SNAP Coalition mtg Tues 4/27, SNAP & unemployment, Rules Committee hearing etc

FoodSNAP
04/26/21
Lots of information to share! We will be covering these updates and more at our SNAP Coalition meeting tomorrow, 4/27 from 10-11:30. Agenda subject to change but we will be covering federal updates, state updates from DTA on PEBT, the Emergency Allotments, and more! 
 
USDA posts guidance for Summer P-EBT - more to come! 
 
The American Rescue Plan expanded P-EBT to cover the summer months - generally speaking, all kids eligible for free/reduced price meals and all kids 0-5 who are part of a SNAP household should get P-EBT for this summer (regardless of whether they have been learning in person or not during the school year). USDA released guidance today and estimates that Massachusetts families will get about $191 million in summer P-EBT. This will be a critical summer resource for low income families. More details to come as we do not know yet how this will look for Massachusetts in terms of implementation. Note that summer PEBT is important messaging for families with kids who are back in person at school- save your P-EBT card!!  MLRI's flier on PEBT messaging is HERE.
 
Also, note that P-EBT for March was issued to eligible children. 
 
SNAP and Unemployment benefits - what does/doesn't count! 
 
The Department of Unemployment Assistance has started allowing claimants to apply for MEUC benefits - Mixed Earned Unemployment Compensation - a $100/week plus up for people getting certain kinds of unemployment who have a history of self-employment (those getting PUA cannot get MEUC). MEUC AND the $300/week boost to unemployment benefits (FPUC) do NOT count as income for DTA benefits. MLRI updated our flier on unemployment and SNAP here, including sample benefit amounts with the newly boosted Emergency Allotment amounts. 
 
Updated MLRI Mythbusting Flier for Households Reluctant to Apply for SNAP
 
In light of the expanded Emergency Allotments, MLRI has updated our mythbusting flier, posted here. 
 
Rep. McGovern Rules Committee Hearing on Hunger Crisis in America- Wed. April 28 @ Noon 
 
See below announcement from our anti-hunger champion and Chairman of the Rules Committee, Rep. McGovern! We encourage you to tune in on Wednesday.
 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 21, 2021 

  

CONTACT

Jeff Gohringer, (202) 225-2888

  
 


Chairman McGovern Announces Rules Committee Hearing Examining the Hunger Crisis in America  

 

Will explore steps Congress and the Biden administration could take finally end food insecurity in this country

 

WASHINGTON, DC — Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern (D-MA) today announced that the Rules Committee will hold a hearing on the hunger crisis in this country on Wednesday, April 28th at 12pm ET. The hearing, Ending Hunger in America: Challenges, Opportunities, and Building the Political Will to Succeed, is the first in a series of events that will the highlight the reality of food insecurity and examine the steps that Congress and the Biden administration could take to equitably combat it. Chairman McGovern recently asked Americans to share their experiences, research, and possible solutions to help guide the committee in this work. He has also called for a substantive, policy-focused White House hunger conference to create the roadmap to end hunger by 2030, which the United Nations has called for.

 

“As we begin to turn the page on the coronavirus pandemic, we need to not just build back better, we must finally build back hunger free. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment that will require the full weight of the federal government. That’s why I’ve called on the Biden administration to hold a White House hunger conference and why I will be using the Rules Committee to examine what Congress can do. Unless we act and act boldly, this epidemic in food insecurity will persist long after the coronavirus has passed. We must seize this opportunity to end the hunger crisis once and for all,” said Chairman McGovern.

 

Co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, McGovern authored legislation which created the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program. Now in its third decade, McGovern-Dole aims to provide at least one nutritious meal a day to some of the world’s most vulnerable children in a school setting. It has reduced the incidence of hunger among school-age children, increased school enrollments and attendance, and increased the support of families and communities for education. He has also founded the bipartisan Food is Medicine working group in Congress to highlight how critical healthy meals are for American families.

 

What: Rules Committee Hearing, Ending Hunger in America: Challenges, Opportunities, and Building the Political Will to Succeed

 

When:  Wednesday, April 28th at 12pm ET

 

Where: This proceeding will be streamed live on rules.house.gov via Cisco Webex