10/30 CINDY FORNELLI, MAIN STREET INVESTOR’ REPORT, JODI GRANT & SAGE LEARN, THE IMPORTANCE OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, ISAAC FLANAGAN, TIPS ON HOW TO BREATH EASIER AT HOME

CINDY FORNELLI - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE CENTER FOR AUDIT QUALITY - MAIN STREET INVESTOR’ REPORT

EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA ARE MORE CONFIDENT NOW IN U.S. MARKETS THAN AT ANY TIME IN OVER A DECADE, THEY’RE ALSO CLOSELY WATCHING POLITICAL ISSUES—INCLUDING TAX REFORM!

Center for Audit Quality releases latest ‘Main Street Investor’ report

America’s investors are more confident now in the nation’s capital markets—and about investing in U.S. publicly traded companies—than at any time in more than a decade.  And, those investors are keeping a close eye on tax-reform efforts and other political issues.

That’s according to the “11th Annual ‘Main Street Investor’ Survey”, from the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ)—which will be released towards the end of this week.

The CAQ’s executive director, Cindy Fornelli, says:  “Our survey has revealed the solid trust that Americans place in domestic capital markets—through a variety of market conditions, over the years.  This year, 85 percent of investors express confidence in the capital markets—while 83 percent are confident about investing in publicly traded companies—both of which are record highs.  In addition, 78 percent are confident in the audited financial information that’s released by those companies.  Our respondents also say that political actions taken by the White House or Congress—along with changes to tax policy—are the factors most likely to affect their investment decisions, over the coming year.  They also express concerns about the rising federal debt, global political unrest, and cyberattacks on our financial markets.”

The survey of a thousand investors was conducted in late September.  For the full results—and more information—visit thecaq.org.  The Washington, D.C.-based CAQ is an autonomous public-policy organization that’s dedicated to enhancing investor confidence and public trust in the global capital markets; it’s also affiliated with the American Institute of CPAs.

WWW.THECAQ.ORG


JODI GRANT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE AND SAGE LEARN, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA -  THE IMPORTANCE OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Participation in afterschool programs has increased in recent years, but the unmet demand is still huge. Today, for every child in an afterschool program, two more are waiting to get in. Unmet demand is especially high in rural communities and communities of concentrated poverty. One in five students in the United States is unsupervised after the school day ends.

Governments, parents, philanthropies, businesses and others support afterschool programs, but investments are frequently under threat; this year, the President proposed a budget that would have eliminated federal funding for afterschool and summer learning programs. While Congress has rejected the call to eliminate afterschool funding, there is still a threat of cuts that could affect 100,000 students.

Afterschool programs provide students many supports, including a safe environment, academically enriching activities, mentors who care about them and who they can look up to, healthy snacks and meals, and opportunities for physical activity. Many programs also provide parents additional opportunities to become more involved in their child’s education and offer supportive services for families.

Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. This year, 1 million people will join some 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events across the country and at U.S. military bases worldwide on or around this Thursday, October 26.

WWW.AFTERSCHOOLALLIANCE.ORG


ISAAC  FLANAGAN, GENERAL MANAGER OF CANOPY - TIPS ON HOW TO BREATH EASIER AT HOME

We spend a lot of time making sure our home’s environment is fresh, but often don’t think about one of the most important sources of “dirty” in our homes - the air that we are breathing. Respiratory irritants and common allergens abound in our homes and can be found in the form of mold spores, fungus, pollen, mites and pet dander.

Though clean air is essential for a family’s health and wellbeing, it is too often overlooked. A staggering 58% of people do not change their home’s air filters when they should — and even worse, one in four Americans have never replaced their air filter. Why? Most underestimate the dangers of indoor pollutants and changing air filters, which many people don’t see or think of, is low on the list when juggling life’s busy responsibilities.

Isaac C. Flanagan talks about tips for improving the health of your home as we enter the fall season. Isaac can help families breathe easier with tips on when and why air filters should be changed as well as give insight to the startling results of the survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation.

CANOPYAIR.COM