The public-policy issues below were developed on April 28th, 2008 at the MICAH/Adelphi University Conference, Ending Poverty on Long Island: An Action Plan.  These issues are now the MICAH Agenda for addressing specific, school district, village/town, county and state public policy issues to help poor Long Islanders make ends meet.  They are:

1. Organizing Your Community to Create Affordable Housing
2. Overcoming Racial and Class Inequities in Public Schools
3. Funding Child Care for Quality Services

To learn more about the MICAH campaign, read the L.I. Catholic article or contact Dr. Richard Koubek at Catholic Charities (Koubek.Richard@catholiccharities.cc) or Rev. Thomas Goodhue at the LI Council of Churches (LICCHemp@aol.com).

Poverty in America is a moral and social crisis.  It threatens the health and economic well-being of our families and our nation as a whole. In response to this crisis, Catholic Charities USA has launched the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America, a multi-year, multi-faceted approach to alleviating poverty in the U.S.  Their goal is to reduce poverty in our country by 50% by the year 2020.  For further information you can electronically sign on to the Catholic Charities USA Campaign to Reduce Poverty by going to the Catholic Charities USA website.

Individuals without health insurance may go to one of the following sites to receive assistance in applying for Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus or Medicaid. Prior to going to a site please call 631-656-9783 to find out the specific documents you will need to bring with you to apply and to confirm that the registration is still being held.

• May 7th, 13th & 29th: Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council, 700 Vets Hwy – Suite 45, Hauppauge, 12-4PM,
• May 21st: St. Joseph Outreach, 2855 Pond Rd., Ronkonkoma, 12-4PM,
• May 5th: Middle Country Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach, 3-8PM,
• May 28th: St. Catherine of Siena Admitting Area, 50 Rt. 25A, Smithtown, 4-7PM.

Sites operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. Further info is available online at www.nshc.org (click on Facilitated Enrollment).

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs’ employment network guidance program is for anyone seeking employment.  Their program will be starting up again on Monday, October 6th.  Sessions cover career assessment, planning and research, resume writing, networking and interviewing.  There is no charge for the program.  To register or obtain further information call OLGM Parish Outreach at 754-9045.

RESPONSE of Suffolk County is a private non-profit that provides a free hotline available to anyone who needs to talk, 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.  Volunteer crisis counselors take calls about everything - loneliness, grief, substance abuse, mental illness, family conflict, suicidal thoughts, etc.  Response talks to more than 12,000 callers per year, and has now expanded its crisis counseling services to include Conexion, a new hotline targeting Spanish-speaking families.  Conexion can be reached at 631-751-7423, Monday through Friday, from 5 to 10 PM.