Family & Children

On February 9, 2009, the New America Foundation hosted a daylong conference at San Francisco's Commonwealth Club featuring state and national leaders in the areas of healthcare, economic growth and infrastructure, and higher education. Panelists discussed how the current crisis is challenging states and threatening the economic opportunity and security that is essential to an attainable American Dream.

Introduction/Background

In recent years, the role that savings and assets play in shaping people's lives has increasingly captured the attention of researchers, policy analysts and elected officials. Their interest in savings and building wealth has grown along with an increased awareness of specific policy tools and interventions, such as matched savings accounts available for lower-income workers.

Mark Paul, New America Foundation: "The social service component of the budget is relatively small and it doesn't enjoy the kind of the constitutional protection that the K-12 schools..." Link to audio

Please join us on January 13, 2009, for the sixth California Working Families Policy Summit, hosted by the California Center for Research on Women and Families for a stimulating day of discussion and debate about the needs and aspirations of California's working families.

David Gray, former Labor Department acting assistant secretary for policy, said one thing is certain to emerge from the retooling of the worldwide financial system – greater global challenges to America’s economic dominance. ... Outside Article

On December 5, 2008, the New America Foundation’s Next Social Contract Initiative hosted a three panel discussion about the future of social policy after the economic downturn. David Gray, Director of the Workforce and Family Program at New America, opened the event with preliminary remarks. Karen Kornbluh, formerly of the New America Foundation, policy director in the office of Senator Barack Obama and the primary author of the 2008 Democratic Party Platform, delivered the keynote address.

NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION HOLDS A CONFERENCE
ON SOCIAL POLICY AFTER THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

DECEMBER 5, 2008

SPEAKERS: MICHAEL CALABRESE,
VICE PRESIDENT, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION

LEN NICHOLS, DIRECTOR,
HEALTH POLICY PROGRAM, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION

MAYA MACGUINEAS, DIRECTOR, FISCAL POLICY PROGRAM,
NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION, PRESIDENT,
COMMITTEE FOR A RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL BUDGET

MARK IWRY,
NONRESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION

DAVID GRAY,

Executive Summary

Americans instinctively revere the family as an institution that helps facilitate all other aspects of life. The family fosters attachments across generations, provides a nurturing environment in which to raise children, and is a means of transmitting values from one generation to the next. It is the foundation upon which our social contract has been built.

Now that President-elect Barack Obama will be joined by his mother-in-law -- Marian Robinson -- in the White House, the New America Foundation’s David Gray, director of its Workforce and Family Program, is ready and able to give the wonky spin on this unique presidential living situation.

As the authoritative 2004 Phillip Longman study The Empty Cradle explained, aging populations and plummeting birthrates are now a fact of life everywhere, including the Middle East and other underdeveloped regions. LINK