services for fathers > economic impacts on fathers & families

Navigating a New Normal

links for professionals to address economic impacts on fathers & families

 This webpage was developed, fall 2010, by the facilitators and organizers of a set of workshops about the economic impacts of the recession on families, fathers, and future expectations. The sessions were organized and presented by the University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Fathers & Families Network.

GENERAL: ECONOMY & FAMILY LIFE

Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
The Fragile Families study addresses four questions: (1) What are the conditions and capabilities of unmarried parents, especially fathers?; (2) What is the nature of the relationships between unmarried parents?; (3) How do children born into these families fare?; and (4) How do policies and environmental conditions affect families and children? Online here.

Minnesota Data Trends
This site looks at the financial struggles faced by increasing numbers of Minnesotans, and the economic forces that shape them. The data presented goes beyond the immediate economic crisis, focusing on longer-term trends in income, employment, and the cost of basic needs such as food, health care, housing, and transportation. Online here.

Pew Research Center: Social and Demographic Trends
The Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project studies behaviors and attitudes of Americans in key realms of their lives, including family, community, health, finance, work and leisure. Online here.

Health, Education, Welfare, and Poverty: Federal Reserve Bank
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis offers various resources on the topics of health, education, and welfare (online here) and a related page on the topic of poverty (online here).

Minnesota Economy Blog
Minnesota Public Radio offers the Minn Econ blog to provide insights on Minnesota's economy. Online here.

Income's Influence on Happiness
View the report that found that while happiness rose steadily with annual income, the quality of everyday experiences did not improve beyond approximately $75,000 a year. Online here.

The Long-Range Impact of the Recession on Families
Read this well-researched article from the Council on Contemporary Families. Online here.


PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND TAX CREDIT INFORMATION

Public Benefits in Minnesota
Click here to find this two-page, basic summary of rules for six family assistance programs in Minnesota that can assist fathers, even if they are unmarried, the special rules for shared custody arrangements, and more.

Bridge to Benefits
This online web tool, sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, is designed to improve the well-being of families and individuals by linking them to public work support programs and tax credits. Online here.

Minnesota Family Assistance: A Guide to Public Programs
This guide, December 2009, from Minnesota House Research, describes the federal and state programs that provide assistance to Minnesota families in the form of income, health care, child care, food purchasing, and housing.Online here.

Help for Low-Income Minnesotans to Solve Civil Legal Problems
On lawhelpmn.org, you can find easy to understand answers and information about legal needs and questions, including public benefits programs. For providers, there is the booklet, "Tax Credit Primer for Social Service Providers, 2009"; and for clients, lots of fact sheets, including "Can I Claim a Child on My Tax Return?". View the full site here.

Tax and Financial Services for Those in Need
This site, accountabilitymn.org, offers free tax assistance to low-income taxpayers, financial services to encourage asset-building, and more. Online here.

JOBS & FAMILY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Financial Management Resources / Family Resource Management
These free online resources from the University of Minnesota Extension offer helpful hints and support related to Resource Management. Online here. Also, be sure to see the Resource List with dozens of good links, here.

JOBS NOW Coalition
The JOBS NOW Coalition is committed to the idea that all Minnesota workers will have the opportunity to earn a family-supporting wage. The Coalition advances its agenda through research, education, and advocacy. Online here.

Financial Education Resources
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis offers various links for financial education opportunities in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Online here.

Older Worker Toolkit
This site offers dozens of publications for employers seeking to engage older workers and for older workers looking for employment. Online here.


FOOD & HUNGER

Hunger Solutions Minnesota
Visit this website to find food support, food shelves, meals on wheels, WIC (women, infants & children), and other sources of food for families across Minnesota. Online here.

Hunger-Free Minnesota
Hunger-Free Minnesota is an emerging movement to end hunger in communities, initiated by a coalition of partners united in the common belief that food is a basic and essential human right that every Minnesotan should enjoy. Learn more here.

Minnesota Department of Human Services: Food Support
Visit this page for information about government food assistance programs in Minnesota. Online here.

Nutrition Education Programs across Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension offers nutrition education for Food Support-eligible clients. Find your local program, online here.

Second Harvest Heartland
Second Harvest offers a variety of programs and services to directly fight hunger and to support the work of other agencies in their work to combat hunger.

HOUSING ISSUES

Heading Home Minnesota
Heading Home Minnesota is a statewide initiative to end homelessness and is the umbrella organization for ten regional initiatives. Online here.

Initiative Quarterly: Dreams of Home
The March 2010 issue of the magazine was dedicated to the topic of the housing foreclosure crisis, affordable housing, and the challenges of ending longterm homelessness. Online here.

Homelessness in Minnesota
Every three years, Wilder Research conducts a survey of Minnesota's homeless population. View the 2009 survey results, here.

Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
The MHFA offers products and services to help Minnesotans buy and fix up homes and supports the development and preservation of affordable rental housing by offering financing and on-going asset management of affordable rental housing developments. Online here.

Housing Resources from the Federal Reserve Bank
View housing-related links and resources from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, online here.


CHANGE, RESILIENCE, AND MENTAL HEALTH

Change: Loss, Opportunity, and Resilience
These resources describe the stages that people go through when they experience life changes. The resources present ways to cope with change, and to possibly see change as an opportunity. Online publication and narrated powerpoint.

Can You Thrive in Times of Change? Self Assessment
Take this online self assessment to measure your resilience in the face of change. Online here.

Getting Through Tough Times
These fact sheets cover five content areas for people experiencing trauma. Online here.

The Men’s Line - Minnesota
Call this free 24-hour service for confidential help and information if you are worried, stressed, angry, depressed, or just need to talk to someone who will listen.

Crisis Hot Lines - Minnesota 
These 24-hour crisis phone lines offer free and confidential service to anyone in need of counseling and support. Learn more here.





Thanks to the organizers of this webpage: University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Fathers & Families Network. Support was provided by the Minnesota Initiative Foundations, Otto Bremer Foundation, and McKnight Foundation. Fall 2010.



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