We advocate for a more compassionate welfare system because we believe that every person has the right to a dignified life, a voice in the decisions that affect them, and the hope of achieving self-sufficiency. Welfare programs like Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provide critical support to families in need. Unfortunately, the existing welfare system is often disempowering, frustrating, and unfair to the clients it serves. We aim to improve welfare by making policy-makers listen to clients, exposing injustice when it occurs, and educating the public about the realities of the system. This is an ambitious project, and we need your participation! A broken welfare system is everyone's problem.- Expanding access. Many eligible individuals are denied, delayed, or deterred from receiving the public assistance they need. Through individual advocacy and pushing for systemic reforms we want to eliminate barriers to benefits, and get people the help they are entitled to.
- Education for all. The emphasis of “Work First” means that clients are expected (and sometimes coerced) to take any job they are offered. Mothers on welfare who are trying to finish college are often forced to quit school and take a low-paying job. Even people without a high-school degree are urged to get a job rather than get their GED. This emphasis is short-sighted, and denies clients the opportunities they need to get an education and become economically self-sufficient.
For more information on our ongoing Welfare Justice activities, check out our Welfare Agitator newsletter and the Just Harvest News.
If you are a welfare client and would like more information and resources on navigating the welfare system check out our Welfare Client Resources page, and contact Rochelle Jackson if you have any questions. For more information on the welfare system and other social service programs, check out our page of Service Links.
To find out more about federal food programs, visit the Food Research and Action Center. To learn about how food programs work in Pennsylvania visit the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center. To learn about WIC, its eligibility standards, and how to apply, visit Allegheny County's WIC page. You can also visit the Department of Public Welfare directly for information on TANF, Food Stamps, and Medical Assistance.
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