Today’s the day! We need everyone to step up and get your dialing fingers ready. The MA Senate Budget Committee has released their version of the FY17 MA budget, and it’s missing some very important funding to continue anti-hunger efforts here in Massachusetts. Many, many thanks go out to our Senate Food Policy Champions, Sen. Mike Moore and Sen. Anne Gobi for filing amendments to include Massachusetts Food Trust funding and FINI/HIP match funding. These two amendments, as well as two other amendments that make funds available for anti-hunger programs, are vital – and need more sponsors. We’re sharing the letter written by Worcester Food Policy Council Manager Martha Assefa here – it has lots of useful information about how you can help get
these important amendments into next year’s budget!
Please LIKE and FOLLOW Worcester Food Policy Council’s Facebook page for updates and more info throughout the next few days.
Good Morning Wonderful People!
I hope that this email finds you all well. I’m writing to update you on what’s happening in the MA Senate Ways and Means Budget Committee, and to ask for your help!
As you may know, the budget is out, and it did not include funding for some vital anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs. There’s still a chance to get those vital dollars into the budget appropriations through these 4 Anti-Hunger Amendments, but we need to ACT TODAY. It will only take a few minutes of your time to email or call your State Senators and tell them to stand against hunger!
First of all, Central Mass should be proud of our leadership because Senator Mike Moore and Senator Anne Gobi have already stood up as anti-hunger champions by filing 2 anti hunger amendments. They need more Senators on board so today I am asking for you to email or call your State Senator. If you’re not sure who your senator is, you can find that information – along with contact information – at:
http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx
ACTION PLAN
- Please Call your senator and ask them to Co-sponsor the following amendments.
- MEFAP amendment (line item 2511-0105) sponsored by Senators Downing and Wolfe
- MASS FOOD TRUST amendment (line item 7007-0300) sponsored by Sen. Michael Moore
- FINI/HIP matching funds amendment sponsored by Sen. Anne Gobi
- MASS IN MOTION funding sponsored by Senator Lewis.
- Say something personal about why you chose to call/email today and then rattle off the names of the amendments and their sponsoring Senators.
- NOTE: If you are in Senator Moore’s or Senator Gobi’s districts, please thank them first for their leadership in filing an amendment.
Details:
- MEFAP: Senators Downing and Wolf are cosponsoring an amendment to boost MEFAP (Mass Emergency Food Assistance Program) (line item 2511-0105). The food banks are working on getting as many Senators to sign-on to that amendment as possible. Please ask your Senator to reach out to Downing/Wolf and offer to cosponsor the MEFAP Amendment.
- FY17 cuts $1 million from MEFAP. According to the Greater Boston Food Bank, a $1M cut to MEFAP could mean as many as 1.5M less meals for those in need in MA next year. It will also significantly affect many contracts with local vendors and farmers that they count on each year.
- Mass Food Trust: Worcester’s Senator Michael Moore is co-sponsoring an amendment to dedicate $500,000 for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program within the MA Office of Business Development (line item 7007-0300).
- You can tell your Senator that they can co-sponsor by contacting Julie del Sobral in Sen. Moore’s office at extension 1487, or by email at Julia.DelSobral@masenate.gov
- FINI/HIP grant: . Spencer’s Senator Anne Gobi is filing an amendment to include FINI/HIP match funds in the budget. FINI provides funding for matching SNAP Farmers Markets purchases dollar for dollar. This funding would leverage a federal matching grant to effectively double the amount of food SNAP recipients can buy at farmers markets. The Budget did not fund the matching dollars needed to leverage the federal Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives (FINI)
- a. You can tell your Senator that they can cosponsor by contacting Senator Gobi’s Chief of Staff Brian Ferrarese at 617-722-1540 or Brian.Ferrarese@masenate.gov for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
- Funding for Mass in Motion: While you’ve got your Senator on the phone, say something like this: “I’m calling to ask that Senator X please co-sponsor Sen. Lewis’ amendment to fund line item 4513-1111 at $3,952,386 and maintain dedicated funding for Mass in Motion
o Tell your senator they can contact Dennis Burke in Sen. Lewis’ office: x1208 or dennis.burke@masenate.gov to sign on as sponsors.
Thank you for making these calls/ emails!!! Please help spread the news on Social Media as well.
And let me just end with some GOOD NEWS—the SNAP Gap is a step closer to closing!
- The Senate Budget Executive summary writes, “Given that food security, nutrition and high quality health care lead to better outcomes for children and families, this budget includes a $1M investment to create a new common application portal to help low income families enroll in both MassHealth and SNAP nutrition benefits.”
The common application portal was a major goal for many anti-hunger organizations. It makes it easier for eligible families to apply for SNAP benefits, ensuring that more families will get the assistance they need.
Thanks
Martha
