Understanding Trends in Poverty in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area

In 2010, about one in eight residents (12.1 percent, or 280,000 people) in the Pittsburgh region had incomes below the poverty level, an increase of 8.5 percent since the Great Recession started in 2007. Although demographic factors such as the arrival of new immigrants and more single-parent households contributed to the growing number of people living at or near poverty, the economy was the driving force in changing poverty rates. What does this mean for our region and for the future of our nonprofit sector

Measuring Racial-Ethnic Diversity in California's Nonprofit Sector

Presents survey findings on the racial/ethnic diversity of the state's nonprofit boards, executive directors, and staff and on the characteristics of racially/ethnically diverse organizations including size, field of activity, location, and budget

African American parental beliefs about resiliency: A Delphi study

Resiliency is a concept that has been discussed in the fields of anthropology, psychology, sociology, and education for over 30 years. Most authors define resiliency as the ability to triumph over adversity. The term associated with children/youth who rise above negative situations is resilient. A subgroup of students who are disproportionately affected by negative perceptions from society and who often find themselves in negative situations are African American children/youth. It appears that these students encounter less social fit in school, have a higher propensity for at-risk behavior, and experience less favorable academic and social outcomes. This study involved a Delphi inquiry concerning the characteristics of resiliency with a large group of African American parents (n=240). The parents in this study were considered experts in resiliency if they graduated from high school and had at least one child who graduated from high school. Through a series of three Delphi surveys, the parents moved toward agreement concerning what they perceived to be the most important characteristics of resiliency that contributed to their success and the success of their child and those that hindered their success and the success of their child (internal and external). Data obtained from rounds were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. Over the course of the three Delphi surveys, six categories (spiritual/faith, positive/negative personal traits, family involvement/problems, positive/negative educational supports, inappropriate behaviors, and lack of resources) emerged as the main characteristics of resiliency defined by the participants as contributing to or hindering the success of the participants and their children both internally and externally. The six categories were related to the five research themes (questions) posed in the study (individual characteristics, relationship characteristics, community characteristics, cultural characteristic, and physical ecology characteristics). Thus, for this group of African American parents there was agreement that resiliency can be defined by one\u27s spiritual/faith, personal traits, family involvement, educational supports, inappropriate behaviors, and a lack of resources

Elaboration of the Recipe of the Fermented Milk Dessert for Child Food

Using the tabular processor MS Excel 2007 there was elaborated the recipe of the fermented milk dessert for child food. The recipe of this dessert consists of (mass. %, g): fermented milk curd – 54, jam – 23, honey – 8, sesame – 4, cream – 6, collagen hydrolyzate (gluten) – 5. This dessert is a source of vitamin C and covers near 40 % of a child daily need in it. At the expanse of introducing gluten in the dessert composition, protein content in the ready product increased that covers from 11,28 % to 22,56 % of a daily need. This dessert is also rich in calcium, so one portion of it covers 25 % of a child need.Based on theoretical qualimetry methods there was realized the complex estimation of the dessert quality. The hierarchic structure of ready product properties was presented, including organoleptic and physical-chemical parameters and also ones of the food and biological value at storage.The estimation of microbiological and organoleptic parameters at storage give a possibility to state, that the new fermented milk dessert will be competitive at the consumer market. The storage life of this product is 5 days at the temperature (4±2) °С

Optimal Cantilever Dynamic Vibration Absorbers by Timoshenko Beam Theory

A double-ended cantilever beam as a distributed parameter dynamic vibration absorber has been applied to a single-degree-of-freedom system subjected to harmonic forces.In this investigation, the beam has been analyzed under the well known model of Timoshenko and the computation of best parameters is based on the Chebyshev's optimality criterion.This is somewhat novel in the field since:The design of cantilever beams as dynamic vibration absorbers is usually made under the hypotheses of the Euler-Bernoulli theory;It is the first time that the Chebyshev's criterion is applied to the design of a double-ended cantilever beam used as a dynamic vibration absorber.For a ready use of the results herein presented, design charts allow a quick choice of optimal parameters such as tuning ratio and mass ratio

