Coalition Meeting 3/28; State House Lobby Days on Immigrant/Benefits and Campus Hunger Next Week; Upcoming Immigrant/Benefits and Veterans Trainings

FoodSNAP

03/23/23

SNAP Coalition on Tuesday, March 28th from 10 to 11:30 AM.

First, here’s the Coalition meeting Zoom link .https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89331685051?pwd=WjJMMUZKVWtTWUdERmp6WjQvRXFIZz09

The agenda will include:

Federal updates - especially the 2023 Farm Bill (see The Hill Op Ed below);
FY24 State budget and 2023 legislative updates, lobby days;
DTA SNAP updates on the end of the SNAP boosted benefits and status of the state-funded 40% benefits, skimming, P-EBT, other updates
DTA Connect - tell us what you are seeing, hearing Coalition member announcements/concerns.

Farm Bill 2023: Powerful Op Ed in The Hill 3/22/23

As we gear up to defend and protect the SNAP program, here’s a very encouraging, strong statement from Georgia Rep David Scottl in support of SNAP’s benefits and opposing cuts through so-called work requirements in The Hill, posted last night, Republican attacks on SNAP endangers America’s children and veterans

Two Lobby Days Next week: Feeding Our Neighbors and Hunger Free Campus

There’s two really important campaigns hitting the marble (State House floors) next week with sister orgs. We hope you can make it.

Wednesday. March 29th - Immigrants Day at the State House (10 AM til 1 PM)

Join the Mass Immigrant and Refugees Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) for “Immigrants Day at the State House”. Head to the Great Hall for the kick off of this event and great speakers.This lobby day will include a number of important immigrant legislative and budget campaigns including Language Access, Instate Tuition and other immigrant focused campaigns - as well as the Feeding our Neighbors Campaign. We will have a new banner, copies of Fact Sheets and lapel stickers!

Check out the growing list of co-sponsors for House Bill 135 and Senate Bill 76.
Add your org name if you are not listed as a supporting organization!
Help us Take Action! And if you plan to join the Feeding Our Neighbors contingent on the 29th, let us know on this Google Form..

Thursday, March 30th- Hunger Free Campus Lobby Day at the State House (9:30 AM to 3 PM)

In coordination with MassPIRG, the Hunger Free Campus Coalition is hosting a Lobby Day at the State House with students across the state. This will be a morning of advocacy for our legislative and budget campaign, with remarks from students, bill sponsors, and other campus hunger relief stakeholders to raise awareness about our mission and urge the legislature to act. Please save the date—more details (including student advocacy trainings led by MassPIRG) to come. Head to Gardner Auditorium before 9:30 AM for the kick off of this event.

Please register HERE so that MassPIRG has a head count MassPIRG is also doing a series of lobbying 101 trainings next week (by zoom) on Mon, Tues and Wed.
Check out the core Talking Points for the March 30th Lobby Day
And see the Action Steps for the Hunger Free Campus campaign!

April Basic Benefits Trainings - In-person and Remote Webcast:

Wednesday, April 5, 2023: Immigrants and Public Benefits:

This all-day training covers the nuts-and-bolts on how immigration status affects eligibility for state and federal public benefits. The training includes an overview of how immigrants obtain legal status, how to read immigration documents, the Biden Administration's change in the "public charge" rules and any subsequent federal guidance issued. The training covers MassHealth and other subsidized health care programs; cash assistance (TAFDC and EAEDC), emergency shelter, SNAP and child nutrition programs available to immigrants and their dependents.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023: State & Federal Veterans' Benefits

This training covers the basics of state and federal veterans’ benefits. The training covers state veterans’ benefits under G.L. c. 115 (administered by the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services), and federal benefits for healthcare, service-connected disability compensation, and non-service-connected pensions (administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). You will learn the basic application process, eligibility rules for veterans (military discharge status, financial eligibility, disqualifying conditions, refund status), and the disability requirements for benefits. It also covers the basics of filing an appeal and upgrading a less than honorable discharge.