LIHEAP Closes on April 30th
The 2020-2021 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is open. The season has been extended and is now set to close on April 30th. "The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant. Households
RISE PA Stakeholder Webinars Announced
The Pa. Department of Human Services (DHS) is planning a series of webinars to introduce the Resource Information and Services Enterprise – or RISE PA – an upcoming statewide resource and referral tool that will enable advocates and individuals in need to more quickly identify appropriate service providers, including social ministry
Administration Releases New Guidance for Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of the Treasury released guidelines and a new FAQ to help states and communities quickly distribute more than $25 billion in emergency rental assistance to renters in need. The revised FAQ directly addresses the significant flaws in the guidance issued by the previous administration. Pennsylvania's rental assistance program, whose
Act 1 Creates New Rental and Utility Assistance Program To Disburse Millions in Federal Aid
On Friday, Feb. 5, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law SB109, now known as Act 1, directing more than $900 million in federal pandemic aid to struggling businesses, private schools, landlords and tenants unable to meet rent or utility bills because of economic downturn related to the failure to stop the spread
Education Top Priority in Governor’s 2021 Budget Proposal
Gov. Wolf continued to place education at the forefront of his agenda with a his 2021 budget proposal in an effort to close the gaps in one of the least equitable school funding systems in the country, increase affordability of college education and job training. The budget, outlined in an
Utility Moratorium Updates: What You Need to Know
On March 31, 2021 the utility shutoff moratorium protecting vulnerable Pennsylvanians from service termination will expire. With moratoria in place since the beginning of the pandemic, customers had been protected from losing their utility services. With many if not more Pennsylvanians still suffering from the economic downturn, the prospect of an unrenewed moratorium is daunting. When the initial
ELCA 2021 federal policy priorities for advocacy action
Posted on January 22, 2021 by ELCA Advocacy “With the start of the 117th Congress and a new administration, and as the devastating COVID-19 pandemic influences our lives and shapes our concerns, we face pressing need for national policy action. Yet even with changes, as Christians in the world our
Latest COVID-19 Relief Bill Includes Emergency Housing Provisions
The latest COVID-19 Relief Bill was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The $900 billion COVID-relief package includes housing provisions such as $25 billion in emergency rental assistance and an extension of the CDC's federal eviction moratorium through January 31st. The relief bill will provide essential and desperately needed
Join LAMPa Seminary Intern for Weekly Compline
Join LAMPa United Lutheran Seminary (ULS) Intern Margaret (Meg) Folkemer for a weekly Compline Service. Since early pandemic days, Meg has been leading a compline or night prayer service every Wednesday evening live on Facebook with her family. According to Meg, "we started it as a simple way to
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton Shares Christmas Message
The room was spare and dimly lit. We sat on folding chairs in a circle—young Honduran women and some of us from the ELCA. We had come to Honduras to observe the work of AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities). This is the ELCA’s strategy
