What's new at MLS

Please tune in to a special Coalition meeting next Thursday, 8/25 - especially if you work with communities in Eastern Massachusetts (see map below).    SNAP stolen by skimming - next steps, and special Coalition meeting on Thurs 8/25 @ 10   An organized…

SNAP Interview Calls: We have been seeing cases where clients do not receive an interview call  from DTA at the scheduled interview time. The client then receives a "notice of missed interview."  First, please let us know if you have any clients who do not get an interview call…

See also last week's Boston Globe opinion piece on same: https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/09/26/facing-hunger-college-campuses/5YuqiPlgugUwIUhuv3SsBI/story.html ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: James Dubick <james@studentsagainsthunger.org> Date: Wed, Oct 5,…

Settlement in Wage Match case We are writing to alert you to a settlement in wage match lawsuit filed a few years ago against the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). In 2014 and 2015 DTA sent hundreds of thousands of notices to SNAP households based on a match with Department of…

We're writing to alert you to a couple of items that may impact children in your community: 1. More MA School Districts Elect the Community Eligibility Provision to provide universal free school breakfast and lunch! This AM, the Department of Early and Secondary Education…

We wanted to share a couple pieces of recent information we learned this week DTA that may have an impact on your clients. 1. Quincy DTA Office to Open Soon At a recent meeting with SNAP Coalition members, Commissioner McCue announced that DTA will be reopening a local office Quincy. The…

Change to DTA Interview Calls DTA is making a change to how interview calls are made in SNAP cases. This change is scheduled to happen this Thursday, August 11.  Clients applying for SNAP are required to have an interview. Clients doing a recertification are also required to have an…

MLRI has gotten some calls about whether strikers qualify for SNAP. As you likely know from the press, unionized Verizon workers have been on strike since mid April. DTA recently issued some SNAP guidance which we think is misleading because it does not mention when someone is NOT considered to be…

Across the nation, and within Massachusetts, more schools are offering universal free meals - breakfast and lunch - to low income students. Between SY2014/15 and SY2015/16 (this school year), the number of school districts that are eligible for the "community eligibility provision"…

WBUR issued a powerful story this AM about the surge in demand on homeless shelters in the state, With Homeless Shelters Already Full, Boston And State Collaborate On Winter Plan  noting: "... across the state, men and women are staying longer in shelters, becoming what’s known…