President Obama's weekly address: Healthcare reform and small business

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

In his weekly address, President Obama discusses a key factor that has been considered in the development of the health insurance reform proposals that are being considered: the impact of reform on small business.

The White House Council of Economic Advisers released a major report on the subject in conjunction with this address -- read the report as a web page or in PDF format.



If the viewscreen above is not visible, President Obama's weekly address is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a61gCsuWq4Q.

Help us to secure Rep. Costa's support for healthcare reform at rally Tuesday, July 28

In conjunction with the Health Care for America Now! day of action, Volunteers For Change-Fresno and a number of other organizations are sponsoring a rally this Tuesday, outside the local office of Representative Jim Costa, intended to demand his support for President Obama's public health insurance initiative.

All Volunteers For Change-Fresno members, friends, family, neighbors and more are invited and encouraged to participate!

Scheduled 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, outside the Fresno offices of Representative Costa, 855 M Street, just a couple of blocks from the Fulton Mall in downtown Fresno, the rally will take place as the nation reaches a critical juncture in the debate for national healthcare reform and as California faces the prospect of devastating cuts to vital health and human services.

Respresentatives from our delegation will meet with staff in Rep. Costa's office to share our stories and to urge him to support access to quality, affordable healthcare for all during the coming votes in the U.S. House. Rally participants are invited to share their stories with the public, telling Rep. Costa that their constituents need healthcare reform now.

The rally will coincide with major demonstrations taking place across the country, in which tens of thousands of people will rally in support for access to quality, affordable healthcare for all.

To participate, simply be there before 11 a.m. this Tuesday, July 28. Bring quarters, as the available parking there is metered. And a pizza lunch will be served at the rally's conclusion. For more information, contact Nancy Griesser at (559) 325-1616 or nancyg@csufresno.edu.

Hope to see you there!

Volunteers still needed for Back to School Health Fair, scheduled Saturday, Aug. 15

Volunteers For Change-Fresno still needs at least 12 volunteers to help with the "Back To School Health Fair" being hosted by the West Fresno Health Care Coalition.

This event targets children grades K - 12 and their families. Various vendors will provide health screening and health-related information. Children will receive backpacks filled with school supplies for the new school year. Free food will also be provided.

Volunteers For Change-Fresno plans to play a key role in the event by supplying the West Fresno Health Care Coalition with 15 volunteers. Additionally, we plan to host a booth at the event where we will do voter registration and run children's activities. Another 10 people will be needed to run the booth.

Hosted by the West Fresno Health Care Coalition, the Back to School Health Fair is scheduled 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Hinton Community Center, 2385 S. Fairview Ave. in southwest Fresno.

Help local children start the school year off right!

To sign-up for the event, go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpcr97. For more information, contact Kris Arden at kkarden@yahoo.com or (559) 978-1736.

More backpacks and supplies needed... only one week remains for donations!

The organizers of the Back to School Health Fair are hoping to give out 2000 backpacks on Saturday, Aug. 15. This event is being held for the 7th year and grows by leaps and bounds each year, providing health screening and school supplies to thousands of children in the Fresno area.

They need our help to make this event another big success. Please consider donating a backpack and/or some supplies.

Backpacks should be age and size appropriate. Also, backpacks for 7th – 12th graders cannot be red or blue because of potential issues with gang colors.

Supplies needed according to grade level:

K - 3rd Pencil boxes, crayons, pencils, folders, erasers
4th – 6th Pencil pouches, pens, pencils, folders, binders, note books, paper, rulers
7th – 8th Binders, paper, note books, pens, pencils
9th – 12th Binders, paper, pencils, pens

Many stores are now advertising big sales and bargains on back to school supplies, so check your local papers for good deals and make your dollars go further.

For more information, or to arrange your donation drop-off, please contact Wendy Negri at (559) 299-5052 or via e-mail at wnegri@att.net.

The deadline for donations is Friday, July 31.

Join us at a budget vigil Thursday, July 23

Volunteers For Change-Fresno has received word that a number of local organizations are planning 'something big' this Thursday: a 12-hour vigil, scheduled 10 a.m.-10 p.m. outside Gov. Schwarzenegger's Fresno office, calling attention to the budget cuts expected to hit education, healthcare and services here in California.

The vigil's goal is to urge members of the legislature to do better in the future, as well as to consider other process changes, including shifting legislative approval of a budget from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority vote.

According to Dillon Savory, political coordinator for the CLC and one of the vigil's promoters, we 'are going to get shafted by all the cuts. So, even if there is a budget by Thursday, we are going to show our disappointment in the California government' and proceed with the vigil.

To participate, show up anytime 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, July 23, outside the Governor's Fresno office at 2550 Mariposa, between City Hall and the Main Library in downtown Fresno. Bring snacks, water and sunscreen -- for those wondering, the Fresno 10-day forecast shows no evidence of a cooldown anytime soon -- and help to make our voices heard!

For more information, contact Nancy Griesser at (559) 325-1616.

President Obama's weekly address: Healthcare reform cannot wait

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

In his weekly address, President Obama calls on Congress to seize this opportunity – one that may not come again for decades – and finally pass healthcare reform.

"It’s about every family unable to keep up with soaring out of pocket costs and premiums rising three times faster than wages. Every worker afraid of losing health insurance if they lose their job, or change jobs. Everyone who’s worried that they may not be able to get insurance or change insurance if someone in their family has a preexisting condition..."

If the viewscreen above is not visible, President Obama's remarks are available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83FvLjsUOJg.