Support FDA Food Safety Modernization Act!

- Alert from Arizona Public Interest Research Group -

Two companies, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, which distribute nationwide under more than 20 brand names, have sold the American public more than half a billion eggs with a high risk of salmonella contamination.

In fact, people have been getting sick from these eggs since May, but because food recalls are voluntary, the tainted eggs are only being recalled now. This recall is in response to an FDA investigation, but the FDA can't actually order Wright County Egg or Hillandale Farms to recall the eggs, regardless of the threat to public health.

Let's change that now. The Senate has a bill in front of it that would give the FDA the power it needs to protect consumers.

Please ask our senators to make recalling unsafe food mandatory.

Let's turn this crisis into an opportunity and push our senators to pass the FDA Food Safety Modernization Bill. This bill will increase inspections and testing of the foods -- like eggs -- that are the most susceptible to bacterial contamination, and it will give the FDA the authority to order mandatory recalls when unsafe food threatens public health.

September National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month Events

September 11

• Prescott VA Stand Down Event
• Flagstaff Shelter Services WalkAThon
• Join the Voices for Recovery (Cottonwood’s Riverfront Park, 1284 E Riverfront Drive, 11:00 – 1:00pm)

September 13
• Lost in Woonsocket – LCBHC (Round Valley Public Library, 179 South Main Street Eager, AZ, 11:00-1:00pm)

The critically acclaimed documentary Lost in Woonsocket introduces viewers to Normand Cartier. Living in a tent in the woods, suffering from addiction and estranged from his family for over 13 years, Cartier had all but given up hope of recovery. The film crew from the award winning A&E television series Random 1 found Cartier and offered him the chance for treatment, rehabilitation and a fresh start with his family. The film provides a rare glimpse into the internal and external struggles that often serve as obstacles on the road to recovery. Fear and faith, hope and despair, Lost in Woonsocket highlights the emotional contradictions that accompany attempts at personal reformation. But with the help of a philanthropic film crew and a number of unexplained incidents, Normand Cartier proves that, even in the face of adversity, the human spirit can triumph.

September 14
• Lost in Woonsocket - (Page Community Center, 699 South Navajo Drive Page, AZ, Time TBD)

September 16-17
• MBRACE Life Summit (Hon-Dah Resort Casino Resort)

September 21
• Lost in Woonsocket – (Kingman Adult Center/ Kathryn Heidenreich Center, 1776 Airway Kingman, AZ)

September 25
• Prescott Recovery Month Celebration (Prescott Courthouse Plaza)

Upcoming
• Lost in Woonsocket screenings in October in Peach Springs,
Havasupai, Hopi, and Navajo (Winslow/ Holbrook)

• Lost in Woonsocket screening in Flagstaff at The Orpheum Theater (Wednesday, November 17, 2010, Doors open @ 6:30pm; Screening at 7:00pm)
** this is in conjunction with LAIFA Productions; one of the
participants in the documentary will be present for Q & A.

Attention Nonprofit Partners Serving Low Income Clients

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits needs your help in ensuring that Arizona (through the Department of Economic Security (DES)) is able to receive Arizona’s full share of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for its annually allocated block grant.

This is a huge opportunity to demonstrate the power of nonprofits working together. The deadline is NEXT WEEK, so they need your help now.

How you Can Help

If you are serving TANF eligible clients (defined below), with private grants and dollars (cash and in-kind, but non-federal expenditures), the State may be able to leverage your private dollars to ensure the State maximizes the amount of TANF money received via its annual block grant allotment! This means more funding for the collective clients served.

Under federal law, states must demonstrate annually a minimum level of non-federal, TANF-related expenditures in order to receive their full allotment of TANF federal funds. Arizona, because of declining state revenue and the associated budget reductions, is in jeopardy of not meeting its expenditure requirements (also known as “maintenance of effort”) and is at risk of losing a portion of its federal funding allotment of TANF funds.

All you need to do is provide the following:

1. Name of your organization.
2. Description of the program you believe is TANF eligible.
3. Type of funding to support the program. Include all donations, in-kind, etc. so that the amount of non-federal money that can be counted as match is identified. Include your federal sources as well, just so the total funding is identified.
4. TANF Purpose you believe fits. (#1 or #2 below)
5. Total Program expenditures for FFY 2010.
6. Total # of families serviced under the program.

The State will also need a signed partnership agreement. (Note: the Agreement makes reference to emergency funding under the Stimulus Act, which some agencies may be able to demonstrate, but under very complex situations and reporting requirements. Please disregard the emergency funding for purposes of this post.)

