Category: AiQ

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AiQ Children's Issues Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty

AIQ Asks for Wednesday, July 28th

Budget Advocacy; Please write a “thank you“ one of the links below. Mention you are from Lutheran Office of Public Policy.

Immigration/ Migration https://abic.us/events/the-path-forward-briefing-with-sen-bob-menendez-on-immigration-via-budget-reconciliation/?emci=9ccd605d-afef-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=7eb4aa51-b1ef-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=5839587

Also encourage your pastor to sign on to the letter linked below,

“Garment Workers Sign On Letter” https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pmbiSC0J8085TBp2VSS2qBtuyB1LshdDJD-ItgXcIto/edit?usp=sharing

Green Burial : Information on proposed legislation.

https://recompose.life/help-bring-recompose-to-california/

https://recompose.life

Categories
AiQ Children's Issues Federal Legislation

ELCA Advocacy Opportunities As We Approach The August Recess

U.S. representatives regularly return to their home districts to stay engaged with their constituents. Traditionally, August Recess is one such time – and while everyone needs some rest and relaxation, lawmakers are likely busy during this period with Town Halls, arranged meetings and other contact points that give you a window to raise your experiences and policy concerns while they are local. Our ELCA advocacy staff reflected on some current events that intersect with federal policy and priorities this year that you can review today in the “August recess opportunity” blog post. The reflections are based upon the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, promote peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation and promote racial and gender justice.
On  It will take place on Thursday, July 22, 2021 from 1-1:30 p.m. EDT. you’re invited to the “ELCA Advocacy Network Conference Call: August Recess Possibilities” to hear directly from staff about the current federal policy landscape. Additional details and registration found here. As we enter into the month of August, consider attending one of your lawmaker’s Town Halls or arranging a direct meeting yourself. Resources on how to do each and more can be found at the ELCA Advocacy Resource Page. To find out more, visit the ELCA August Recess Blog, and share how you are planning to take action this summer using #ELCAadvocacy on social media.

Categories
AiQ Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty

AIQ for July 7, 2021

With the CA budget passed, these bills we’ve been working on (SB 464 Food4All, SB 107 CalFresh Simple for Seniors, SB 108 State Healthy Food Access) are now being reviewed by the , Assembly Appropriations Committee. Please contact your Assembly Person if they are on this committee and urge full funding for these bills.

ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

80 Chair Lorena Gonzales, Dem, San Diego

05 Vice Chair Frank Bigelow, GOP, Sutter Creek, Placerville, Madera

54 Isaac Bryan, Dem, Culver City

57 Lisa Calderon, Dem, Whittier, South El Monte, La Puente, Norwalk, La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs, City of Industry

51 Wendy Carillo, Dem, Los Angeles

49 Ed Chau, Dem, Monterey Park San Gabriel Valley

01 Megan Dahle, GOP, Redding, Nevada City

73 Laurie Davies, GOP, Mission Viejo, Laguna Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point

34 Vince Fong, GOP, Kern County, Bakersfield

45 Jesse Gabriel, Dem, Woodland Hills, west San Fernando Valley

56 Eduardo Garcia, Dem, Coachella, Imperial Valley

10 Mark Levine, Dem, San Rafael, Petaluma, Santa Rosa

20 Bill Quirk, Dem, Hayward, southeast Bay Area

30 Robert Rivas, Dem, Salinas, Morgan Hill, Soledad, Hollister

79 Akilah Weber, Dem, San Diego

Categories
AiQ Children's Issues Poverty Racial Justice

Important Up Coming AAMPARO Meetings

AAMPARO

July 12th: 

Title: Stories from the Southern Border

Presenter: Rev. Ray Schellinger, Global Consultant on Immigration and Refugees, International Ministries, American Baptist Churches

Summary: Join us to hear stories of resilience from asylum seekers themselves as well as stories from Rev. Ray Schellinger, Global Consultant on Immigration and Refugees International Ministries of the American Baptist Church.  Ray will share about his work at the southern border and share some of the stories he has heard from people there. Participants will learn the types of challenges asylum seekers face and learn about ways they can be involved in providing support and welcome. 

