANF recipients now being pushed into the workforce under welfare reform.
The JOIN agenda called
upon the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia to support education and training, reverse commuting,; affordable, quality child care, and community service jobs for TANF parents seeking
employment. . JOIN worked on behalf of these goals for three years up to 1997, when welfare reform in Pennsylvania officially began. Because of these efforts, most of what the coalition demanded has been the
framework for welfare-to-work programs ever since.
Today, the problem of creating jobs--especially jobs accessible to people with limited education--is tougher than ever. We are in the midst of the worst recession since the great
Depression. Unemployment in this region stands at 11%--the highest rate in recent memory. More than 20,000 Pennsylvania households have ended up on welfare since January.
Many of those who have lost jobs this year worked in service agencies supported by government to help families and neighborhoods. Somehow, these jobs don't count, even
though this is a terrible blow to our economy.
In response, the Washington-based Coalition on Human Needs is building its own
"Jobs Agenda for a Sustained Recovery" to fight for service jobs.
Robert Kuttner, founding Editor of the American Prospect
has been a strong voice among economists arguing that
"Good Jobs for Americans Who Help Americans" should be an integral part of any economic recovery strategy. We agree.
Now a number of members of Congress are prepared to support a new stimulus program, aimed at providing needed support to state and local governments facing devastating deficits
and cutbacks in the coming year.
This is matter of great urgency for communities throughout the country. We, in Philadelphia, should take the lead in putting these proposals on the national agenda. A framework
for community jobs has already been created by the economic recovery plan. To see how state and local governments are implementing these programs throughout the country go to Communities Matter.org An in-depth look at how stimulus funds are being
invested in Pennsylvania follows--along with leading sponsors and advocates of public service employment in our city..
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