December 3, 2020
What you need to know: ALL December SNAP benefits will be loaded to EBT cards by Dec. 11 in a one-time payment for the whole month. This means: • Those receiving SNAP may get their benefits earlier than usual. It is NOT an added payment. • This one-time SNAP benefits issuance will include Emergency Allotments...
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November 11, 2020
United Way of Pennsylvania’s new fact sheets by Senate and House districts show how many ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families are struggling to afford child care across the Commonwealth. ALICE accounts for the 1.8 million households earning a wage more than the federal poverty level but still struggling to maintain a basic household...
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November 5, 2020
Gov. Tom Wolf announced that nearly $20 million is now available to assist Pennsylvanians currently experiencing homelessness. The commonwealth received its second allocation of federal COVID-19 Homeless Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) funds, and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has set aside a portion of those funds to be used toward emergency shelter...
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November 4, 2020
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton speaks to the church about the election in a video message. The following is the video transcript: Today, the uncertainty of this election is causing anxiety and stress for many, not only in our church, but also across our nation and around the world. Even...
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October 28, 2020
The deadline for the Pennsylvania COVID-19 rental and mortgage assistance relief program is quickly approaching. The November 4 deadline will pass with the PA Senate failing to pass a bill (HB 2868) to make the application process more tenable. This inaction impacts thousands of Commonwealth residents who struggle daily to feed their families and determine...
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October 28, 2020
The Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) opens November 2, 2020 and is scheduled to close on April 9, 2021. LIHEAP helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant. Households in immediate danger of being without heat can also qualify for crisis grants. It is important that those...
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October 20, 2020
Many of us feel pulled to prayer in the lead up to the election. The new ELCA Worship resource, “Worship Resources for a National Election” contains crafted prayers and suggestions for sacred music to guide worship, prayer, vigils, and devotions preceding or following the election. These resources are offered in PDF and Word formats, to...
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October 20, 2020
The U.S. Supreme Court rendered a decision Monday that will allow Pennsylvania to count mailed-in ballots received up to three days after the Nov. 3 election. The justices were divided 4-4, an outcome that upholds a state Supreme Court ruling that required county election officials to receive and count mailed-in ballots that arrive up until...
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October 9, 2020
Thank you to advocates who urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend flexibilities to allow free meals to continue to be available to all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year. This unprecedented move helps ensure that all children across America have access to nutritious food as the nation recovers from the COVID-19...
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October 8, 2020
As the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) ends the moratorium on utility shut-offs, they have adopted a series of enhanced consumer protections intended to safeguard families and small businesses who are struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic – and also established a framework for future discussions about utility assistance and economic recovery. The PUC...
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