Snap Campaign
PHILLY WEEKLY: Pennsylvania’s ‘Heat and Eat’ initiative could be cut in the Farm Bill
"We estimate tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians will be negatively affected if Heat and Eat goes away,” said Coalition Interim Director Julie Zaebst.
Hidden among the cuts to the farm bill, which we reported on last week, will be Pennsylvania’s “Heat and Eat” initiative, which allows states to coordinate food and energy assistance programs so the poor don’t have to choose between heating their homes in the winter or eating food.
“Based on information we have about the Heat and Eat program, and how it’s been working so far, we estimate tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians [will be negatively affected if H&E goes away],” notes Julie Zaebst, interim executive director at the Hunger Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
DAILY NEWS: Editorial: Congress pays farmers to grow, but cuts funds for the poor to eat
In the Farm Bill, "we're paying billions to make sure that food is produced and big agriculture stays profitable, while cutting billions from programs that assure that poor and hungry citizens get food to their own tables."
THE CAUSES of poverty are complex and many. One cause, though, is emerging as a dominant factor in the record numbers of people living in poverty: Congress.
This week, both the Senate and the House moved on a new farm bill, which determines the budget and policies for agriculture every five years or so. In addition to agriculture, it also funds the food-stamp program.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: A year later, Pa. food-stamp test called too complex
The asset test "made getting food stamps so complicated that deserving low-income people became inundated by paperwork and lost their benefits."
By Alfred Lubrano, Inquirer Staff Writer
One year ago this week, Pennsylvania tied eligibility for food stamps to the assets people possess.
Since then, nearly 4,000 households have lost or were denied benefits because they had too many financial resources, according to the Department of Public Welfare.
In that same time, many more people - around 111,000 households - were denied benefits because they failed to provide proper documentation for the asset test.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: A year later, Pa. food-stamp test called too complex
By Alfred Lubrano, Inquirer Staff Writer
One year ago this week, Pennsylvania tied eligibility for food stamps to the assets people possess.
Since then, nearly 4,000 households have lost or were denied benefits because they had too many financial resources, according to the Department of Public Welfare.
In that same time, many more people - around 111,000 households - were denied benefits because they failed to provide proper documentation for the asset test.
INQUIRER EDITORIAL: Don't need test for food stamps
Instead of helping people who have fallen on hard times, Pennsylvania made it harder for them to get food stamps, and hundreds of families may be going hungry at times as a result.
Instead of helping people who have fallen on hard times, Pennsylvania made it harder for them to get food stamps, and hundreds of families may be going hungry at times as a result.
The state imposed an assets test to determine food-stamp eligibility a year ago. Since then, nearly 4,000 households have lost or been denied benefits after being deemed too wealthy. Another 111,000 households were rejected for failing to provide proper documentation for the test.
THE MORNING CALL: Corbett's asset test finds little abuse in $2.6 billion food stamp program
"So far the test has not uncovered a lot of fraud. But it has caused a lot of confusion and heartache."
Reinstituted test examines applicants' personal wealth and income to determine eligibility.
By Steve Esack and Daniel Patrick Sheehan, Of The Morning Call
It's the question Kathryn Hoffman hates to ask, especially of the elderly people who come into her office looking for help.
Do you have a burial plot? How much is it worth?
Jewish Communal Action Against Hunger
Please join the Kehillah of Old York Road for special program about hunger issues and we all can advocate.
Please join the Kehillah of Old York Road for a special program:
You will about:
- pressing public policy issues surrounding hunger locally, statewide and nationally
- advocacy and how we as a community can make a profound difference
- how to become an advocate against hunger in our community
Presented by the Coalition Against Hunger, Mazon, Jewish Federation Center for Social Responsibility and supported by the synagogues of the Kehillah of Old York Road
TECHNICALLY PHILLY: 22% of Philadelphia is food insecure, highest rate in Pa.
A new report visualizes statistics on hunger and related statistics on Pennsylvania's 67 counties.
By Juliana Reyes / STAFF WRITER
Twenty-two percent of Philadelphians are “food insecure,” meaning they at times lack access to enough food for a “healthy, active life,” according to a recent report from the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. That’s the highest rate of food insecurity across the whole state.
Visualize that statistic and compare other counties’ hunger statistics (like the number of food stamp, or SNAP, participants and more) with this interactive map from the Coalition.
BUCKS COUNTY COURIER-TIMES: Report: Financial recovery doesn't put food on the table
Wall Street is back on track, but that hasn’t helped put food on the table for an estimated 86,926 Bucks and Montgomery county residents still on food stamps, according to latest report from the Coalition Against Hunger.
By James McGinnis Staff writer
Wall Street is back on track, but that hasn’t helped put food on the table for an estimated 86,926 Bucks and Montgomery county residents still on food stamps, according to latest report from the Coalition Against Hunger.
One in 17 Bucks and Montgomery county residents receives nutritional assistance from the government, according to latest State of Hunger: Pennsylvania report released Friday.
The number of locals on food stamps edged up slightly, with 37,965 Bucks residents in the program — an increase of 355 over the prior year.
THE SENTINEL: Food stamp participation spikes in Central Pennsylvania
A new report on statewide participation in SNAP says Cumberland County has the highest percentage-increase in the program.
Naomi Creason
City Editor
A new report on statewide participation in the food stamps program says Cumberland County has the highest percentage-increase in the program, though area officials note the county is still in good shape compared to the rest of the state.