We have a number of updates, information, and action alerts this week.
Oppose Efforts in Congress to Cut/Gut Federal Food Assistance Programs
Please join FRAC and thousands of national, state, and local organizations representing communities across the country urging Congress to reject proposals to cut or weaken SNAP and the child nutrition programs in budget reconciliation or later in the year in the Farm Bill.
Take Action Now!
- Sign on to this FRAC letter pushing back against proposals to cut, gut, and/or weaken SNAP and child nutrition programs. Sign on DEADLINE - February 28, 2025.
- Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators Markey and Warren’s offices this week and next to urge them to continue to fight against ANY cuts to federal safety net programs. Find your member and contact info HERE.
The House and Senate Budget Committees are poised to markup their budget reconciliation bills and then issue target funding level “instructions” to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and House Education and the Workforce Committee (among other committees). Members of these committees — and the entire Congress — need to hear a roar across the country, and from every congressional district, that cutting and/or weakening access to critically important food and nutrition programs hurts low-income households, food retailers/producers, and the local economy!
MA AGO Info for Immigrant Patients & Health Care Providers
This guidance, recently released by the Mass Attorney General’s Office (AGO), addresses the rights of healthcare providers and patients with respect to requests for access or information by ICE. It also provides information about access to care and government healthcare programs. Please share this guidance widely with health care providers in Massachusetts. The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) has also developed an excellent fact sheet for healthcare providers to protect immigrant patients’ rights.
File State Taxes & Connect Families with No/Low Income to MA Child & Family Tax Credit
It’s tax filing season! MA families can qualify for $440 for each dependent under 13 or age 65+ or with disabilities. Households can get this payment even if they did not work for pay in 2024. Tax credits and payments do not count as income for SNAP, DTA cash, MassHealth, or other benefit programs.
The FindYourFunds.org team continues to provide up to date resources on how to connect to state and federal tax dollars. See outreach materials in 11 languages on the Child and Family Tax Credit here! Kudos to Children’s HealthWatch for leading the FindYourFunds work.
SNAP Resources & Updates: MLRI Resources, SSA COLA, SNAP Math Updates
- MLRI SNAP training resources: MLRI recently did our annual SNAP 101 training. Here are the slides and here are the handouts - these are a useful resource to get a sense of the overall program rules. Be on the lookout in 2025 for an updated SNAP Advocacy Guide and more trainings on SNAP and DTA benefits!
- Increase to 200% Federal Poverty Level: Due to the annual increase in the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), the 200% gross income test for SNAP increased slightly starting Feb. 1. MLRI has updated our calculators here.
- Social Security benefits Cost of Living Adjustment: DTA automatically adjusts SNAP benefits when Social Security increases Social Security and SSI benefits. DTA began mailing notices out to impacted households in January. The annual change is a great opportunity to check the SNAP math, talk to households who may benefit from claiming medical expenses, and connect Social Security recipients to the Medicare Savings Program.
- Increase to the federal mileage rate: Households can claim private travel to adult and child dependent care providers. Households with members 60+ or severely disabled (receiving a disability benefit) can also claim travel to MDs, clinics, pharmacies etc. All of this can boost SNAP benefits. As of mid- January, the federal mileage rate is $0.70/mile.
