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Conference Budget Includes 10% Cash Assistance Increase Starting April 2024

For Immediate Release

Media Contact
NASW-MA: Rebekah Gewirtz | rgewirtz.naswma@socialworkers.org | 617.645.4773

BOSTON, MA (July 31, 2023) – The Massachusetts FY 24 budget includes a 10 percent increase in cash assistance benefits starting April 2024, marking another historic step forward for families in Deep Poverty. This is the fourth increase in four years after decades of frozen benefit levels. These successive increases demonstrate our legislative leaders’ moral commitment to our most vulnerable children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

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Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and National Association of Social Workers-MA Applaud the Healey Administration for Providing Substantial Funds to Streamline Access to Safety Net Programs

For Immediate Release:
Media Contacts
MLRI: Pat Baker | pbaker@mlri.org | 617.357.0700 ext. 328
NASW-MA: Rebekah Gewirtz | rgewirtz.naswma@socialworkers.org | 617.645.4773

New Funding from Administration will Realize Promise of Common Application Law and Improve Access to Critical Safety-net Benefits for all Low-Income Massachusetts Residents

Boston, MA (June 22, 2023) — Today, the Healey Administration announced $40 million in federal and state funding to implement the law promoted and passed in 2022 that would streamline access to core safety net programs. Legislation passed in August of 2022, Chapter 174 of the Acts of 2022, directed the Administration to create a Common Application for SNAP, MassHealth, cash assistance, childcare and housing subsidies, fuel assistance, and other needs-tested benefits and today this funding infusion will ensure the state can reach this goal.

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Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Opposes Cuts to Critical Food and Cash Benefits for Our Lowest-Income Neighbors

Imposing SNAP work requirements on older adults and doubling down on TANF work rules will increase hunger and deepen poverty

BOSTON, MA (May 30, 2023) — The debt-ceiling agreement expands failed work requirements for SNAP and TANF, jeopardizing access to food and basic income for tens of thousands of low income people in Massachusetts.

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Joint Statement to Massachusetts Congressional Delegation: SNAP and TANF Are Both Crucial to Protecting People’s Health and Wellbeing

As Massachusetts anti-hunger and anti-poverty organizations, we know that poverty and hunger are inextricably linked. SNAP food benefits and TANF cash benefits are both critical anti-poverty programs. We urge our delegation to do everything in your power to protect both SNAP and TANF from any cuts in debt ceiling negotiations.

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MLRI’s Priority Budget Amendments

On May 9, 2023, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2024. In addition to providing an analysis of the budget, MLRI is working alongside coalition partners to advocate for amendments that would allow the budget to better serve low-income people. We encourage you to reach out to your State Senators to ask them to support these crucial amendments. Find your State Senator and their contact information here.

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Feeding Our Neighbors Coalition Hosts Legislative Briefing on Restoring Basic Benefits for Immigrant Households on May 2nd at the Massachusetts State House

Media Contact:
Christine Dunn, Seven Letter
christine@sevenletter.com
617.646.1044

Boston (April 26,2023) – Members of the media and public are invited to attend a legislative briefing event on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 to raise awareness to the plight of the immigrant community who lack access to basic food assistance and other key benefits. This event will highlight the need for both legislation and funding to restore basic food and cash assistance benefits for legally present immigrants, and will include presentations from medical professionals and organizations working with immigrant families. It will also include resources for constituent services staff working with immigrant families.

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Take Action to Support an Anti-Poverty State Budget

Our state budget is a representation of our values – what is funded is the foundation of our state’s future, and the state only funds what we fight for.

The budget process can be intimidating to even the most seasoned of observers, which is why every year MLRI advocates analyze the Gubernatorial, House, and Senate budget proposals to see how they will impact low-income residents of the Commonwealth.

This analysis forms the basis of our advocacy. We support parts of the budget that benefit low-income people and we promote amendments that would make the budget a stronger tool for fighting poverty. 

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MLRI Applauds Governor Healey and Legislature’s Investment in Low-Income Families

Boston, MA (March 29, 2023) The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute applauds the state legislature’s passage and Governor Healey’s enaction of the FY23 supplemental budget, which includes critically important provisions for low-income Massachusetts residents facing food insecurity and housing instability. 

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