Latest news with #financialassistance
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
More Halifax-area families seeking financial help for day camp enrolment, says YMCA
Day camps are an important rite of summer but an increasing number of parents in the Halifax area are seeking financial assistance to enrol their children. The YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth says of the 831 campers participating in its programs this year, about 40 per cent required financial assistance. That's double last year's figure when only about 20 per cent of children required assistance, according to Alex Jackson, the organization's day camp director. A spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Municipality, which operates a number of day camps, said in an email the municipal parks and recreation summer programs have seen an increase in requests for assistance. "There has been a 40 per cent increase in [subsidized] camp programs from 2024 to 2025," the email said. Jackson said it's a reflection of growing financial pressures on households. "Things are getting more expensive generally," he said. "I'm sure we've all felt that, and it's tough to have that sort of budget set aside for your summer care, but it is still super important." The YMCA camps offer activities like swimming, arts and crafts, and community outings for kids aged five to 12 while school is out. The downtown Halifax location also offers lunch for the children. The cost per week ranges from $230 for YMCA members and $260 for non-members. There is a 10 per cent discount if two or more campers are enrolled. Jackson said the YMCA's financial aid program, which covers at least half of the enrolment fees, is funded through community partnerships and donations. "We do our best to give something to anybody who comes in and asks," Jackson said. He said eligibility hinges on income, expenses, and family size, but the process is straightforward and people are taken at their word. With high demand, Jackson said the YMCA has been trying to bring camps closer to where campers live. This year, new locations have been added in Spryfield, Lower Sackville and Dartmouth. Jackson urged parents who have never enrolled their children in day camp before to give it a try. "They have opportunities to try things they wouldn't do otherwise during the school year ... and they can meet people, make those lifelong connections," he said.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Over 210,000 Michigan residents to benefit from medical debt relief plan
Over 210,000 Michigan residents will get financial assistance from a new partnership intended to forgive their outstanding medical debt. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and others made the announcement Thursday, saying that the first round of debt forgiveness under this plan will assist over 210,000 individuals with clearing over $144 million in medical debt. "Medical debt affects our friends, neighbors, and families, making it harder to get a job, put food on the table, or access medical care," Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II said in his statement. "Today's forgiveness of over $144 of medical debt will help over 200,000 Michiganders in communities across our state move forward with their lives." This effort is a partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. On average, each dollar donated to the organization is used to settle $100 of medical debt. Undue Medical Debt says it starts the process through buying large amounts of debt at a discount. But rather than collecting on the amounts due, the agency says it forgives the balance for the intended beneficiaries. The goal is "freeing them from bills they can't afford." Medical debt is often cited as a leading reason for bankruptcy, the state's announcement said. Those who were selected will get a letter in the mail from Undue Medical Debt that explains the circumstances and how the debt relief was applied to their accounts. The list of eligible patients came from hospitals and other medical providers that have chosen to participate with Undue Medical Debt. Those who qualify for this medical debt relief program have household income either four times or below the federal poverty level (those ranges for Michigan residents include $62,000 annually for one person and $84,600 for two people) or whose outstanding medical debt equal 5% or more of their annual income. This first round clears outstanding bills for thousands of patients in Calhoun, Genesee, Ingham, Jackson, Kent, Lenawee, Macomb, Monroe, St. Clair and St. Joseph counties, according to the State of Michigan announcement. There also are some recipients in other counties. Additional rounds of medical debt forgiveness will take place in the future, state officials said. Similar efforts have taken place on a one-time, ad hoc basis across the country. One example was a partnership with Undue and Wayne, Oakland and Kalamazoo counties during 2024 that relieved about $4.5 million in medical debt.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Dover woman takes part in innovative homelessness trial
