Nonprofit Organizations Help Boost Voter Numbers, Study Finds

If one concurs with the adage that all politics is local, it should come as no surprise that the dust has barely settled on the state and national elections of 2012 as the focus shifts to the municipal–level elections of 2013. A Massachusetts-based organization devoted to increasing the role of nonprofit organizations in spurring voter interest and participation is already publicizing its “Voter Participation Starter Kit for Nonprofits and Social Service Agencies,” available for web download, coming off what it describes as the success of 2012.

The benchmark National Election Exit Poll showed that the lower income, younger, and diverse populations typically served by nonprofits accounted for a greater share of voter turnout than ever before. While some of this can be attributed to population increases, it was also aided by unprecedented voter education and engagement efforts from the nonprofit and civic sector, according to the organization reported.

“Nonprofits are among the nation’s most trusted messengers. An annual Harris poll consistently ranks nonprofits among the few sectors (small businesses are another) that respondents would like to have more rather than less influ­ence in government.”  That observation published in The Nonprofit Quarterly, from George Pillsbury, MPA, founder and executive direc­tor of Nonprofit VOTE, underscores the organization’s initiative.

He adds:  “Nonprofits of the 501(c)(3) variety are pre­sumed to have a limited capacity for promoting political participation because laws prohibit them from engaging in partisan politics to support or oppose a candidate for public office. Yet nonprof­its’ inherent civic engagement assets make them a potent force for political and electoral engage­ment, further strengthened by their nonpartisan approach.”

Organizations including the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits — a long-time partner of Nonprofit VOTE — have led this transition in recent years by bringing voter engagement into the sector mainstream. According to the organization’s newsletter, for the 2012 election they pointed a spotlight on the sector by sending educational materials on the needs of nonprofits to all state candidates.

“Elected officials pay attention to which communities and which populations turn out and are generally more responsive to organizations involved in registering voters and encouraging turnout,” emphasized Sophie Lehman, Communications Director for Nonprofit VOTE.

The National Election Exit Poll is the most relied on exit poll conducted by Edison Research on behalf of ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News.

Tale of Two Lists: Influential Leaders in Greater Hartford

‘Tis the season of making a list and checking it twice. Which will probably be the strategy employed by Hartford magazine next year, after enduring considerable criticism for omitting Latinos from their list and feature article on the “50 Most Influential” individuals in the Greater Hartford region - a prominent, lengthy and well-photographed December edition cover story.

Now, Latinos United for Professional Advancement (LUPA) has issued its list of the 50 most Influential Latinos in the region – a list not only impressive for who’s included, but for the numerous talented and highly placed Latinos who didn’t make the list, an indication of the growing breadth of leadership in the region by individuals of Hispanic heritage.  It is the first such list to be issued by the relatively new organization, aimed at bringing together and advancing the Latino professional community.

At least Hartford magazine will have a place to start when they consider candidates for next year’s cover story.

Yes, such lists are incredibly subjective.  But as LUPA points out, their list “was developed to demonstrate the significant roles Latinos play in the capital region and the influence they have on many facets” of life in the region and the state.  “The Latino population in Hartford is more than 45 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and in Connecticut the total population growth from 2000-2010 was 168,532 with Latinos comprising 158,764 of that population growth.”

See the LUPA list and the Hartford magazine list.  All good and worthy people, who are making significant contributions to the region.   That's 100 names, no overlap.

Concerns raised by ctlatinonews and others regarding the Hartford magazine list will, one would expect, result next year in other names “making their first appearance, new faces on the Greater Hartford scene that we expect to see more of in years to come,” to quote, in a slightly different context, the Hartford magazine list preamble.

State's Childhood Obesity Numbers Continue to Raise Concerns

M. Alex Geertsma, Chairman of Pediatrics at St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury and director of the Children's Health Center, says the road to childhood obesity is paved in tasty treats that are attracting children’s palates unnecessarily – and beginning very early in life. “Commercialism is driving change in how we feed our infants,” Geertsma recently told a group of advocates at a Capitol forum on childhood obesity.  Geertsma, who has practiced pediatrics in Connecticut for three decades, is a member of the Connecticut Commission on Children.

