The Michigan Asset Building Coalition (ABC) will reconvene in Lansing on Thursday, June 26, 2008.  This meeting will provide coalition members an update on major changes in asset building policy over the last two years and set the ABC Policy Agenda moving forward. 

 

Please visit the newly updated Asset Building Policy Project website for more information.

Please contact Ross Yednock, Director of the Asset Building Policy Project, with questions.

The Michigan Asset Building Coalition (ABC) is a diverse, bipartisan alliance of nonprofit, for-profit and governmental organizations, institutions and individuals actively engaged in supporting effective strategies to reduce asset poverty and help working families achieve lasting and sustainable financial security. 

The Michigan Asset Building Policy Project (ABPP) is the coordinated policy, communication and advocacy effort of the ABC.  Working to advance the ABC Policy Agenda, the ABPP actively engages policymakers to support public policy that increases access to higher education, career-advancement and job-training opportunities, improves personal economic and finance skills and empowers low-wage workers and families to escape poverty through the building and development of personal assets.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has begun offering unemployed workers two new electronic options for receiving their unemployment benefit. The change allows for direct deposit to a bank account or to a debit card that allows recipients to receive cash back from ATMs or make purchases at any merchant that accepts Visa. Prior to this change, unemployed workers could only receive benefits in the form of a check mailed to their home.    

For more information, visit the newly updated Policy Brief section of the Asset Building Policy Project website.

With overwhelming bipartisan support, both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) with enough votes to override its previous veto by President Bush.  In addition to funding agricultural programs the Farm Bill contains two significant reforms in asset building policy: