Our Advocacy Priorities
Local
Affordable Housing
Families experiencing food insecurity are 60% more likely to experience housing instability. We continue to advocate for strong inclusionary zoning and other policies that will make housing more affordable in Worcester.
Worcester Chickens
We support an ordinance that will allow the keeping of chickens on residential property in the City of Worcester.
Good Food Procurement
We are researching the impact of adopting a Good Food Procurement policy by major institutions in Worcester.
Equitable Funding Model
The WFPC is seeking ways to best understand and promote models of equitable funding to address racial equity and root causes of food insecurity.
State Legislative Priorities
Our Top Priorities
Protect the Safety Net (S.117/H.187)
Championed by Senator Moore, Representative Keefe, and Representative Duffy, this act will enact mechanisms to prevent DTA and other agencies that provide safety net services from relocating or closing offices without community feedback.
Feeding Our Neighbors (HB135/SB76)
This bill would restore basic food and cash benefits for low-income, legally present immigrants in Massachusetts
For more info: www.feedingourneighbors.org
We Also Support
Hunger-Free Campus (S.835/H.1293)
This bill will provide guidance, funding, and capacity to help colleges and universities reduce campus hunger. For more info: www.hungerfreecampusma.org
Lift Our Kids (H.144/S.75)
This bill will increase the maximum grants for TAFDC (families) and EAEDC (elders and persons with disabilities) by 25% a year until they reach Deep Poverty, and then increase grants to keep pace with inflation.
For more info: www.liftourkidsma.org
Universal School Meals (H.603/S.261)
This bill will make Universal School Meals permanent, allowing schools to provide breakfast and lunch to every student at no cost to their families.
For more info: www.feedkidsma.org
Common Start (S.301/H.489)
This act builds upon a framework to provide high-quality, affordable early education and child care to all families in the state.
For more info: www.commonstartma.org
The HIP Campaign (H.150/S.85)
HIP leverages federal SNAP funds by increasing SNAP recipients’ ability to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables directly from farmers, improving health of the community and increasing sales for local farms.
For more info: https://mafoodsystem.org/projects/campaign-for-healthy-incentives-program-funding/
Encouraging Food Donation (H.1594/S.920)
This bill provides protections for businesses that donate food to persons in need, reducing food waste and increasing food donations.
Farm to School Grants (HD.350/SD.605)
This bill will establish permanent Farm to School grants, which support efforts by schools and districts to include more healthy, locally grown foods in school meals, as well as strengthen relationships between children and local agriculture.
For more info: www.mafoodformakids.org
Federal Priorities
| HR1510 ends arbitrary 3 month SNAP time limits | Enhance Access to SNAP Act improves SNAP access for college students | Hot Foods Act (HR3519) permanently ends the ban on hot prepared foods in SNAP | |||
| Lift the Bar Act lifts the 5-year residency bar to SNAP for immigrants | Ensuring Equitable Food Access increases SNAP allotments and extends SNAP to U.S. territories | HR 3037/S. 1336 Closing the Meal Gap Base SNAP on Low-Cost Food Plan and boost monthly benefits for families and older adults | |||