After being on a liquid diet for the first six months of life, they begin to taste discriminate, or recognize certain foods as tasty or disgusting. They begin to want something “novel” whether it is extremely sweet or really salty.  Food manufacturers take full advantage, producing choices with hefty salt content and other ingredients that begin to push the scales upward.

The increase in body fat has been occurring much earlier than seven to eight years of age in children who eventually become long-term obese. This pattern is worse in African-American and Latino children, Geertsma said.

A recently released report projects that if obesity rates continue on current trajectories, 46.5 percent of adults in Connecticut will be obese by 2030.  The rate in 2011 was 24.5 percent.  Commissioned by The Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the “F as in Fat Report” projects that nationally, 13 states could have adult obesity rates above 60 percent by 2030.

Currently Connecticut is not among the worst offenders, ranking among the states with the relatively lowest adult and childhood obesity rates (#40 in childhood obesity; #49 in adult obesity).

A report last year by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, “Overweight and Obesity Among Kindergarten and Third Grade Children in Connecticut,” found that the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in grade 3 children than in kindergarten children. Third grade girls were more likely to be obese when compared to kindergarten girls.  Similarly, third grade boys were more likely to be obese when compared to kindergarten boys.

Almost one third (32%) of all the students in the sample were either overweight or obese. The prevalence was similar when compared by sex. Third-graders (33.6%) were more likely to be either overweight or obese than children in Kindergarten (29.8%), but the difference was not statistically significant. However, the non-Hispanic Black (40.8%) and Hispanic (43.3%) children in the sample were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese than non-Hispanic White (26.8%) children.

Obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death in the United States, after smoking, according to the Connecticut Public Health Department.  If a child is overweight before age 8, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe, statistics by the American Academy of Pediatrics have noted.

The Connecticut Coalition Against Childhood Obesity, a coalition of more than 30 health advocacy organizations across the state which conducted the hearing, is encouraging discussion of ways to overcome the obesity epidemic, which they say is contributing to the academic achievement gap.

Quest Program Participants Target Issues From Sex Trafficking to Job Skills

Leadership Greater Hartford’s highly regarded Quest program develops and engages emerging and established leaders in the region through opportunities to sharpen skills, build new professional relationships and – most importantly - address pressing community issues.  The 2012 class of Quest – 47 participants strong – were grouped into four teams, each pursuing distinct and important projects during the course of the year.  Their work is already in evidence in the community, and received high praise at a recent “graduation” ceremony held at the Mark Twain House in Hartford.  The initiatives:

• The HartBeat Ensemble taskforce focused on what members described as the “appalling, abhorrent and terrifying nature of human sex trafficking” in the Hartford region, coordinating with the Hartford Police Department. They worked with HartBeat Ensemble, an ensemble company that creates original, professional theater based on stories from the community. To help increase public awareness of the issue, the taskforce developed a marketing, collaboration and public relations plan for their newest play in development, Project: Turnpike, which is based on the 2007 landmark federal trial of United States vs. Dennis Paris that took place in Hartford. The play represents 72 hours in the life of four exploited sex workers in a motel room on the Berlin Turnpike.  The play’s opening night is scheduled for April 24, 2013.

Law enforcement officials have observed that Hartford’s location  - near mass transit and between New York and Boston – contributes to the human trafficking industry’s presence here.  Recently, human trafficking – estimated to be a $32 billion-a-year business worldwide – has been the subject of a national crackdown by the travel industry, which has launched an initiative to train employees to identify and report potential trafficking incidents.    The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation along with Amtrak also announced plans to training 75,000 employees.

