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.
MLRI Housing Practice Group Honored by the National Lawyers Guild – Massachusetts Chapter
The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Housing Practice Group was awarded the Rob Doyle Award by the National Lawyer’s Guild – Massachusetts Chapter last week, in recognition of their past and present work promoting housing justice, stopping displacement, and preventing homelessness through multi-pronged, collaborative, community-driven advocacy.
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.
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.
Michael Curry is MLRI’s 2023 Catalyst for Change Honoree
For more than 50 years, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute has advocated to advance policies and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income communities. Over the past seven years, MLRI’s Catalyst for Change award and event have celebrated exceptional leaders in the community who strive for these same goals and who have achieved incredible success in making a positive impact on the people of Massachusetts.
We are excited to announce that the 2023 Catalyst for Change honoree is Michael Curry, Esq.
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.
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.
Nationwide Advocacy on Behalf of Special Immigrant Juveniles
Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) are abused, abandoned and neglected young people who may qualify for lawful permanent residence (known as “green card” status) under federal laws created to protect this vulnerable population. While some SIJs are eligible to apply for permanent residence immediately, over 45,000 Special Immigrant Juveniles from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are trapped in a visa “backlog” and must wait years for one of the numerically limited slots to become available.