In fiscal year 20, the FaDSS program exited 931 families. Of those families:
- 50% were non-white
- 88% of families were headed by a female
- 100% were low income
The social categories referenced above collectively increase the discrimination, oppression and disadvantage FaDSS families face. This is referred to as intersectionality.
Intersectionality is defined as the interconnected nature of social categories such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
Intersectionality is a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by a number of discriminations and disadvantages. It takes into account people’s overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of prejudices they face.
In other words, intersectional theory asserts that people are often disadvantaged by multiple sources of oppression: their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other identity markers. Intersectionality recognizes that identity markers (e.g. “woman” and “black”) do not exist independently of each other, and that each informs the others, often creating a complex convergence of oppression. For instance, a black man and a white woman make $0.74 and $0.78 to a white man’s dollar, respectively. Black women, faced with multiple forms of oppression, only make $0.64. Understanding intersectionality is essential to combatting the interwoven prejudices people face in their daily lives.
Source: YW Boston Blog, 2017
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NDEAM 2020
 October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.
Held annually, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is led by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. Employers of all sizes and in all industries are encouraged to participate in NDEAM.
For specific ideas about how you can support National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit www.dol.gov/NDEAM. Suggestions range from simple, such as putting up a poster, to comprehensive, such as implementing a disability education program. Regardless, all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workforce, one where every person is recognized for his or her abilities — every day of every month.
GEM Feature
In each newsletter, you’ll see a feature called GEM (Going the Extra Mile) where we will highlight a FaDSS worker who has gone above and beyond. Please help us celebrate your work by submitting stories to Page.Eastin@iowa.gov.
Nancy Clark has worked in the FaDSS program at Community Action of Southeast Iowa for the past 10 years and always goes the extra mile for the families she serves. Nancy has been consistent in her work with families and is always bringing new ideas to the FaDSS team.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Nancy has been dropping off essential items, and “goodie bags” to family doorsteps. Nancy presented the idea to send cards with stickers and activities to the children in our FaDSS program to let them know we are thinking of them. In recent months, Nancy has been able to secure beds for one of her families, assisted a mother with getting a baby gate for her toddler and delivered diapers to those in need. Additionally she is always careful to listen and is a strong advocate for the families she serves.
It is evident that Nancy’s families hold her in high regard and appreciate her consistency and dependability. We are so thankful to have Nancy as part of our FaDSS team. She brings knowledge and experience to our FaDSS team
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Grantee Spotlight
Four Oaks
Four Oaks is the largest FaDSS program in the state. In fiscal year 20, Four Oaks served 331 families. Eleven FaDSS specialists and two supervisors cover 8 counties with a program capacity of 206. In Dubuque, Julie Weber-Davis leads a team of specialists including Jillian Sturm, Elizabeth McClain-Lenz, Linda Regan and Jessica Weis and Brenda Kiburz.
In Cedar Rapids, Amber Mercil leads a team of specialists including Nancy Cleary, Marissa Trevino, Ashley Cole, Kayla Lee, Allison Cortez and Autumn Venhulzen.
"The Four Oaks FaDSS program/team knows what it takes to build relationships, breakdown barriers and empower families to be successful. Four Oaks is fortunate to have the FaDSS program and the support from the State in order to positively impact the lives of many children and families. Thank you everyone!" -Amy Kallaher, Program Manager, Four Oaks.
"The staff have been amazing given all that has happened this year, they have remained connected to families given the challenges of not being able to see them face to face. Staff have been creative in finding ways to get information to families, picked up and dropped off food, created activity bags to drop off at family’s homes. Amber and I are very proud of the dedication and resiliency of the staff we work with." -Julie Weber-Davis, FaDSS Coordinator
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Resource Feature
In September, Shelley Seitz, Re-Entry Coordinator with Iowa Workforce Development, presented during the lunch and learn. Shelley shared information and resources for helping family members with criminal backgrounds find employment. Each American Job Center across the state of Iowa has a re-entry point person trained to assist job seekers who have a criminal background. A recording of Shelley's presentation can be found here. Additionally, she shared the following resources:
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Notes from the FaDSS Program Managers
It's hard to believe specialists have now been conducting virtual quality visits with FaDSS families for six months. Thank you to all the FaDSS personnel across the state for your ongoing support of families and commitment to maintaining a quality program.
- FY20 FaDSS Invoices:
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September FY20 FaDSS Invoice - Due date for the invoice is October 10, 2020
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Final Invoice FY20 - If the September invoice is not your final, the due date for final invoice is October 20, 2020. We cannot give extensions for this date.
- The Iowa FaDSS website will be undergoing maintenance and will be unavailable for use begging at 12:00PM on Friday, November13th. The site will be back up by Monday, November 16th.
- Upcoming FY 21 FaDSS Council meeting dates: 11/19/20, 3/25/21, 5/20/21, 6/17/21 (if needed).
- Training on serving family members with disabilities and training on providing employment support services to families is available- contact Page.Eastin@iowa.gov for more information!
- We are beginning the FY21 onsite reviews and look forward to working with you through the process!
Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for all the work you do!
-Lorie and Page
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