• The North End Career Resources taskforce focused on the importance of providing career resources to the North End community of Hartford.  They developed and conducted a “Job Skills Resources Fair” at the Albany Avenue Branch of the Hartford Public Library on September 25, 2012.  It was a job skills fair, not a job fair – with the goal of connecting fair attendees with the skills necessary to make them employable in a tough hiring environment.  The “vendors” were non-profit agencies that work in the areas of job skills training.
• The Billings Forge Community Works taskforce worked with Billings Forge Community Works, an innovative job education and training, housing, and community development organization that serves the residents of Hartford's Frog Hollow neighborhood. This taskforce accomplished three main goals: enhanced their corporate sponsorship program, implemented their auction event for the annual “Farm to Table” event/fundraiser and created an organizational membership program.
• The Hartford Children’s Theatre taskforce partnered with Hartford Children’s Theatre, which provides theatrical training and entertainment for Connecticut children and families. The taskforce focused on the summer theatrical production of Hartford Children’s Theatre and worked specifically in the areas of development, marketing and general public relations efforts.  In doing so, they not only raised sufficient funds to offset the costs of the production, they also provided input and novel suggestions for future marketing and fundraising operations.

Participating in Quest 2012 were:

Kelsey Aderman - Lincoln Financial Group Debbie Albrecht- Murtha Cullina, LLP. Deb Battit - Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Yvette Bello - Latino Community Services Theresa Benoit - ConnectiCare, Inc. Joe Bierbaum - Stone Academy Maureen Bowman - Travelers Monique (Roxanne) Brown - Phoenix Life Suzanne Butler - OptumHealth Katie Carges - Hartford Hospital Vrinda Dabke - OptumHealth Theresa Desilets - Cigna Steve  Dibella - Hartford Police Department Alisa Dzananovic - Saint Francis Hospital Martin Estey - Hartford Consortium for Higher Education Tom Farrish  - Day Pitney, LLP Fred Faulkner - The Open Hearth Julie Geyer - Capital Workforce Partners LaResse Harvey - Civic Trust Lobbying Company John Henry Decker - Certified Financial Planner Kelly Hewes - The Hartford Carolyn Hoffman - Junior League of Hartford, Inc. Margo  Kelleher - VestA Corporation Lynne  Kelleher - CT Children's Medical Center Ryan Kocsondy - University of Connecticut John McEntee - Travelers Nicole  Miller   Goodwin College Kelly Muszynski - OptumHealth Tokuji Okamoto - Our Piece of the Pie Mario Oquendo, Jr. - Hartford Fire Department Janet Pasqua - ConnectiCare, Inc. Lisa Pawlik - Catholic Charities Sara Phillips - Travelers Jason Roberts - Travelers Josie Robles - Hartford Behavioral Health Kevin Roy - Shipman & Goodwin LLP Michael Ryan - Lincoln Financial Group Leslie Sanborn - Oak Hill Jerene  Slivinsky - UnitedHealthcare Quinten  Smallwood - Travelers Danielle Smiley - City of Hartford - HHS Jen Sprague - United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Paul Stigliano - Hill-Stead Museum Amelinda Vazquez - Eastern Connecticut State University Sonia Worrell Asare, Esq. -  Travelers Andrea  Young - Goodwin College

Coastal Residents Tuned to Radio When Storm Hit; Ratings Soar

The arrival and immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last month brought not only destructive weather, but the return of an old fashioned medium to temporary prominence.  While those with power looked to television, cable news channels, the internet and social media for information, those whose electricity had disappeared, particularly those in the hardest-hit areas, turned to radio. The New York Times is reporting that data from Arbitron, the radio ratings service, indicates that from 7 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 29, when the storm made landfall in the region, an average of just more than a million people in the New York metropolitan area were listening to the radio during any 15-minute period.

That is an astonishing 70 percent increase from the same period the week before. Besides the five boroughs of New York City, the metropolitan market includes five counties in New York, nine in New Jersey and part of one in Connecticut.

