Coalition mtg Tues 9/24, MBTA reduced fares, TAFDC clothing allowance by 9/30, etc

09/18/24

Our eblast this week is a bit long, but includes a number of timely and important updates! Note: Pat Baker is on a sabbatical until November 7 - in the meantime, email or call me (857-241-1723) with any questions/issues. 

SNAP Coalition meeting Tuesday 9/24: Agenda

Here’s the Zoom link. 

 

The agenda will include:

  • Poverty Commission & testimony 

  • Brief overview of MA SNAP caseload & phone access, see charts here. 

  • DTA updates/discussion:

    • Replacement of stolen SNAP  

    • Access to DTA / Assistance Line barriers (see below)

    • MBTA reduced fares for SNAP, TAFDC, EAEDC households (see below)

    • October 1 SNAP Cost of Living Adjustment (updated SNAP calculators from MLRI to come next week)

    • Other issues/concerns from partners 

  • Federal updates from one of our national partners, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, on replacement of stolen SNAP and the Farm Bill. 

  • 9/30 deadline to apply for TAFDC to get the clothing allowance.

  • Issue sharing and announcements. 

 

Coalition meeting schedule for the rest of 2024: 

  • Regular 4th Tuesday of the month meeting on October 22 from 10-11:30. 

  • Special meeting on Friday, November 8 from 10-11 AM.

  • We typically combine November and December into one early December meeting. This year, that meeting will be Tuesday, December 3, from 10-11:30.

Reminder: How to reach DTA when Assistance Line disconnects due to high call volume

We know reaching DTA for interviews and for SNAP questions/issues continues to be a significant challenge for many households and advocates. Here are MLRI’s Advocacy Tips for reaching DTA when you can’t get through the Assistance Line (877 382 2363). Please join us at Tuesday’s meeting to discuss this issue with DTA. Here is a chart showing the rate of folks automatically disconnected when trying to get through to a worker:

 

 

MBTA reduced fares for SNAP households

Big news! The MBTA now offers reduced fares for riders with a government ID between the ages of 18 – 64 who are enrolled in SNAP, TAFDC/EAEDC, certain types of MassHealth, or who get MASSGrant as part of their financial aid package. The reduced fares are:

 

  • Roughly 50% reduced one-way fares

  • $10 7-Day LinkPasses

  • $30 monthly LinkPasses

 

Learn more and see how to apply on the MBTA website here. Shoutout to Mass Senior Action Council and many partners for their years of advocacy on reduced fares, and to DTA for working with the MBTA on this!

September TAFDC clothing allowance & increased income limits

Reminder: Families who are eligible for TAFDC cash benefits in September are also issued a $500 clothing allowance per eligible child. And, during September the TAFDC income limits also go up by $500/child. This means working families who are over income for TAFDC in other months may qualify in September. The clothing allowance does not impact SNAP benefits. For fliers in English and Spanish on the clothing allowance, see MLRI resources here.

 

Advise families to apply for TAFDC by September 30 to get the clothing allowance! They can apply through DTAConnect or by calling a local DTA office. Learn more here about how to apply.

 

Poverty Commission - Fall River Hearing 9/25 and Testimony Deadline 10/15! 

As many Coalition members are aware, the MA Legislature created a Commission on Poverty.  The goal of the commission is to study the ways we can best address inequality, reduce poverty, and promote opportunity in the Commonwealth over the next 10 years. The charge of the commission is to make recommendations that, if implemented, would significantly reduce poverty in the Commonwealth over the next 10 years. Co-chaired by State Senator Sal DiDomenico and State Rep. Marjorie Decker, the Commission has already held two hearings (in Springfield in May, in Cambridge in June), and is hosting one more on Wednesday, September 25 in Fall River. We encourage Southern Mass organizations to attend the Fall River hearing! If you plan to testify orally, please pre-register HERE - the deadline to register to testify is Monday, September 23 at 5 PM. 

 

The Commission is also welcoming written testimony by October 15th. We strongly encourage SNAP Coalition members to submit written testimony to the Commission in the next few weeks. Send written testimony to Kerwin Amo kerwin.amo@mahouse.gov,  Chief of Staff to Rep. Marjorie Decker. 

Central MA organizations - join Central MA Coalition for regional advocacy

For many years our partners in Central MA have had a Central MA SNAP Coalition to focus on updates and regional advocacy issues. MLRI's SNAP Coalition meetings are intended to be statewide - so we strongly encourage Central MA organizations and individuals to connect to the Central MA coalition in addition to the statewide coalition!

 

Here is more information and a link to sign up is here: The Center for Food Equity, a program of the Worcester County Food Bank, hosts a virtual meeting on the second Tuesday of the month from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. We discuss federal and state SNAP updates, SNAP advocacy actions, SNAP outreach opportunities and strategies, and concerns seen by our partners in the community working with SNAP recipients and other community members experiencing food insecurity. 

Mon. 9/23: Q&A With Chief Justice Diana Horan from the Massachusetts Housing Court

In Massachusetts we have Housing Courts across the state that handle housing matters including evictions, getting repairs made, security deposit claims, and other housing matters. If you are a tenant or work with a community group and want to learn more about how the Housing Court works, come learn more from the Chief Justice of the Housing Court. For more information, see multilingual fliers here. Register here.