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2496147996837632784

July 19th: 

Title: Ethical Storytelling – How to tell stories with human dignity

Presenter: Laura Curkendall, Director of Program Communications, CWS and Christopher Plummer, Director of Media, CWS

Summary: It’s natural to want to share the stories of our refugee neighbors with our own friends and family. But how can we ensure that we’re doing it in a way that we feel good about? Members of the CWS Communications team will share their advice to help you tell refugee stories in an ethical, dignified way.

Registration Link:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8658618200429138448

July 26th: 

Title: What is Preferred Communities?  Intensive Case Management and the Community in Partnership

Presenter: Melissa Berger, Program Specialist, Vulnerable Populations

Summary: Many refugees, asylees, and other new arrivals with complex needs gain access to extended, intensive case management and group services through the Preferred Communities (PC) grant. Learn who is eligible, how the program works, and how PC staff work closely with local communities to ensure that refugees are able to access and navigate the resources they need. 

Registration Link:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8898774629702595856

Categories
AiQ Health Care Hunger Issues Poverty

AIQ Action for Wednesday, June 9th

This is a very important week for funding of these bills!

Health4All Update: Thank all who have been involved for a powerful month of advocating for Health4All in the budget. Leadership is finishing their negotiations, so it’s our last week to keep the pressure up and ensure they hear from us before the budget goes into print on Saturday! Last Friday, Senator Durazo joined several coalition members at Cliníca Romero in Los Angeles for a press event to call on Governor Newsom to cover those age 50+ in the budget. Everyday this week, please help us lift up Friday’s action by tweeting photos from the event and tagging the @CAgovernor. Photos and sample tweets can be all be found in the digital toolkit, which is provided in both English and Spanish. This is our last push before the budget is finalized.

Food4All Update: This is an important moment for this campaign. We haven’t heard any news since the Governor and Legislature began negotiating the final budget, which means there’s still time to make our voices heard and NOW is the best time 🙂 It’s not too late to tell Governor Newsom: fund Food4All! Call/Email Today: Governor Gavin Newsom or Phone: (916) 445-2841. Already called? Call again! Already did that? Ask a friend/family member to call/email! Share these graphics and messages on social media!
Share these articles: ‘Essential for Everyone’: Food Aid Bill for Undocumented Californians Gains Momentum State Policymakers Can Provide Food Support to Undocumented and Mixed-Status California Families Blocked by Federal Policies  !

Share these graphics and messages from Food4All’s Social Media Tool Kit on social media!  

Categories
AiQ Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty Racial Justice State

California Roars Back: Governor Newsom Announces Largest State Tax Rebate in American History

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Contact: Governor’s Press Office
Monday, May 10, 2021(916) 445-4571

Two-thirds of Californians set to benefit from Golden State Stimulus checks amounting to nearly $12 billion in total – the largest state tax rebate in American history

Billions in funding for rental relief and water and utility assistance

Part of the Governor’s $100 billion California Comeback Plan, a comprehensive recovery plan to tackle five of California’s most persistent challenges

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today previewed his $100 billion California Comeback Plan – the biggest economic recovery package in California’s history – including unprecedented investments to address the state’s most persistent challenges, starting with nearly $12 billion in direct cash payments to Californians hit hardest by the pandemic.

Chief among the new proposals is a major expansion of the Golden State Stimulus, providing additional direct payments to middle-class families that make up to $75,000. Under the plan, two-thirds of Californians will benefit from $600 direct payments. Qualified families with dependents, including undocumented families, will also now be eligible for an additional $500. The plan triples California’s previous investment, reaching more people and giving bigger benefits.

“California’s recovery is well underway, but we can’t be satisfied with simply going back to the way things were,” said Governor Newsom. “We are tripling the Golden State Stimulus to get money in the hands of more middle-class Californians who have been hit hard by this pandemic. Two in three Californians will receive a check from the state and more than $5 billion in aid will be made available to those who need help paying their rent or utility bills.” 

Under Governor Newsom’s California Comeback Plan, the state would also offer the largest renter assistance package of any state in America, with billions of dollars to help low-income Californians pay back 100 percent of their back-rent, their rent for the months to come and overdue water and utility bills.