The audience increase was astronomical in the pummeled coastal areas. In Connecticut, Stamford and Norwalk had a 367 percent increase during that period; in New Jersey, that figure was up 247 percent in Monmouth County, and up 195 percent in Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. These numbers increased even though some stations, like WNYC and WINS, lost their AM frequencies (although they continued to broadcast on FM.)

In some cases, as in past major storms, local stations without regular news staffs aired the audio of local television stations that were on the air with non-stop storm coverage.  For those with an abiding affinity for radio, the storm has become the preeminent recent example of the power of radio to provide critical information and reach large numbers of people in an emergency situation.  Some broadcast officials continue to urge the Federal Communications Commission to take action to encourage cell phones to have an FM radio receiver installed, harkening back to the generation for whom transistor radios were as ubiquitous as today’s cellphones.

Housing Supply Tight, Prices High, Choices Limited, Report Finds

Housing continues to be a challenge across Connecticut, with a new report outlining data that reveals a tight supply, high prices and limited choices for individuals and families looking to live and work in the state. The HousingInCT2012 report, by Partnership for Strong Communities, highlighted the following:

• Despite a housing downturn that pushed median sales prices 19% below their 2007 peak, Connecticut residents struggled with a housing supply problem that kept prices among the highest in the nation.

• Connecticut's housing production fell to 50th among the 50 states in 2011 and for the 2002-2011 decade. As a result, the extremely modest demand for homes still left the state with the 8th highest median sales price in the nation.

• The number of communities with affordable housing fell. While the state’s median home sales price declined to $240,000 from a 2007 peak of $295,000, cities and towns where 10% or more of the housing stock was affordable dropped to 29 of 169, from 31.

• Renters -- now 33% of all Connecticut households, up from 30% just two years ago -- suffered most from the dearth of supply.  Connecticut remained 33,000 units short of the number of affordable rental homes needed and, even more telling, 82,000 units short of the number that were both affordable and available, according to the Census.

• 26% of Connecticut's 436,000 renting households earn less than 50% of the median income and spend half of that meager income on housing; 51% of all renters spend more than 30% of their incomes on housing.

The report also noted that Connecticut grew older, jumping to 9th in 65-plus population, while young workers with average education debt of about $25,000 and older workers and retirees – half or more with less than $25,000 in savings – fueled demand for smaller, denser, affordable and energy-efficient homes.

The Partnership publishes HousingInCT annually to provide the public with a snapshot of our state’s housing market and needs, using current data and research.

Family Owned Businesses May Spur State's Economic Recovery

A hint of optimism goes a long way.  At least that’s the hope of Connecticut’s small businesses heading into 2013.  A new survey has found almost two-thirds of respondents project sales and revenue growth next year, which, if realized, could be just the boost the state’s economy needs. That growth is increasingly coming from beyond the state’s borders, the survey found.  While 47% of family businesses surveyed identify Connecticut sales as their greatest source of growth, 42% trace the majority of their revenue to other U.S. states, and 11% to international sales. This represents a significant shift from as recently as 2009, when 59% said Connecticut was their largest customer base and only 2% reported international sales as their greatest source of revenue.

The 2012 Survey of Connecticut Businesses, produced by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association and the University of New Haven’s Center for Family Business, highlights the challenges, concerns, and growth prospects a critical sector of the state’s economy.  Almost half of the businesses surveyed said their workforces will remain stable, while 43% plan on hiring new employees in 2013. In addition, many said they anticipated making significant investments in equipment, IT systems, facilities, and training.

Industries represented in the survey included manufacturing, services, retailing, construction, finance, insurance, real estate, wholesale trade, transportation, communications, and utility services.  Many cited the high cost of doing business in Connecticut as the single greatest obstacle to growth.  A lack of skilled workers, particularly in computer/IT knowledge, engineering and mechanical skills, and management and leadership also were noted as ongoing concerns.