A Kent woman who took part in a trial where people supported by homeless charities are given a substantial sum of money to spend as they wish said the funds helped her reconnect with her Centre for Homelessness Impact is leading the research into the effect of granting participants a personalised budget, on top of existing homelessness from Dover, was among those to take part in the trial funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).Supported by Canterbury-based homeless charity Porchlight, she said it was the reason she now sees her children and grandchildren more. Sarah, who suffered with addiction issues, said: "I lost my kids a long time helped me get a place of my own and when I was awarded this money, I was able to kit it out. "I could choose what I wanted, I could make it feel like home. Getting the money has allowed me to do the final bits to my new home that mean I get to see them [my kids] and my grandkids more."This trial compared outcomes between people who have received typical homelessness support alongside financial assistance and those only given the standard Rodríguez-Guzmán, director of evidence at the Centre for Homelessness Impact, said it was "really important" to have the evidence from the trial as he said the approach had been "controversial".It is the first time a series of trials on this scale has ever been carried out, with interim findings expected in the autumn and full results likely to be published in late 2026. Porchlight's chief executive Tom Neumark said the trial could be significant for the future of homelessness support."Each person's journey into homelessness is different, so it makes sense to give them the means to rebuild their life in a way that works for them," he said."This trial allowed people to do that, and from what we can see it worked."This trial is part of a larger three-year programme commissioned by the MHCLG, which has allocated £15m to testing eight novel interventions for homelessness and rough sleeping.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PG&E Launches $50M Customer Bill Assistance Program
PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) is one of the most undervalued large cap stocks to buy according to analysts. On July 1, PG&E announced a commitment of $50 million towards new and existing financial assistance programs for helping eligible customers manage past-due energy bills. The initiative includes the launch of the new PG&E Match My Payment Program and continued support through the existing PG&E Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help/REACH program. The new PG&E Match My Payment Program offers a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $1,000, for qualifying low-to-moderate-income customers to pay down their outstanding balances and prevent service disconnections. Customers can receive matching payments for multiple bill payments throughout the year, up to the $1,000 maximum, and the program is scheduled to run until December 31 this year. Brightly-lit nighttime view of an electricity power grid with distribution lines and transmission substations. To be eligible, customers must have a minimum past-due balance of $100 and pay at least $50 towards it each time to receive matching funds. Eligibility is based on federal income guidelines, with a family of four making less than $128,600 annually potentially qualifying, which is an increase from the $62,400 limit for the same family size under the REACH program. PG&E estimates that ~400,000 customers may qualify for this program, with funding distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), through its subsidiary, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, sells and delivers electricity and natural gas to customers in northern and central California, the US. While we acknowledge the potential of PCG as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dodgers Donate $1 Million To L.A. Immigrant Families Impacted By ICE Raids
After a federal judge confirmed Donald Trump's control of the California National Guard, the Los Angeles Dodgers are giving back to those in the community impacted by recent ICE raids. On Friday, the 8x World Series champs announced a $1 million donation in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, as well as several local organizations, to provide financial assistance for families of immigrants impacted by the raids. More from Deadline JD Vance Says Federal Presence Still Needed In Los Angeles, Accuses Gavin Newsom And Karen Bass Of 'Encouraging Far-Left Agitators' — Update Newsom Denied Day In Court In Latest Trump Battle Over Troops In LA As Judge Punts: 'You Are Going To Tell Me What To Do,' He Informs DOJ & State Lawyers Trump Brags About "Big Win" Over Newsom With Court Ordered Continued Control Of California National Guard, For Now - Update 'What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,' said Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten. 'We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.' Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement, 'I want to thank the Dodgers for leading with this action to support the immigrant community of Los Angeles. These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy. My message to all Angelenos is clear: We will stick together during this time and we will not turn our backs on one another — that's what makes this the greatest city in the world.' After the MLB team and the city previously joined forces to dispense financial resources to those in need during the Southern California wildfires in January, they're encouraging local organizations to step up in a similar way as they did during the natural disaster to assist with food insecurity, basic essentials and mental health services. The organizations involved in the latest initiative include the California Community Foundation and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Under a very targeted reading of an obscure statute, Trump moved to federalize the Golden State National Guard on June 7 without Newsom's consent in response to protests over a flood of ICE raids in and around LA on June 6. Since then the parties have traded insults over social media and mainstream media, as well as been in and out of court as citizens have taken to the streets, federal buildings have become make-shift detention centers for immigrants hauled in by masked and often no warrant producing agents, and a curfew was placed on DTLA for over a week. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg
