Bishop Eaton Issues Pastoral Message on the Death of Pope Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not
Stations of the Cross as Prayer Practice in the Public Sphere
Simon Bears the Cross, Jerusalem. Photo by Rev. Erin Jones. Every Lent Christians around the world engage in devotional activities that deepen their faith and understanding of the gift of the Cross and the call to follow Jesus as disciples. One such devotional practice that has captured the
LAMPa Releases 2025-2027 Policy Agenda
The PA General Assembly runs on a biennial basis. LAMPa's Policy Council sets a policy agenda before each session begins and revises as necessary midway through the term. Below are the policy priorities and issue areas LAMPa will be focused on in as we begin this session. Other priorities
Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Supports Investments in Hunger, Housing, Education
Gov. Josh Shapiro this week proposed a $51.5 billion spending plan that includes increases in several LAMPa priority areas, including hunger, housing, education equity and violence prevention, while calling for an increased minimum wage and proposing changes intended to spur energy production. The budget proposal would tap about $4.5 billion
PA 2024-25 Budget Passed; Hunger Remains Underfunded
Late Thursday, July 11, the Pennsylvania General Assembly voted on a $47.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2024-25. The final compromise was about $860 million below what Governor Josh Shapiro had initially proposed in February but maintained commitments to key programs Lutherans in Pennsylvania have diligently advocated for this cycle
Bishop Eaton Expresses Disappointment in Grants Pass Supreme Court Decision
June 28, 2024 I am disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which clears the way for onerous civil and criminal penalties for unsheltered neighbors forced to sleep in parks or on other public property. This could jeopardize the work of Lutheran ministries and organizations dedicated
Affordable Housing is “Out of Reach” for Many PA Workers
To afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in Pennsylvania, full-time workers need to earn $26.26 per hour. This is Pennsylvania’s “2024 Housing Wage” according to Out of Reach, a report published jointly today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
PA Advocates Can Celebrate National School Breakfast Week With a Win and a Challenge
LAMPa hunger advocates and students can celebrate National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8) with a win and a challenge this year. In December, universal free school breakfast, which had been implemented during the pandemic, was made permanent with enactment in the Pennsylvania School Code. For years, LAMPa has been
LAMPa’s Period Poverty Postcard Campaign
Join LAMPa in supporting measures to end period poverty in Pennsylvania, beginning March 8, International Women’s Day!* Period poverty – the inability to afford menstrual hygiene products – has gained more and more attention in recent years, though the issue is nothing new. For generations, those who experience menstruation
New Policy Brief on Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Homelessness
The "State-Level Brief Update - A Call for Action: Participation of Young Children Experiencing Homelessness and Young Children in Foster Care in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania" was released by the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office (PA HSSCO) and HopePHL in February. The brief update "highlights key state-level
