How I Benefited from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

By Babs Nelson

When I was 52 years old the company where I had worked as an Administrative Assistant for 8½ years went through its third “downsizing” and I lost my job. Over the next 4 years, I worked sporadically in temporary assignments and was unable to find permanent employment. I hit my low in 2006 when a combination of poor financial decisions and the Hoarding aspect of my Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder led to the loss of the condo I had rented for 9 years. I stayed in a shelter, and after that eye-opening experience, I was lucky to be accepted by a women’s residence operated by the Volunteers of America (VOA). While there, I rejoined the world of regular 8:00 to 5:00 workers. Unfortunately, due to my perfectionism, I was not a good fit and was let go after 10 months. The VOA home closed, but I was able to move into another VOA residence that provides transitional housing for homeless women.

In November of 2009, I visited Bayaud Enterprises, a nonprofit organization that helps those with disabilities or other barriers to employment, such as homelessness, find work. Just over a week later, I was hired as the Assistant Instructor for their General Office Skills Training program. Initially, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded the position, and later, Bayaud hired me directly. I find the work extremely rewarding as I help students learn necessary skills, including: typing, computer programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, communication, and self esteem. I also sit on the Bayaud Homeless Advisory Council that works to ensure Bayaud successfully supports our homeless clients. I no longer take any blessings for granted and am grateful for each day and thankful that Recovery Act helped me reach economic security and is helping to strengthen the middle class.

Economic Recovery Forum Tour

As the end of the year winds down, so does 9to5 Colorado’s Economic Recovery Forum Tour. 9to5 Colorado and community partners, such as Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC), FRESC and Colorado Springs Branch NAACP, have taken the Economic Recovery Forums to cities across the state to showcase the positive impacts of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on a local level. These forums brought together just a small fraction of the thousands of people, small businesses, and local government who have benefited from the over $7 million in Recovery Act funds in many different ways.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was one of the first pieces of major legislation that was signed in action by President Obama within his first 30 days in office right here in Denver, Colorado in 2009. This landmark policy brought $800 billion to the states to help protect our most vulnerable communities and help pave the road to recovery for millions of families hit the hardest by the worst economic recession in the U.S. since the Great Depression. ARRA helped stimulate the economy, helped save and create jobs, prevented more devastating state budget cuts, and protected important safety net programs that are helping families stay afloat. In Colorado alone, stimulus money put more than 46,000 Coloradans to work over the last year.

“We have been so excited about having the pleasure of highlighting some of the most constructive investments from the Recovery Act in our own Colorado communities. We are bringing to the table people who can attest to the positive impacts of the Recovery Act, such as local workforce development centers, the Governor’s Energy Office, and the Small Business Administration and providing information on how to access these resources and programs, in addition to sharing how 9to5 Colorado specifically was able to help draw down more Recovery Act dollars to Colorado by modernizing the state Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits system” explains Maggie Gomez, 9to5 Colorado ARRA organizer. Last year, 9to5 Colorado was able to bring nearly $130 million in federal Recovery Act funds to Colorado by expanding the state UI programs to increase eligibility to more women and very low wage workers, extend benefits for unemployed people in certified training programs, and extend benefits for the long tern unemployed. This is utterly critical to our Colorado economy when, according to Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody’s Economy.com, every $1.00 of unemployment insurance generates $1.64 in local benefit, and we are currently experiencing a state unemployment rate hovering near 8.5 percent.

The Economic Recover Forum Tour, coordinated by Maggie Gomez, took place in Denver, Aurora, Greeley, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Nearly 200 people attended these forums.