Deana is a 24-year-old Native American mother of two who recently left her abusive partner. She works as a waitress but has an inconsistent income between $5,000-$10,000 per year. She struggles with childcare and rent. The document discusses what public benefits Deana may be eligible for, such as TANF, Medicaid and food stamps. It also addresses the challenges survivors like Deana face in accessing these benefits and how advocates can help. Resources for advocates are provided, including information on public assistance programs and economic empowerment curricula for Native communities.

1. TANF, Poverty and Violence Against Native Women Women are Sacred Conference Oakland, California

2. What are WE going to do? What the big picture looks like Biggest challenges addressing poverty - for survivors, for advocates Scenario to raise issues and explore approaches Identify resources

3. Challenges of working with public benefits When we say “public benefits” -- what do you think of? What kinds of challenges do you face as an advocate? What happens for survivors?

4. Scenarios Deana is 24 years old, with two young children (4 and 6 yrs), and left their abusive father about 8 mo ago. (He works in construction on/off, she doesn’t want contact with him). Deana got her GED after she had her son, took a couple of nursing classes at the community college, and is currently working as a waitress - uneven hours and uneven pay. Deana thinks she’ll maybe make between $5,000 - 10,000 this year. She pieces together childcare (sister, mother, friends). She is currently living with her sister, but not really a great situation. She is often late with rent and utilities.

5. QUESTIONS What is Deana concerned about? Where is she feeling the most pressure?

6. QUESTIONS What might her hopes be? What personal resources can she drawn on?

7. QUESTIONS What public benefits might she or her children be eligible for? What would be the “benefit” to her or her children? What challenges would she likely face accessing these benefits?

8. QUESTIONS How do we prepare to be helpful to Deana? What do we need to understand -- as coalitions, as local advocates, as community partners? What will be the most hard for us?

9. Resources Online information about key low-income benefit programs Links to Policy Manuals, Descriptive Information, and Applications for State Food Stamp, TANF, Child Care, Medicaid, and SCHIP Programs www .cbpp.org/cms/index. cfm?fa =view&id= 1414

10. Resources National Congress of American Indians Welfare Reform/Employment Training http://www.ncai.org/Welfare-Reform-Employment-Trai.46.0.html 12/20/09 PowerPoint slide layout by Red Wind Consulting, Inc.

11. Resources Economic Justice on a Shoestring, developed by the Women of Color Network Qweesta: Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families curriculum Meeting the NEED: Native Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development Model

12. Resources VAWnet - Domestic Violence Public Policy & Systems Advocacy Special Collections which focus on economic advocacy issues impacting domestic violence survivors www . VAWnet.org