LAMPa Policy Council Gathers to Learn, Grow Community
The Laurel Highlands served as a beautiful backdrop for LAMPa's Policy Council retreat at Camp Sequanota in September. The council, which began a new term Sept. 1, heard updates on legislative action and began discussion of possible policy priorities for the next term, based on what they are witnessing in
LAMPa’s Policy Council Welcomes New Member from SWPA Synod
LAMPa’s Policy Council welcomes Jim Needles as a representative from Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in software engineering, Needles has worked for multinational corporations, several start-ups and non-profit service agencies. He currently serves as chief information officer for Familylinks Inc., an
National Housing Report Shows Wide Gap Between Wages, Cost of Rent
To afford a two-bedroom apartment plus utilities — without paying more than 30% of income on housing — a Pennsylvania household must earn $20.90 an hour, or $43,463 a year, according to a new national study. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) report Out of Reach 2022 ,
LSS Hunger Ministry Lifts Needs of Seniors, Pennsylvanians with Disabilities
The Rev. Angela Hammer of St. Paul, Penryn, shared the experiences of her congregation's feeding ministry in a state Capitol press conference in support of proposed increases to minimum nutrition assistance benefits for seniors and Pennsylvanians with disabilities. Hunger leaders in all seven Pennsylvania synods have reported increasing need in
LAMPa Joins Advocates, Mothers, Urging Safety Net Protections
"Through human decisions and actions, God is at work in economic life. Economic life is intended to be a means through which God’s purposes for humankind and creation are to be served. When this does not occur, as a church we cannot remain silent because of who and whose we
ELCA Statement on Mass Murders in Buffalo
“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?” —Jeremiah 8:22 Our hearts grieve for those who have been killed and our souls cry out against more lives lost to the hatred birthed by racism.
Report Shows Analysis of Evictions in PA Since Start of Pandemic
Although renter protections and economic assistance programs implemented since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the overall number of evictions filings over the past two years, communities across Pennsylvania are still struggling with evictions, according to a recently released study by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, of which
LAMPa Supports Efforts to Address High Prescription Costs in PA
One in five Pennsylvanians has chosen not to fill a prescription because of cost, and another one in six has cut pills in half or skipped doses for the same reason, according to a study shared by the Pa. Health Access Network (PHAN). LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale joined PHAN partners,
State OKs $10M in Tax Credits as Report Outlines How Far Out of Reach Housing Remains for Workers
The Pennsylvania General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf approved $10 million for the Pa. Housing Tax Credit program aimed at closing the gap in affordable housing just before the National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released its report documenting how far out of reach housing is for workers in Pennsylvania and
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,