PathWays PA Policy Blog

Food stamps (SNAP) has been a focal point in recent weeks following the publication of a report showing that half of all children in the US will use the program at some point before they turn 21. Courtesy of Foodlinks , here are some more facts on SNAP: More than one in eight Americans now receives benefits from SNAP, with 20,000 more joining their ranks every day. At least a quarter of the population receives food stamps in 239 US counties At least one in three children use food stamps in 800 US counties Nationally, only about one out of every three people eligible for food stamps actually received them in 2007 In Pennsylvania, 72 percent of eligible people participated in the food stamp program, ranking the state 11th in the country. If you, your family, or anyone you know is struggling to pay for food, please contact PathWays PA for a prescreening over the phone to see if you qualify for food stamps. We can be reached at 610-543-5022 if you live in Delaware County, or 215-387-14...

As Pew's Economic Mobility Project points out, the concept of the American Dream, where anyone can rise above their background with hard work, is not as strong as many would like it to be. While 2/3rds of Americans have higher incomes than their parents, many children still end up in the same economic category as the one they were born in. 42 percent of children born in the bottom income quintile and 39 percent born in the top income quintile stay there throughout their lives. Yet as a recent study from the Project shows, high parental and personal savings can improve the likelihood of a child's economic mobility . According to the report, " A Penny Saved is Mobility Earned ,"50 percent of Americans born to low-saving parents in the bottom income bracket remained there as adults. But if their low-income parents were "high savers," only 29 percent remained in the lowest income bracket. Since 25 percent are estimated to remain in the bottom bracket eve...

AAHSA is sponsoring a call-in day on December 3 to ask for Congressional support of the CLASS Act , which would provide a new opportunity for workers to save towards long-term care in retirement. Please make your call to (800) 958-5374 between 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM EST to ask Congress for their support of the bill, which is currently part of healthcare legislation. Sample Script: Hello. I am calling to ask Senator ___________________ to make sure the CLASS Act remains in the final health reform legislation. People need help accessing the long-term services and supports that help them remain independent and at home. The CLASS Act is an affordable, accessible and fiscally solvent way to provide these services and reduce Medicaid costs at the same time. I thank Senator ___________________ in advance for the support, and I look forward to a response.

Recently two Pennsylvania newspapers wrote articles focused on the need for paid sick days, “ Sick leave policies spread swine flu ” and “ Can't miss work, child sick ... ”. PathWays PA wrote the below letter to the editor in regards to both these articles. In a recent article the need for and conflict around paid sick days is discussed. While it includes information on important federal legislation (the Healthy Families Act), state legislation is also in the works for the 46 percent of Pennsylvania workers without earned sick time. In July 2009, Representative Marc Gergely introduced the “Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act” that would give workers the ability to earn up to 7 days of paid sick time per year to care for themselves, their children, or their parents, or to use as “safe days” in cases of domestic violence. Nationally, 79 percent of child-care workers and 78 percent of food-service workers have no paid sick days. These workers suffer the loss of their p...

From our friends at NNSP Dear NNSP friend, As Congress prepares to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act, we need your help to ensure that sector partnerships are part of the final bill. The Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act of 2009 – introduced in the Senate by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and in the House by Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA) - would establish a new federal grant program under WIA to support the creation and expansion of sector partnerships on the local and regional level. The bill has received strong bipartisan support in Congress: In the Senate : Endorsed by Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). In the House of Representatives : Endorsed by Steve Austria (R-OH), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Charles Dent (R-PA), Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Phil Hare (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Michael Michaud (D...

Federal Reproductive Rights National Day of Action - December 2 Are you outraged over the Stupak-Pitts Amendment? Do you want to help fight this attack on women's reproductive rights? Please join the Raising Women’s Voices of Southeastern PA Coalition as we travel to Washington, DC for the reproductive justice community’s National Day of Action on December 2nd. Help raise a collective voice to lobby Congress for health care reform that ensures access to the full-range of reproductive services for all women, which includes access to abortion services! Busses will depart from Love Park (16th and JFK Streets) in Center City, Philadelphia at 6:00 am and return between roughly between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm. The bus is FREE. You will receive breakfast on the bus in the morning and snacks on the ride back to Philly. There will be a restroom on the bus. Click here to register . Please do so by 3:00 today. If you plan to travel down to DC separately, let Rebecca Foley know that are attend...

Not sure how you will survive Thanksgiving? Whether gathering with family or friends, it isn’t always an easy time (especially for the turkey). Once politics enters the conversation, it can turn into a minefield. Luckily, Families USA has a helpful survival guide for dealing with your favorite relatives, including talking to your: Grandma on Medicare Aunt with a pre-existing condition Cousin, new to the job market Sister who owns a small business NWLC is also offering a short Thanksgiving Survival Guide that doubles as an e-card – a great way to wish friends and family a Happy Turkey Day while reminding them of the need for healthcare. If your family is lucky enough to be in good health and securely employed (with access to healthcare) you all have a great deal to be thankful for this holiday season. Around the dinner table, please remember that health care reform can help so many others who are less fortunate. Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91572794@N00/ / CC BY-ND 2.0