The Caregiver Officially Renamed to UDW News!
Thank you to the hundreds of UDW members who participated in our renaming contest and congratulations to our winner: Tu Le of Orange County! We are so excited to begin this new chapter with a more inclusive name that better represents all UDW members.
UDW OFFICES ARE OPEN AGAIN!
Please continue to wear masks until further notice. Need PPE? Call ahead to see what’s available (find your local office number at www.udw.org/contact).
TOOLS FOR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT
Learn about important resources for you and your family
Across the country, we are seeing higher costs for food, gas, electricity, housing, and all other essentials. For those of us making close to minimum wage, rising costs are digging even deeper holes into our pockets—but your union is here for you! Check out the programs and resources below to see how you can get help during these challenging times.
UDW’S Credit Union
Rebuild your credit, enjoy low rates, get free financial counseling, and more.
Learn more below!
CalSavers
Financially prepare for retirement by accessing a professionally managed retirement savings program for Californians who have no employer- based retirement plan. Family child care providers who are self-employed and most IHSS providers can opt-in to the program.
saver.calsavers.com • 1-855-650-6918
AFSCME Free College
Earn a certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree online at no cost to you through the AFSCME Free College Benefit. Visit freecollege.afscme.org to learn more.
Enjoy other cost-saving benefits like a prescription and health care discount card, low-cost dental, medical bill negotiating service, and more at udw.org/member-benefits.
CalAble
Save for disability-related expenses by contributing up to $16,000 a year to a CalABLE account without jeopardizing benefits like SSI and Medicaid. CalABLE accounts may be opened by or on behalf of an eligible individual.
CalAble Eligibility:
- Entitled to SSI or SSDI due to a disability or blindness; or
- Has a disability certification (a signed diagnosis by a licensed physician)
In all cases, the blindness or disability must have occurred before age 26.
www.calable.ca.gov • 833-225-2253 •calABLESupport@CalABLE.ca.gov
IHSS CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM
You can expand your skills and earn extra cash, thanks to a new initiative that will give IHSS providers training to enhance skills and career opportunities. Participants will get paid for the time in training and may qualify for additional, one-time incentive payments for completing training in particular areas.
*Coming in Fall 2022. More information available soon.
Foodbanks
Three Ways to Find a Food Distribution Site or Foodbank Near You
- Reach out to your local UDW office or the Member Benefit Center at 800-621-5016 and ask about any upcoming food distributions event they may be planning.
- Visit www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members your local food banks.
- For immediate assistance, call 2-1-1, open 27/7, to speak with someone about services in your area.
CalFresh
California’s Food Stamp Program Provides up to $250*/month per household member
*Benefit amounts have increased due to the pandemic. Eligibility is based on income. Those with SSI/SSP may also be eligible.
CalFresh Income Guidelines
Effective until September 30, 2022
| Household Size | Monthly Income |
| 1 | $2,148 |
| 2 | $2,904 |
| 3 | $3,660 |
| 4 | $4,418 |
| 5 | $5,174 |
| 6 | $5,930 |
| 7 | $6,688 |
| 8 | $7,444 |
(Add $758 for each member after 8)
getcalfresh.org | 1-877-847-3663
Dear fellow UDW members,
I am so excited to announce the official launch of UDW’s very own credit union on May 16!
We are partnering with Providence Federal Credit Union (PFCU) to create products and services designed specifically to meet our needs as caregivers and family child care providers. Unlike for-profit banks, our credit union is designed to put us first. PFCU members can expect day-to-day benefits like 90,000 surcharge-free ATMs, free checking and savings accounts, second-chance checking accounts for those of us who have struggled with our credit in the past, low-interest loans specifically designed with UDW members in mind, and free financial wellness classes and counseling to help you achieve a secure financial future.
UDW members work hard. We deserve a members-first financial institution that will work for us.
To become a member or learn more visit www.providencecu.org/PFCU-UDW or call 1-888-849-5189.
In solidarity,
Editha Adams
UDW Statewide President
MEMBERS SPRING INTO ACTION
- UDW members gathered in Montgomery, Alabama to walk an 11-mile leg of a 50-mile march in honor of the 57th anniversary of the Selma-to- Montgomery march, originally led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of non-violent demonstrators fighting for voting rights. Read about our journey at: https://bit.ly/UDWSelma.
- We did it! Congratulations to UDW members in Santa Barbara and Imperial Counties, who after countless negotiations, rallying at the Board of Supervisors, and speaking out and sharing their stories, finally won new contracts with wage and benefit increases! We’re bargaining in several counties this year and need all the help we can get—reach out to your local office to find out how you can get involved.
- Kern County UDW members joined forces with our allies to gather and deliver nearly 30,000 signatures in support of term limits for county elected officials, giving new leaders who support, value, and respect IHSS providers a seat at the table. “This Board of Supervisors has shown us they don’t prioritize good jobs and our economy is suffering because of it,” said UDW member and term limits proponent, Sandy Moreno. “We deserve leadership that reflects all of us and invests in our local economies.”
- Our country’s early childhood education system is broken, and family child care providers are taking the lead to fix it. UDW member Miren Algorri (middle right) spoke to over 50 members of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) in March. “I am asking that the federal government take action and bring forth a comprehensive early childhood education plan that funds child care for all families who need it,” she said.
- Members have stepped into the spotlight during UDW’s Facebook Live roundtables to lead candid conversations about race, gender, and labor. In February, members talked about their lives as Black caregivers and family child care providers and how the fight for care worker rights are inextricably linked with the struggle for Black liberation.
- In Orange County, family child care provider Virginia Hernandez and IHSS provider Angie Nguyen were recognized during Women’s History Month by local elected leaders and community members for their work caring for others. Angie was named a Woman Making a Difference by Supervisor Katrina Foley while Virginia was recognized as a Woman of Distinction by Senator Tom Umberg. Congratulations!
SUPPLEMENTAL PAY RATIFICATION FOR CCPU
Supplemental pay for family child care providers is finally here!
After months of work, thousands of phone calls to the state demanding they expedite the payment process, and a union vote ratifying the disbursement proposal, family child care providers are finally set to receive supplemental pay!
“I’m so excited for supplemental pay because the $10,000 will allow me to make improvements to my backyard, build my outdoor classroom, and help me continue providing the best care for the children I serve.”
These funds are part of the $144.5 million CCPU-UDW won in negotiations last year. This year, eligible family child care providers with large licenses will receive $10,000; small licenses will receive $8,000; and family, friend and neighbor providers, also known as license-exempt, will receive $1,500. Next year, payments will be disbursed monthly in amounts that will be determined in July 2022.
To be eligible for these funds this fiscal year, licensed child care providers must have had at least one subsidized child in their care for three months between May and October 2021. License-exempt providers must have had at least one subsidized child in their care between August and October 2021.
The state began disbursing the funds in April 2022 and should complete payouts within the next few months. If you believe you qualify to receive supplemental funds but have not received any notification, please contact CCPU- UDW at 888-226-7510 to find out next steps.
