Local advocates join to urge state legislators to vote against slashing our programs in the State Budget

A group of seven Just Harvest staff and interns joined PCRG, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Neighborhood Legal Services and The Housing Alliance on July 16^th on a trip to Harrisburg and spoke out to our state legislators to oppose the proposed state budget cuts presented in SB 850 and HB 1416. So far, we haven’t seen a budget proposal we’re happy with—one that includes workable plans of raising revenue over slashing funds to our most important human service programs including: childcare, legal aid, libraries, the Department of Public Welfare and economic development.

Along with protesting these proposed cuts with our legislators and their aides, the group provided ideas for raising revenue, primarily endorsing the option of a temporary increase in the PIT (personal income tax). Although receptive in our dialogue, many legislators hesitated on acting on such a controversial issue—the demon of raising taxes. Reelection and party affiliation should be set aside in this matter; we elect our representatives to make these hard decisions, not to abandon leadership at a time when we need them the most.

Please join us in this fight—tell your elected officials you’re willing to pay (.68 cents a day) for the PIT increase. Otherwise, without a statewide PIT increase, we will be looking at increased local and property taxes in our near future.

TAKE ACTION: Call your state officials today and tell them we can’t balance the budget on cuts alone; we can’t balance the budget on the backs of poor people. To find your state legislators, visit: www.votesmart.org and type in your zip code.

For more information on how these cuts will affect us, check out the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's "30 Ways in 30 Days Service Cuts will hurt Pennsylvania" and browse the PBPC website for more interesting articles. For in depth analyses, visit the Keystone Research Center.

Social safety net fails to support full-time minimum wage workers

Imagine working 40 hours a week every week and bringing home less than $1,000 a month. Then imagine trying to live off of that for all of your utilities, rent, food, gas, car payment, etc. You would assume anyone working full-time wouldn’t find themselves in this situation, but that’s the lot for low-income workers.

I discovered this when interviewing a young man for his food stamp application. I asked him how many hours a week he works and how much he makes an hour. Then I get out the calculator and do the math. 40 hours a week x $7.25 an hour x 4 weeks a month = $1,160 a month. Subtract taxes, and he was right: his take home pay for full-time work was less than a grand a month.

This is where the safety net system comes along and fails to support low-income workers, because the income guidelines for food stamps don’t account for taxes for the first income test: the gross income test. For a single person feeding themselves, their gross income has to be less than $1,126/month. Our full-time worker living on less than a thou a month grosses $1,160. No food stamps for this fellow.

Which, well, is not fair. For starters, had taxes been taken into account, he would have been eligible. And eligible for quite a bit due to his rent and utility costs. An extra $95 a month to pay for food would have really been a hand up in his situation.

Secondly, had he received $1,000 in any other source of income every month instead of working for it and paying taxes, he would have been eligible for assistance. But since taxes aren’t subtracted when considering eligibility, the system is letting this young man still go hungry.

So, for any of you contacting legislators next time the Farm Bill is up: tell them to change the rules so that the gross income guidelines are gross income minus taxes.

-Ann Sanders, Food Stamp Specialist

SNAP clients MUST receive EBT cards in a timely manner

When considering the complexity of the application process for SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamp benefits), it is not surprising that there are numerous places along the road where the process can veer off course, delaying a client's ability to use their benefits to buy food.

It is all the more frustrating when that process veers off course after a client is under the impression that they have already crossed the finish line. Just Harvest recently encountered several situations in which a client was able to successfully navigate the treacherous obstacles of accurately filling out an application--gathering the mountain of supporting documents for verification of their situation and sending it off to a County Assistance Office, completing an interview with a caseworker and being approved for benefits--with nothing to show for it. The final, crucial step that allows a person to finally use their benefits, receiving an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, never happened.

How can it be, that after what can at times, be a month long process of phone calls, left messages, faxes, mailings, and more phone calls, a client can be approved and not receive a card? Where does the car veer off the road? When a new client is approved for benefits, they have the option of having their EBT card mailed to them. For clients who are working full-time, caring for young ones, or are otherwise unable to make it into the County Assistance Office, this would seem to be a convenient option.

When a new client is approved for SNAP benefits, a notice is automatically sent from Harrisburg, informing them of their status and the amount of benefits to be expected. If they cannot pick up the EBT card at the office, it is sent from JP Morgan, who has a contract with the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) to create the cards and manage the EBT system. Once a card is issued, it should arrive in 3-7 days. However, unlike the notice of eligibility from Harrisburg, the card is not automatically issued. It requires an additional step from a caseworker to issue the card. If that step never happens, a client does not receive a card, and is unable to use his or her benefits.

This situation raises several questions. Why isn’t the card automatically issued, like the eligibility notice? How often do caseworkers forget to issue a card? What is the average amount of time it takes a client to receive a card after they have been approved? For a process that can already take 30 days just to determine eligibility, having to wait an additional few days or weeks, could be extremely difficult for someone who needs food right away.

