Legislature Approves Changes to Emergency Rental and Housing Assistance Programs as Eviction Moratorium Set to End
With the end of the national moratorium on evictions related to pandemic downturn set to end July 31, the General Assembly and governor approved measures to make it easier for counties to drive federal emergency assistance to affected renters and landlords, as well as a $350 million grant program for
Funding for Hunger, Education Equity Make Gains in State Budget
As the General Assembly passed an on-time budget before recessing in late June, LAMPa celebrated a 15 percent increase in the state’s major anti-hunger programs and an extra $300 million in basic education funding, $100 million of which is targeted to the poorest schools. “Our hunger advocates did a tremendous
Evictions Moratorium Extended to July 31st
Last week the Biden Administration once again extended the Center for Disease Control (CDC)'s moratorium on housing evictions from the end of June. The new expiration date is July 31st, 2021. The administration has made clear, however, that there will not be another extension on the moratorium. Instead, officials have
Pennsylvania Leading the Nation in Student Homelessness Increase
A newly released report shows that homelessness among children and youth is increasing dramatically in Pennsylvania while rising unevenly in other states during the 2018-19 school year (SY). PEC reviewed the report from the National Center for Homeless Education called Federal Data Summary School Years 2017 - 2019, and summarized
LAMPa Welcomes Donna Skinner Echols to Policy Council
LAMPa is very happy to welcome Donna Skinner Echols to Policy Council as a representative of Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod! Donna has 42 years of experience in the development, management, monitoring and administration of family services programs for at-risk children and families. She has worked in the urban settings of Houston,
Housing Advocacy Still Needed, Even as CDC Eviction Moratorium Remains
UPDATE: "The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled on June 2 that it would continue to stay a lower court ruling seeking to overturn the CDC eviction moratorium. This latest ruling leaves the moratorium in-place, so that millions of households behind on their rent continue to
Level Up Announces Campaign for Education Funding
Level Up, a coalition of more than a dozen education advocacy organizations from across the commonwealth, launched a campaign on April 15th to increase state funding for the 100 most underfunded school districts in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania ranks 44th in the nation for state share of funding for K-12 education and has
Pennsylvania Seminary and Synods Mark Rogation
“Lord, let me heart be good soil.” - ELW, Hymn 512 Across Pennsylvania synods and seminary campuses have been marking the season of rogation. “Rogation days” are a historic way of connecting Christian faith to soil. As the ELCA resource “What are Rogation Days?” explains, they were celebrated during the fifty days of Easter on the Monday, Tuesday, and
LAMPa Staff Participate in Creation Care Events
On Thursday, April 22nd, Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (PA IPL) hosted an Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Earth Day in Lewisburg. Larry Herrold, Jr., LAMPa’s Hunger Advocacy Fellow, attended the event with several other leaders in the central Susquehanna Valley faith community, offering prayers to mark the occasion. The event was held in conjunction with Lewisburg
Extra SNAP Benefits are Arriving in April
Following the settlement in the Gilliam vs. USDA case, SNAP recipients will now start receiving additional aid in the form of "emergency allotments." Read more about the settlement here. Anyone who receives SNAP benefits, even the maximum amount, will receive these emergency allotments. People will not receive notifications, so spreading