Employment looks brighter in 2013: in addition to 43% of family busi­nesses planing  on hiring new employees in 2013 (compared to 30% in 2012), nearly half (48%) expect no change in their company size in 2013. Only 9% expect a decrease in their workforce in 2013, compared with 13% in 2012.The survey questionnaire was emailed to top executives at 3,000 family companies in August 2012. There were 580 responses, for a response rate of 19.3%, and a +/- 4.15% margin of error.

The average tenure for employees at Connecticut’s family businesses is 20.2 years for family members and 12.7 years for non-family members—both substantially higher than the national average for employees overall (4.6 years as of January 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Family businesses are vital to their communities and to the economy. The survey found that more than three-quarters of family business owners (77%) consider it important or very im­portant that they leave a positive, lasting legacy, and 53% intend to pass their business on to the next generation.

Overall, family businesses comprise 80%−90% of all businesses in North America, contributing 64% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), employing 62% of the U.S. workforce, and outperforming non-family firms on measures such as operating return on assets.

The 2012 Survey of Connecticut Businesses is part of CBIA’s Family Business Program, an initiative designed to support and grow the state’s thousands of family businesses.  Sponsored by CohnReznick, First Niagara Bank, and Reid and Riege PC, the program features forums and networking opportunities where business leaders can discuss solutions to issues ranging from family governance to succession planning.

Growing Senior Population Is Challenge for CT Workforce

As recently as 2010, 14 percent of Connecticut’s population was age 65 or older.  By 2025, that percentage will increase to 20 percent, and will continue to climb.  The implications of a larger, older population on the state’s economy and a range of services present both challenges and opportunities for the state.  Some suggest that the state’s population will begin to look more like Florida. Florida has the greatest proportion of people who are at least 65 (17.3 percent), followed by West Virginia (16 percent), Maine (15.9 percent), Pennsylvania (15.4 percent), and Iowa (14.9 percent).   Connecticut is among the top fifteen, at 14.2 percent.  There are now more Americans age 65 and older than at any other time in U.S. history, according to the U.S. Census Bureau  - 40.3 million people age 65 and older on April 1, 2010, up 5.3 percent from 35 million in 2000 (and just 3.1 million in 1900).

Connecticut is also one of only seven states in the nation with a median age that is above 40.  The others are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

In a recent presentation to a forum on education, Orlando Rodriguez, Senior Policy Fellow at Connecticut Voices for Children, noted that projections also indicate that the state’s percentage of young people, ages 0-19, will remain steady at 23 percent for the next 15 years, down slightly from the current 26 percent.  Among the state’s challenges is providing for a population at both ends of the age spectrum where costs such as education, health care and housing will be key drivers.

The pressure on the workforce is clear, as the percentage of non-workers (school age children and seniors) increases and the percentage of workers shrinks.  (One impactful variable may be the percentage of seniors who continue working, even part-time, well beyond age 65.)

The projections come as the school age population has declined statewide in recent years by 4 percent, which was largely anticipated but is soon expected to level off.  In only 26 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities has the school age population increased between 2006-07 and 2010-11. In the remainder, the school age numbers are down, with 19 communities seen more than a 10 percent drop in student numbers and 85 percent of cities and towns experiencing a reduction in their school age population.

CT Leader in Jobs, Salaries in Community & Social Service Fields

If you’re interested in working in the community and social service fields, Connecticut is the place to be, according to the latest federal data.  Nationally, community and social service occupations had an annual mean wage of $43,830, which was just below the U.S. all-occupations mean wage of $45,230, according to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the 2011 calendar year.   Out of the 17 occupations in the community and social service group, seven had a mean wage above the U. S. average and 10 had a mean wage below average. Connecticut, however, had among the highest levels in the nation. According to the federal agency, Connecticut had some of the highest annual average wages in the community and social services occupations, and a strong concentration of workers as well. The BLS reported recently that:

• Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford had the highest employment of any metropolitan area in Connecticut (2,370).   The area had the 14th-highest location quotient (2.00) out of all U.S. metropolitan areas and an annual average wage of $61,980. (Location quotients are useful for analyzing occupational employment while controlling for the size of the state. They are useful for comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the average or for finding areas that have high concentrations of jobs in certain occupations.)
• Waterbury, the metropolitan area with the highest location quotient (2.41) in Connecticut, had one of the highest average annual wages ($64,270) and employment of 330 for community and social service occupations.
• With an employment of 430 community and social service workers and a high location quotient (1.54), Norwich-New London had an annual average wage of $58,130, the lowest wage for this group out of the metropolitan areas in Connecticut, but still well above average.The Eastern non-metropolitan area had the second-highest annual average wage ($68,880) out of all U.S. non-metropolitan areas, the fourth-highest location quotient (2.63) out of all non-metropolitan areas, and an employment of 150 for community and social service occupations.

The state of Connecticut also has two non-metropolitan areas, Eastern and Northwestern.

• The Eastern non-metropolitan area had the second-highest annual average wage ($68,880) out of all U.S. non-metropolitan areas, the fourth-highest location quotient (2.63) out of all non-metropolitan areas, and an employment of 150 for community and social service occupations.

• The Northwestern non-metropolitan area had the third-highest annual average wage ($65,510) out of all non-metropolitan areas, the 21st-highest location quotient (1.84), and an employment of 140.

Nationally, some of the highest-paying occupations in the community and social service group were educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors ($56,540); health educators ($52,150); and probation officers and correctional treatment specialists ($52,110). Two of the lowest-paying occupations, social and human service assistants ($30,710) and religious workers, all other ($31,600), had the highest (359,860) and lowest (7,660) employment, respectively, in the occupational group.

Multi-generational homes increasing; CT below national average

The number of multi-generational households - grandparents, parents and children living together under the same roof - has been steadily increasing in recent years, though not as much in Connecticut.  More than 4.3 million, or 5.6 percent, of the 76 million family households in the U.S. today are families living together that include a grandparent, parent and children as well as other family members, according to a study by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The nationwide average of 5.6 percent compares with 3.7 percent of U.S. households that were multi-generational in 2000 and 4 percent in 2010. The American Community Survey conducts small-area estimates on a wide range of statistics about people and housing for every community across the country and Puerto Rico. Among the latest findings:

• There were more than 76 million family households in the United States. Of these, about 4.3 million (5.6 percent) were multi-generational households.
• In the Northeast, only New Jersey (6 percent) and New York (6.5 percent) had percentages above the national level.  Connecticut showed 5.1 percent, or an estimated 46,357 multi-generational households.  Massachusetts also had 5.1 percent, as did Rhode Island.
• Hawaii had the highest percentage of multi-generational households, accounting for 11.1 percent of all family households in that state.
• More than 85 percent of states where the percentage of family households that were multi-generational exceeded the national average were in the South or West, where more than 85 percent of states in those areas exceeding the national level. Southern states with percentages above the national level included the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi and Texas, all ranging from 5.9 percent to 7.3 percent. Western states with large numbers of multi-generational homes included Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico, each ranging from 6.2 percent to 11.1 percent.
• The state with the smallest percentage of multi-generational households was North Dakota, with around 2 percent.

Among multi-generational households, the majority (64.6 percent) included a householder, a child of the householder and a grandchild of the householder. Thirty-four percent contained a householder, a parent or parent-in-law and a child. Only 1.7 percent contained a parent or parent-in-law, a householder, a child of the householder and a grandchild of the householder.

Among multi-generational households nationally, nearly 65 percent included a head of household, a child and a grandchild. Thirty-four percent of multi-generational households contained a head of household, a parent or parent-in-law and a child, and those households tended to be in the Northeast and West. Only 1.7 percent of multi-generational households contained a parent or parent-in-law, a head of household, a child and a grandchild.

Nationwide, more than 10 percent of Hispanic and American Indian and Alaska Native households were multi-generational, while more than 9 percent of Black and Asian households were multi-generational.