Who Helps Public Schools? Public Education Support Organizations in 2010

There were more than 19,000 nonprofit organizations devoted to supporting public education in the United States in 2007. These organizations include booster clubs, parent-teacher groups, public education funds, scholarship funds, high school alumni associations, and others. While most of these organizations are small, together they spent roughly $4.3 billion in support of public education in 2007.This report assesses the current status of education support organizations in the United States; provides details on the activities, capacities, and resources of public education funds; and compares Public Education Network (PEN) member organizations with other types of education funds. On the basis of a survey of public education funds and an analysis of the latest data available from the National Center for Charitable Statistics, the report identifies key similarities and differences among the groups.Public education funds are dedicated to assisting public schools and school districts by raising money to support programs for teacher training and support, after-school programs, and school supplies and by promoting community support for public schools. The project was commissioned by PEN in Washington, D.C

Evaluation of Road Roughness and Road Deterioation

There are two road condition survey methods commonly used, the roughness-based equipment such as NAASRA and the distress and severity type road evaluation method as presented by ASTM D-6433. The objective of the study is to evaluate the relationship between road condition obtained from roughness type equipment and road distress. To achieve the objective, a condition survey using the two methods were performed on two road segments in the East Java Provincial road system. Data obtained from the field was evaluated to obtain International Roughness Index (from NAASRA) and Present Condition Index value (from field condition survey). The results show that the two methods provide a comparable result when the distress type is of un-even surface such as rutting and bumping. A slight different result is observed when the major distress occurred in the road is of crack-type such as fatigue and block cracking

Education and Work in movements for different economies: new envisaged scenarios and grass-roots political practices

Lo studio che presentiamo approfondisce il dibattito sulle dimensioni educative dei movimenti delle “economie diverse” (Reti di Economia Solidale, Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale, Movimento della decrescita, ecc.). Queste realtà hanno sviluppato delle proprie pratiche e valori promuovendo nuovi stili di vita e nuovi modelli di lavoro. Questi movimenti rappresentano contesti informali per l’educazione degli adulti e ambienti di sviluppo per l’autoeducazione alla cittadinanza e all’impegno politico. Essi testimoniano la creazione di pratiche che mostrano una passione per l’apprendimento, la partecipazione, la giustizia e la responsabilità, operando una critica al modello neoliberista. Questo studio ha impiegato la metodologia qualitativa basandosi su Casi studio e Grounded Theory. I risultati mostrano che i lavoratori (in transizione) delle realtà di economie diverse stanno sperimentando nuove modalità educative e di lavoro in cui gruppi e singoli sono coinvolti in processi di auto-educazione.We present a study that pertains to the discussion about the educational dimensions of different economies (Solidarity Economy Networks, Solidarity Purchasing Groups, the Degrowth movement, etc.). These organisations have developed their own practices and values that have given rise to new ways of living and new models of work. In terms of adult education, we ask under which conditions these informal contexts can be environments for self-education in citizenship and political engagement. Within these contexts, against a backdrop characterised by the rejection of the prevailing neo-liberal model, new practices have arisen that demonstrate an enthusiasm for learning, participation, justice and responsibility. This study employed a qualitative methodology based on Case Studies and Grounded Theory. The results reveal that workers (in transition) in different economies are experiencing new types of education and work in which the group involved, and the processes of self-education in question, all have a pivotal role to play

The Role of Ex-Migrant Worker Enterprise Toward Local Economic Development and Factors That Influence Income of Ex-Migrant Enterprise in Sumatera Utara Province

The objective of research are: to analyze the role of the small scale enterprise of the ex-migrant workers towards the development of job opportunities and the empowerment of local economy as well as to analyze several factors that influence ex-migrant workers enterprise income. The research was carried out in North Sumatera Province. Thedescriptive analysis and the multiple linear regression analysis are used to analyze the data. The result of the research shows the small scale enterprise of the ex-migrant workers have important role for creating job opportunities. With assumption - every ex-migrant workers run a business and recruit minimum one worker - so the unemployment decrease as many as 123.226 people or 20,53% of the total unemployment in North Sumatera. The ex-migrant workers also have a role in the empowerment of the people economy. They work in the micro, small, medium enterprise which is the pillar of the national economy. The result of the research also shows that capital and the number of workers employed influence the income of ex-migrant enterprise. The addition capital of Rp1,000,000,00 will raise as much as Rp201,000.00 of income, and the addition of 1 worker will raise income as much as Rp44,757.562. Education, technical supporting and advance supporting done by government did not influence the income of ex-migrant enterprise. The implication is, government need to initiate the new model of technical supporting and advance supporting for exmigrantenterprise