Just Harvest recently encountered a case in which a client was approved, but never received a notice or EBT card. After receiving a Just Harvest newsletter months after applying for benefits, he called to say he had never heard anything. When our advocate inquired about the case, the gentleman had been receiving benefits for over five months and had no idea. Admittedly, this is an extreme case, yet it illustrates another barrier to receiving food stamp benefits, which have the potential to discourage even the most persistent applicant. DPW needs to ensure that all applicants who are determined eligible receive an EBT card in a consistent and timely manner, so that clients are never forced to hunt down a card that they have already invested so much time and energy into obtaining.

-Brian Gilmore, AmeriCorps*VISTA Volunteer

The return of grassroots recipes: Great Depression Cooking - Clara's Pasta with Peas

We've been on a hiatus with our Grassroots Recipes, but this video seems to be the perfect way to bring back the recipe sharing. The first video of this series originated in 2007, and its popularity recently resurfaced as people all over relate to the struggle of putting food on the table and eating on a tight budget. Clara Cannucciari candidly shares her memory-filled commentary of what it's like growing up in an era of economic hardship while intertwining her simple recipes for cooking for next to nothing. If you have any thrifty recipes to share, please feel free to e-mail us at info@justharvest.org.

Many thanks

Many thanks to Bruce Springsteen, who generously supported Just Harvest for yet another year on his tour through Pittsburgh. Not only did he donate two tickets to auction off to his sold out show, he also matched the highest bidder with a personal contribution.

We were able to raise over $5,000 in cash the night of the event, thanks to "The Boss" announcing how important it is to support local grassroots organizations like Just Harvest and to join our efforts to fight hunger and poverty by donating. Giving fans flooded the doors after the show, throwing cash into our donation buckets. We couldn't have asked for a better encore.

Food Stamp participation continues to rise

The April data from the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) just arrived, and food stamp participation in Allegheny County rose for the 17th consecutive month. It is now at 125,834 (up 9.1% from a year ago.) Statewide, participation set yet another all-time record, at 1,339,541 (which is 12.4% higher than a year ago.)

Even more dramatic is the impact of the April 1 stimulus increase in benefit levels.Statewide total benefits in April went up more than $28,000,000 thanks mostly to the benefits increase (and slightly to the increasing number of recipients.) Allegheny County recipients shared more than $16,000,000 in food stamps in April, up $2.7 million from March 2009.

Since July 2008, Just Harvest processed over 500 Food Stamp applications--up 52% so far from the year before. And, we just renewed our contract with DPW to provide application assistance over the phone for yet another year. As the need for assistance reaches all time highs, we're working hard to help people gain access to the benefits they are entitled to.

Just Harvest's 2009 Annual Meeting and Board Election

On Tuesday night, many of Just Harvest’s staff, board, volunteers, and supporters came together to celebrate the successes of 2008 and look forward to the year ahead. Reports were given on the highlights of the past year, organizational finances, up coming advocacy efforts, and the challenges and opportunities Just Harvest will face in 2009. For a summary of the information discussed check out this year’s Annual Report, available on our website. One of the meeting’s highlights was the election of new board members. Please check out the new board and their biographies at our website. We look forward to the energy and passion this board brings to its work.

This year’s annual meeting featured a talk by Joyce Rothermel, the long-time CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Joyce, who is also a Just Harvest member, discussed the hunger situation in Western Pennsylvania and the role of non-profits in responding to the community’s growing needs. She affirmed the long-standing partnership between Just Harvest and the Food Bank, and challenged both organizations to work together to end hunger. Just Harvest’s public policy-centered work compliments, builds upon, and supports the direct food relief provided by the Food Bank and its member agencies. As the economic recession continues, all poverty and hunger focused non-profits will have to stretch their resources to meet the unprecedented challenges and opportunities they face in their work. To learn more about the Food Bank and its important work visit their website.

Another exciting part of the evening’s events was the announcement of the new volunteer-directed Grassroots Program Committee. This still-forming committee, which will be made up of volunteers and board members, will be an informal mechanism for interested people to organize events and activities that promote Just Harvest’s mission. Whether you want to organize a bowling party or happy hour, host a film showing or a book discussion, the Grassroots Program Committee is the place to get involved! The first meeting will be at 6pm on Tuesday, May 26 at the Just Harvest office. Pizza will be provided for this brainstorming session, and all are invited to attend. Please contact Brian Gilmore by email or phone (412-431-8960) if you are interested in participating.

2008 was a great year for Just Harvest, and it would not have been possible with out you, our supporters, volunteers, members, staff, and board. Thank you for joining us in this important work. With your support, Just Harvest continues the fight against hunger and poverty, sowing the seeds of economic justice here in Allegheny County and beyond!

-Paul Shetler Fast, Just Harvest Intern