Throughout the week, Governor Newsom will highlight other major investments and key initiatives of the California Comeback Plan. 

Governor Newsom’s California Comeback Plan seizes this once-in-a-lifetime moment to address long-standing challenges by taking on threats to our state’s future and ensuring every California family – regardless of their race or zip code – can thrive.

Categories
AiQ Children's Issues Health Care Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice

Bills That Need Attention This Week!

SB 364 (Skinner) – CA Universal School Meals: Sign-on to this budget request by tomorrow at 4pm. The crux of this legislation is its funding, so this is crucial.

AB 221 (Santiago) – Emergency Food Assistance: Is in Assembly Appropriations.

SB 464 (Hurtado) – Food for All: Is in  Senate Appropriations.

Health4All’s campaign to have health care for undocumented seniors in the upcoming budget.  They are having a tweetstorm to the governor and legislators among other actions that start today.  Here is a link to customize tweets from your organization: https://secure.everyaction.com/ATHfHv8PmUmtUbfOD8-Aqw2

Categories
AiQ Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice

Take Action on Food and Farming Bills LOPP-CA is Endorsing.

SB 464- Contact Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anthony Portantino and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins during this critical moment in the process and tell them why they need to pass SB 464 now. Call: Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair at (916) 651-4025 and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins at (916) 651-4039
Click here to email Senators Portantino and Atkins about taking action for #Food4All. 
Sample Script:
Hello, my name is _______, and I am emailing to urge Senate President pro Tem Atkins or Senator Anthony Portantino  to support SB 464 (Hurtado)—Food4All, a bill that will create a more equitable food assistance system that no longer excludes many immigrant Californians. SB 464 will modernize the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide vital nutrition benefits to households with low-income that are excluded from CalFresh solely due to their immigration status. SB 464 is an overdue solution to this long-standing issue that has only gotten worse during the pandemic. Please support SB 464. Thank you. 
AB 221  –  Emergency food assistance for Undocumented Californians   (Santiago D)in appropriations; no hearing date yet but likely to pass to Assembly floor.
AB 941  –  Farmworker assistance: resource centers.   (Bennett D)Would provide provide farmworkers and their families with information and access to services related to, among other things, education, housing, payroll and wage rights, and health and human services.

Categories
AiQ Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty Uncategorized

Action for March 31st from AIQ

Bills to support right now in Food and Farming: 
SB 464 (Hurtado) – Food for All – Would expand the CalFresh benefits available to undocumented immigrants in California (While these folks are not eligible for the federal SNAP program, California has funding through a parallel program to CalFresh that provides food assistance for people ineligible due to documentation status – this program needs further development, outreach, and funding to meet the needs of Californians. This bill is in committee process. (Long-term relief bill)

AB 221 (Santiago) – Emergency Food Assistance during COVID-19 to Undocumented Immigrants and their families. This bill was amended in the Assembly om March 30, 2021 (short term relief bill). 

Quick facts to share: – These bills affect food, labor, agriculture, and public health organizations alike, i.e. our neighbors. Approximately 57% of farmworkers are unauthorized to work in the United States. Undocumented immigrant restaurant workers are 25 percent more likely to experience food insecurity. We know that farmers of color are undercounted and many undocumented. populations are currently ineligible for any food assistance beyond foodbanks.  Access to our state food assistance program (SB 464) and immediate food dollars (AB 221) is a public health benefit.

Categories
AiQ Health Care Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues Uncategorized

Action and News for March 24th From AIQ

Important: Contact Diane Feinstein by phone or email and strongly urge her to support ending the filibuster! It the only way that meaningful legislation will be passed.

LOPP-CA is following several state bills. The most important are:

Housing: AB1199 creates a corporate landlord registry, AB15 Provides Covid relief eviction limitations

Healthcare: AB1400 Guaranteed Health Care for All AB1132 Health Care Consolidation and Contracting Fairness Act of 2021. Assembly-member Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) introduced a package of bills to address health care affordability, access, equity, quality and cost containment. AB650 Would see health care workers receive up to $10,000 if they worked on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Immigrant Justice: AB221 This bill would provide Emergency Food Benefits for immigrants adversely affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic and excluded from federal aid.