The deadline for reporting expenditures made during Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 – Sept. 30, 2010) is October 31, 2010. Thus, your information is needed ASAP, and no later than August 31, 2010!

For purposes of the maintenance of effort requirement, TANF eligible clients are defined as having a child in the home and meeting an income eligibility requirement, as well as at least one of the two general TANF purposes below:

# 1. Assisting needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes;

# 2. Reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage.

After reviewing the additional information and guidelines provided with this email, if you have any questions or would like assistance on taking the next step to assist DES, please contact Blaine Stevens in the DES Financial Services Administration at bstevens2@azdes.gov. Or, you may contact Lisa Glow at the Alliance at lisa.glow@cox.net.

Thank You for your help in helping maximize the TANF dollars coming to Arizona. It is critically important!

Grab-&-Go Breakfasts

Think you don’t have time to eat a healthy breakfast? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you eat something delicious! These grab & go breakfast recipes will help you get out the door fast on a busy morning.

• Banana-Blueberry Muffins
• Crunchy Granola Wedges
• Bagel Gone Bananas
• Wake-Up Smoothie

To subscribe to any of EatingWell's free mailing lists--great resources for healthy recipes--click here.

Friends of Coconino County Parks Volunteer Opportunity

Hello Supporters of Coconino County Parks!

Friends of Coconino County Parks has some special activities planned during this year’s Coconino County Fair and we need your help.

The biggest “volunteer opportunity” involves the “Bike to the Fair” effort. We are encouraging fair-goers to save fossil fuels and parking money by riding their bikes to the Fair – and offering $1 off their admission as incentive for three of the four days. On the last day of the Fair, bike riders who arrive before noon receive a FREE admission for the rest of the day.

The Friends group will be managing this effort with one, two, or more people “parking bikes” throughout the four days of the Fair, September 3-6, 2010. The Fair is open 10am – 10pm Friday through Sunday, and 10am – 4pm on Monday. However, since there are no lights at the “bike parking area,” we’ll only be staffing the bike lot through 6pm on the long days. (Bike parking will be at the tennis courts, next to the Cochise Ramada.)

Volunteer time options are:

Friday: 10am – 2pm or 2pm – 6pm
Saturday: 10am – 2pm or 2pm – 6pm
Sunday: 10am – 2pm or 2pm – 6 pm
Monday: 10am – 2pm

Would you and your friends or family consider helping us out? In exchange for “working” one of the above time slots, we are happy to give you complimentary admission to the Fair (valid any day of the event). We’ll just need you to welcome bike riders, show them where they can park their bikes (they will bring their own locks), and “secure” the area through your presence. Additionally, we’d like to recruit more people to be on this Friends of Coconino County Parks e-list so that we can grow our efforts in supporting Coconino County Parks and Recreation and all that they do. We’ll have a sign-up list for that, along with some brochures and information you can give out.

If you are interested in helping out, please call Jenn Hartin at 928-600-3145. Thank you for your interest in County parks, trails, and open spaces – we hope to see you at the Coconino County Fair!

"Healing Sensations" workshop for Care Givers

The aches and pains of care giving are important teachers, telling us what our bodies need to keep us in balance as we care for others. In this workshop you will learn body movements and come to an understanding about body mechanics that can help relieve the physical stresses and strains of care giving.

During this workshop you will:

• Cultivate a loving inner observer to hear the messages from our bodies.
• Practice simple stretches to help us relieve physical tension
• Practice self massage and other relaxation techniques to cultivate the healing power within our bodies
• Practice gentle movement and body mechanics to help reduce stress and the chance of injury.

Your Presenter is ~ Barb White of Peaceful Touch Massage Therapy.

When: Thursday, September 16, 2010 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Where: All sessions will be held at Abrio Family Services
Location: 5200 East Cortland Blvd. in Flagstaff (928-779-9449)
Questions: call 928-525-2910 or email info@furthershore.org

Pregnancy and Postpartum Adjustment Group

Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Disorders occur more often than most people realize. Approximately 75-80% of new moms experience mild depression during postpartum and 15% of women experience significant depression and anxiety following childbirth. Symptoms can start anytime during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. A Pregnancy and Postpartum Adjustment Group can be a helpful place to listen and talk with others who understand what you are experiencing.

Dates: Sessions are held on Tuesdays, beginning September 7, 2010
Time: 5:00 - 6:30 pm (1st and 3rd Tuesdays), 12:00 - 1:30 pm (2nd and 4th Tuesdays)
Location: Cherry Street in Flagstaff
Faciliators: Christina G. Hibbert, Psy.D. and Sheri Yeider, MSW, ITMH
Cost: FREE
Registration: Call Sheri at 928-773-2319 or Kathy at 928-773-2309.