SNAP Defense Continues; 3 Month Time Limit Resources; Utility Rights Training

Greetings all. Our April SNAP Coalition meeting is next Tuesday, April 22nd from 10 to 11:30 AM. An agenda and zoom link to follow. We wanted to share some breaking news and a couple of resources. And tomorrow, the FY26 Proposed House Ways and Means Budget (state budget) comes out - more details to follow!

Actions to Protect SNAP - Keep up the drum roll!

U.S. Senate: We are grateful to Senator Markey and Senator Warren for joining 44 of their Senate colleagues yesterday - including Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Klobuchar and Leader Schumer - in this public letter opposing cuts to SNAP. See Senate Ag Press release, April 14, 2024. As the letter states: “Congress should not give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans by taking away food assistance from millions of Americans,” wrote the Senators.” and “SNAP supports 42 million Americans, including nearly 8 million seniors, 16 million children, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans, in putting food on their tables each month. Cuts of this magnitude—or anything close to it—would be devastating to American families in every state.”

ACTION STEP: Please post a TY note on social media and send a note to Senators Markey & Markey with your profuse thanks for defending SNAP! Please use this messaging!

U.S. House: Last week, House Republicans passed a budget plan that paves the way to take Medicaid and SNAP food benefits away from millions of people to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. This is unacceptable! But opportunities for action exist b.c Congress is in recess and members are in their Districts this week and next.

ACTION STEPS: 1) Please continue to elevate in local media, on social media, and with your broader networks (including outside of Massachusetts!) the severe harms cuts to SNAP would bring to every community in the country. Here are some resources to elevate and draw from including:

• The Food Bank of Western MA fantastic opinion piece in Commonwealth Beacon. Use this for talking points! Well done FBWM!
• See this recent letter from 13 MA Chambers of Commerce. Please continue engaging Mayors and local Chambers of Commerce to speak out - SNAP cuts will increase hunger and harm local economies!
• The National Grocers Association published this powerful one pager showing the breadth of impact SNAP has in local communities - supporting 243,000 jobs and $16 billion in wages! Please ask your local grocers to weigh in.

MLRI Resources on the SNAP 3-Month Time Limit

Thank you to all who joined our ABAWD training last week! The ABAWD Work Rules (the 3-month time limit for certain SNAP recipients ages 18-54) will re-start on May 1. Soon DTA will start mailing a SNAP and Work notice to adults it determines must meet the ABAWD Work Rules to keep SNAP for more than 3 months. Here are MLRI’s resources for you to help protect vulnerable adults from losing SNAP:

• Slides from the training
• MLRI’s ABAWD Guide for Community Organization
• MLRI Know Your Rights flier for ABAWDs

Save the date: We will do additional trainings on the ABAWD rules on Tues. June 17 at 2 PM and Tues. July 15 at 2 PM.

EBT Outage from Sat. April 26 at 11 PM until midday Sun. April 27

Because DTA is changing EBT companies, households on SNAP will not be able to buy food with SNAP from 11 p.m. on April 26 until mid-day April 27. Households getting TAFDC or EAEDC cash benefits on their EBT card (not direct deposit) will not be able to make purchases or withdraw funds during those times. See DTA’s press release here. Visit Mass.gov/EBT for fliers in multiple languages. Please spread the word!

Utility Consumer Rights Training April 17, 2025 10:00 - 11:30 AM

Hosted by our partners at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), this training will cover the eligibility requirements in Massachusetts for utility discounts, how to prevent service from being shut off, and how to restore service if it has been terminated (among other useful advocacy strategies). The training will be held over zoom and last about 90 minutes including a short break and time for questions. If you have any questions, reach out to stayconnected@nclc.org

Register HERE.