ARPA funding - amendments filed, call/email Rep ASAP!

FoodSNAP
We hope you are all safe and warm. 
 
Yesterday, House Ways and Means released their draft proposal on how to spend the $5.3 billion from our federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help Massachusetts families recover from the pandemic.
 
Please take action TODAY AND TOMORROW MORNING to call/email your Representative about the below priorities - The House plans to finalize the bill tomorrow - Thursday, Oct. 28 - so time is short!
 
Amendments filed to address K-12 and college student food insecurity

TWO important ant-hunger amendments have been filed that are a priority of SNAP Coalition members:
  1.  Rep. Andy Vargas’ amendment #768 would ensure free school meals to MORE K-12 children.  Universal school meals waivers are set to expire at the end of this school year 2021-22. This amendment would extend universal school meals (CEP)  through SY 2024-25 in our highest need school district. It would also eliminate the "reduced-price" school meals category across all districts, which results in unpaid school meal debt and hinders families' recovery from the pandemic.
  2. Rep Mindy Domb and Rep Andy Vargas’ amendment # 1087 would allocate $1 million to establish a Hunger Free Campus grant program available to both MA 2 and 4 year colleges to address student food insecurity on campus, including SNAP enrollment, meal swipe programs, EBT grocers on campus and more. Thousands of MA college students have been harmed by the pandemic and, as with K-12 kids, cannot learn if they are hungry.
Tell your reps TODAY and tomorrow AM to use ARPA funding to feed hungry K-12 and college kids and sign on and support  amendments #768 and  #1087. 

Amendments filed for funds to families receiving TAFDC and EAEDC cash benefits

Additionally, please support the these two amendments from the Lift Our Kids coalition:
  • #756, Deep Poverty Grant Increase: To increase grants by 10% over current grant amounts from January - June 2022. This would get us one step closer to lifting families, elders and persons with disabilities out of Deep Poverty.  
  • #782, One-time Payment for Lowest Income Households: To provide each TAFDC and EAEDC household with a one-time additional payment.  
If you’re unsure who your representative is, you can find that info here.