Winter 2009 
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
December 1, 2008
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The Nest Egg: Tax-Time Savings Innovations for Lower-Income Households
by Jeff Zinsmeyer, D2D Fund
Recognizing how hard it is for low-income workers to save, D2D Fund develops, tests, and rolls out asset-building innovations nationwide. One promising approach makes it easier for people to save part of their tax refund. - Immigrants and the Massachusetts Health-Care Workforce
by Marcia Hohn, The Immigrant Learning Center Inc.
Health-care job openings are growing twice as fast as the average for all industries in
Massachusetts, and immigrants are eager to acquire health-industry skills. The author describes local training programs and recommends immigrant-friendly improvements. - Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund: Vermont's Green Economy Speeds Up
by Bruce Seifer, City of Burlington, Vermont
In Vermont, a “sustainable” job is one that not only can endure but can boost environmental protection, social justice, and economic equity. Today business competitors collaborating on
sustainable goals are doing well by doing good. - Gift Card Value when Issuers Go Bankrupt
by Cristin Frederick, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
What value does a prepaid gift card retain when the company where it can be spent files for bankruptcy? A legal intern looks at the law and recent cases and offers advice to consumers. - Needed Skills Versus Available Skills: An Assessment Tool Is Launched
by Mark Melnik, Boston Redevelopment Authority; Barry Bluestone, Northeastern University; and Alan Clayton-Matthews, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Economic development often founders on a mismatch between available workforce skills and companies' needs. A tool that analyzes critical sets of labor market data not previously considered in tandem can help local governments improve planning. - Poverty and Health
First Person with Anne Perry, Maine State Representative, Washington County
A nurse practitioner in one of New England's poorest areas, Perry knows that bad health
outcomes are often tied to poverty. One goal of her initiative to tackle sickness and poverty together is the creation of a statewide model. - New England's Foreign-Born Population Today
by Ross Gittell and Timothy Lord, University of New Hampshire
Since the 1600s, immigrants have been drawn to New England, and even now parts of the region would be losing population and economic vitality if not for the foreign-born population. UNH's Carsey Institute analyzes the demographics. - Addressing Concentrated Poverty in America
by DeAnna Green, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
The Federal Reserve/Brookings Institution study of concentrated poverty in America has been released. To help policymakers plan interventions, the author summarizes the similarities and differences among communities where poverty is 40 percent or higher.
Articles may be reprinted if Communities , Banking and the author are credited and the following disclaimer is used: "The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston or the Federal Reserve System. Information about organizations and upcoming events is strictly informational and not an endorsement."
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