State Budget Passes with Increases for Hunger Funding; Abandons RGGI Participation
On Wednesday, November 12, PA lawmakers passed a $50.1 billion budget after a four-month impasse. The final budget includes increased spending on education, hunger programs, and an earned income tax credit, along with funding for crucial social service programs that have suffered under the combined harm of the budget stalemate
Bishop Curry Issues Pastoral Message for These Troubled Days
November 12, 2025 When I was installed as your presiding bishop, the preacher proclaimed that in times of division, disruption and fear, God calls us, through love, to lift up one another just as Christ lifts us up. I have taken that to heart and been alert to all the
LAMPa Supports Office of New Pennsylvanians
On October 28, LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale, the Rev. Andrew Berdahl, and Hunger Advocacy Fellow Daniella Garber joined advocates and lawmakers at the Pennsylvania Capitol for a press conference and to witness the House committee’s passage of legislation establishing an Office of New Pennsylvanians. House Bill 1113, introduced by Rep.
Lutheran Disaster Response Leaders Gather and Advocate in D.C.
On October 20-23, leaders in the Lutheran Disaster Response Community of Practice gathered in Washington, D.C. to learn and advocate for key policies related to how we can show up for communities experiencing disaster. The collaboration between the ELCA's Lutheran Disaster Response staff and ELCA Witness in Society advocacy staff
Rachel Faulkner Joins LAMPa Policy Council
LAMPa is excited to welcome Rachel Faulkner as an at-large member of the Policy Council. Faulkner is a native of Pennsylvania, in her last year of college and preparing for law school. She is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Irwin, PA. Her lived experience finds Faulkner at
LAMPa Welcomes Anna Oslikova to Policy Council
LAMPa is delighted to announce that Anna Oslikova will be serving on its Policy Council. She will be serving in an "at-large" role. Oslikova is a 2025 graduate of Waynesboro Area Senior High School, and a member at Waynesboro Evangelical Lutheran Church. She is currently taking a gap year to
PA Supports the LGBTQ+ Community with Rally at Capitol and Letter to Lawmakers
On Sunday, October 26, hundreds gathered on the steps of the PA Capitol for the first march and rally for LGBTQ+ rights in over 10 years. The day was organized by LGBTQ+ rights groups, calling for equal protections, access to care, and leadership from elected officials in countering hate and
What to Know About Recent SNAP Changes and How Communities Can Help
Millions of Pennsylvanians, including many of those in our congregations and served by our ministries, are facing greater food insecurity in the wake of recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- vulnerability amplified by the federal government shutdown and lack of a state budget. See how this
LAMPa Welcomes Daniella Garber as Hunger Advocacy Fellow
LAMPa is delighted to welcome Daniella Garber as the Hunger Advocacy Fellow for 2025-2026! The Hunger Advocacy Fellow program is made possible by the generous donations and mission support to ELCA World Hunger. Hunger Advocacy Fellows are placed at state public policy offices (SPPOs) throughout the country and the ELCA Washington
Rev. Leah Woehr-Grande Appointed to Policy Council
LAMPa is delighted to announce Bishop Bryan Penman has appointed the Rev. Leah Woehr-Grande to LAMPa’s Policy Council as a representative of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. Pastor Woehr-Grande has served as Lead Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Royersford, PA since December 2024. A native of Bucks County, PA, and
