Community Services Agency  

"NEWS YOU CAN USE"
Vetting Health Sites Thanks to the web, a wealth of medical information is just a click away. But how accurate is that information and how much can you - and your members - rely on it? A couple of basic questions to ask when researching a medical or health question online is “Who is sponsoring the website, who paid for any studies reported and is the website promoting a cause"? The answers to these questions will help establish whether the site and info are credible, reliable and scientifically accurate. One top-drawer site is Medline Plus, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Here you’ll find solid info on hundreds of health topics and can easily access pictures and videos to help explain conditions. And the material is available in 40 languages, a great way to reach more of your membership! Check out the Community Services Agency’s page (click on Community Services Agency on the left), where you’ll find further information on this subject and additional sites.
-  Kathleen McKirchy, CSA Exec Director & Carolyn Jacobson, CLUW health projects coordinator; thanks to Health Information Partners,GWU,which sponsored the June 30 workshop this report is based on.

CSA NEWS ARCHIVE
- (7/1/2009) CSA's "News You Can Use": Free Financial Advice
- (6/4/2009) CSA's "News You Can Use": Free Workshop On Health Information
- (6/1/2009) CSA's "News You Can Use": Providing For The Basics
- (5/27/2009) CSA's "News You Can Use": Free Foreclosure Assistance
- (2009) Labor Night At The Nats

The Community Services Agency is labor’s social services agency whose mission is to improve the lives of workers and their families by meeting their human and social services needs; by building broad and diverse coalitions  to promote and protect dignity and justice for workers; and by empowering workers and their unions to make their communities better places to live, work, raise a family and retire.

CSA covers Montgomery, Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia.  As part of the AFL-CIO Community Services Network, CSA has access to the extensive United Way/Labor network across the country and can make referrals for workers in any state.

- Executive Director:
Kathleen McKirchy 
kmckirch@dclabor.org
202-974-8221 (office)
202-974-8152 (fax)

- Building Futures Coordinator, Bilingual Services:
Sylvia Casaro Dietert
scasaro@dclabor.org
202-974-8223 (office)

CSA programs include:
· Information and referral for any social services problem
· Emergency Assistance Fund for eligible workers: click here for full details!
· Lay-off Preparation and Support including resume preparation and job search assistance
· Building Futures, a building trades outreach and recruitment program for DC and metro area residents
· Washington Area Women in the Trades (WAWIT), in partnership with the YWCA and Wider Opportunities for Women, training low-income women and helping them obtain employment in the construction industry.  This project is funded by an array of foundations and businesses.

DONATE NOW! 
Click here to donate to CSA

DOWNLOAD UPDATED DONATION FLIERS!
United Way Donation Flier
DC One Fund Donation Flier
Combined Federal Campaigns Donation Flier

CSA relies on the support of workers, their unions, and the general public.  CSA can be supported through the United Way, DC One Fund, Combined Federal Campaigns, and the Maryland Charity Campaign. 

PLEASE DESIGNATE NUMBER

· 8253 for UNITED WAY and DC ONE FUND

· 19579 for COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN

· 9320 for MARYLAND CHARITY CAMPAIGN

· 8396 for COMBINED VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN

To donate to CSA online, click here.
All donations are tax-deductible and are really greatly appreciated!