What is EQUITY?

EQUITY provides the connection between the disability and asset building communities. If you are unfamiliar with asset building, EQUITY brings you articles that educate and inspire. For the seasoned asset building community member, EQUITY advises on how to better serve participants with disabilities.

Each month, articles from leaders in the field, program administrators, and actual participants with disabilities challenge us to narrow the divide, mutually benefiting both communities. Also included: helpful tips, answers to your questions about disability issues, periodic federal policy updates, and valuable resources.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to receive EQUITY via email, please send an email to equity@wid.org.

Do you have questions about asset building strategies or serving people with disabilities? Is there an article, conference, or website that you would like to have included in EQUITY?  Contact us.  All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Background

People with disabilities experience some of the highest levels of poverty in the United States. According to the 1995 Current Population Survey, 39.7% of working-age persons with disabilities live in poverty. Furthermore, one third (34%) of adults with disabilities live in households with total income of $15,000 or less.

While there are no statistics on how many people with disabilities participate in poverty reduction programs, we can reasonably speculate that a large number do. People with disabilities permeate social service programs because of the high level of poverty in this population.

The World Institute on Disability (WID) is a non-profit public policy center dedicated to the promotion of independence and full inclusion in society of people with disabilities. WID's Access to Assets (ATA) program provides training and technical assistance to asset building and disability organizations seeking to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities in poverty reduction programs. In addition, ATA provides information and referral services to individuals with disabilities and conducts federal and state policy analysis on related issues.

Collaboration and Funding

The Asset Accumulation and Tax Policy Project (AATPP) is a partnership of The Law, Health Policy, and Disability Center at the University of Iowa College of Law, The Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, the Southern New Hampshire University School of Community Economic Development, the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, the World Institute on Disability, and the National Cooperative Bank Development Corporation. AATPP is 100 percent funded by U.S. Department of Education grant #H133A031732. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIDRR or University of Iowa. EQUITY is also generously funded by the J.W. and Ida M. Jameson Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, Friedman Family Foundation and the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation.

Asset Accumulation and Tax Policy Partners

Peter Blanck, Ph.D., J.D.
Chair, Burton Blatt Institute
E-mail: pblanck@syr.edu
Phone: (315) 443-9703
http://bbi.syr.edu/

Johnette T. Hartnett, Ed.D.
Director of Research
National Disability Institute
1667 K Street, Suite 640
Washington, DC 20006
www.reitour.org
www.ndi-inc.org
and
Law,Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa, College of Law
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/
202-296-2043
202-296-2047 Fax
202-236-0238 Cell
Jhartnett@ndi-inc.org

Steven Mendelsohn
528 W. 111th St. Apt 7
New York, NY 10025-1934
Phone: 212-222-0312
E-mail: smendel@panix.com

Michael Morris, J.D. -
Burton Blatt Institute
Managing Director, Washington D.C. office
E-mail: mmorris@ndi-inc.org
Phone: 202-296-2046
Fax: (202) 296-2040
http://bbi.syr.edu/

James Schmeling
Associate Director
Law, Health Policy and Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
Iowa City, IA 52246
Ph: 319-335-8458
Fax: 319-335-9764
E-mail: james-schmeling@uiowa.edu
Web site: http://disability.law.uiowa.edu

Valerie Harrison
Credit Union Program Officer
National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (NFCDCU)
116 John Street - 33rd Floor
New York, New York 10038
Phone: (719) 209-2170
Fax: (719) 596-3574
http://www.natfed.org/

Cliff Rosenthal
Executive Director
NFCDCU

Tobey Davies
Center for Community Economic Development & Disability
School of Community Economic Development
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 North River Road
Manchester, NH 03106-1045
Ph: 603-644-3159
Fax: 603-644-3130
email: t.davies@snhu.edu
Center web page: http://www.snhu.edu/5825.asp
School's web page: http://www.snhu.edu/388.asp

Michael Swack, Ph.D., Dean
Southern New Hampshire University
School on Community Economic Development

Thomas Foley
World Institute on Disability
510 16th Street, Suite 100
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-251-4341
FAX: 510-763-4100
E-mail: tom@wid.org
Web site: http://www.wid.org

Kathy Martinez
Executive Director
World Institute on Disability