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April Advocacy Update: Child Tax Credit, Affordable Connectivity Program, and a Supreme Court Case

April Advocacy Update: Child Tax Credit, Affordable Connectivity Program, and a Supreme Court Case 1600 615 Kristen Blacksher
Please read the April Adovocacy Update below by Voice for the Poor Chair, Bobby Kinkela:

 

Fellow Vincentians,

I wanted to share what we are working on and what we are watching.

First, as a member of the Circle of Protection, a broad faith-based coalition, President John Berry signed a letter to members of the U.S. Senate urging them to pass the Child Tax Credit.  The House passed their bill with an overwhelming majority. The Senate is bogged down over politics and not on the merit of the issue.  Thank you to the 2,700+ Vincentians that have sent emails to Congress on this issue.  If you have not weighed in, you can still send your message!  Because the legislative calendar is compressed due to the November election, if the Senate does not act soon, the bill will die.

We are monitoring the Affordable Connectivity Program.  The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a $30 discount on internet bills to income qualified households.  This is one of many programs that helps to reduce the internet costs for individuals. While funding for this program is in jeopardy, several similar programs remain including programs that provide cell phones to people who meet certain requirements.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case this week regarding criminalizing homelessness – Grants Pass v. Johnson.  The city argued that the ordinances merely bar camping on public property by everyone, while the challengers contended that the laws effectively make it a crime to be homeless in the city and therefore violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Monday’s arguments mainly focused on a 1962 Supreme Court ruling Robinson v. California which held that the 8th amendment forbids states from making laws punishing those addicted to drugs. The current challengers to the Oregon case likewise contend that the city’s ordinances, like the state law in Robinson, punish people who are involuntarily homeless.  We anticipate a decision will be made in late June.

Thank you for your advocacy and prayers.

In Christ,
Bobby Kinkela
Chair, Voice for the Poor Committee

Lenten Reflection

Lenten Reflection 940 788 Jill Pioter

Over five Wednesday evenings, join us as we reflect on Catholic Social Teaching and our Vincentian Vocation, and learn about some programs assisting the homeless around the country.

You only need to register once, and you can attend as many sessions as you’d like. There will be a reminder email every week.

  • March 9: Reflection: Catholic Social Teaching and Our Vincentian Vocation (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)
  • March 16: Presenters: Pam Matambanadzo & Dave McNaughton – Chicago Council District IV, Guest: Alderman Cappleman (46th Ward), Presenter: Miguel Santos – Buffalo NY
  • March 23: Presenters: Sally Wolfe – Denver, Co, Elmira Roque – Diocese of San Diego
  • March 30: Presenters: Alicia Reyes – St Vincent de Paul Planada, Sacred Heart, Plana, California, Gloria Hyden: Ozanam Center – Food Mission, District Council of Memphis, TN
  • April 6: Reflection: The Good Samaritan: Who Was the Neighbor? (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)

Register Now

Lenten Reflection

Lenten Reflection 940 788 Jill Pioter

Over five Wednesday evenings, join us as we reflect on Catholic Social Teaching and our Vincentian Vocation, and learn about some programs assisting the homeless around the country.

You only need to register once, and you can attend as many sessions as you’d like. There will be a reminder email every week.

  • March 9: Reflection: Catholic Social Teaching and Our Vincentian Vocation (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)
  • March 16: Presenters: Pam Matambanadzo & Dave McNaughton – Chicago Council District IV, Guest: Alderman Cappleman (46th Ward), Presenter: Miguel Santos – Buffalo NY
  • March 23: Presenters: Sally Wolfe – Denver, Co, Elmira Roque – Diocese of San Diego
  • March 30: Presenters: Alicia Reyes – St Vincent de Paul Planada, Sacred Heart, Plana, California, Gloria Hyden: Ozanam Center – Food Mission, District Council of Memphis, TN
  • April 6: Reflection: The Good Samaritan: Who Was the Neighbor? (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)

Register Now

Lenten Reflection

Lenten Reflection 940 788 Jill Pioter

Over five Wednesday evenings, join us as we reflect on Catholic Social Teaching and our Vincentian Vocation, and learn about some programs assisting the homeless around the country.

You only need to register once, and you can attend as many sessions as you’d like. There will be a reminder email every week.

  • March 9: Reflection: Catholic Social Teaching and Our Vincentian Vocation (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)
  • March 16: Presenters: Pam Matambanadzo & Dave McNaughton – Chicago Council District IV, Guest: Alderman Cappleman (46th Ward), Presenter: Miguel Santos – Buffalo NY
  • March 23: Presenters: Sally Wolfe – Denver, Co, Elmira Roque – Diocese of San Diego
  • March 30: Presenters: Alicia Reyes – St Vincent de Paul Planada, Sacred Heart, Plana, California, Gloria Hyden: Ozanam Center – Food Mission, District Council of Memphis, TN
  • April 6: Reflection: The Good Samaritan: Who Was the Neighbor? (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)

Register Now

Lenten Reflection

Lenten Reflection 940 788 Jill Pioter

Over five Wednesday evenings, join us as we reflect on Catholic Social Teaching and our Vincentian Vocation, and learn about some programs assisting the homeless around the country.

You only need to register once, and you can attend as many sessions as you’d like. There will be a reminder email every week.

  • March 9: Reflection: Catholic Social Teaching and Our Vincentian Vocation (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)
  • March 16: Presenters: Pam Matambanadzo & Dave McNaughton – Chicago Council District IV, Guest: Alderman Cappleman (46th Ward), Presenter: Miguel Santos – Buffalo NY
  • March 23: Presenters: Sally Wolfe – Denver, Co, Elmira Roque – Diocese of San Diego
  • March 30: Presenters: Alicia Reyes – St Vincent de Paul Planada, Sacred Heart, Plana, California, Gloria Hyden: Ozanam Center – Food Mission, District Council of Memphis, TN
  • April 6: Reflection: The Good Samaritan: Who Was the Neighbor? (Tim Williams, National Formation Director)

Register Now

Lenten Reflection As We Explore the Plight of Our Neighbors Who Are Unhoused

Lenten Reflection As We Explore the Plight of Our Neighbors Who Are Unhoused 900 900 Jill Pioter

Our faith teaches that safe and adequate shelter is a human right and foundational to honoring the human dignity we all have as ‘imago dei’; the Catholic bishops of the United States made this point as plainly as they could in titling their seminal letter on the issue, The Right to a Decent Home.

The amount of people living without safe housing in America is a scandal. According to the most recent data, in 2020 over 580,000 people in America were unhoused. This marked the third straight year of increases, and does not account for the pandemic (homelessness data is based on a set point in time count that occurs in January).

The Voice of the Poor Committee and the Formation Committee will lead a Lenten Reflection Series exploring the human, moral, and social effects of homelessness in America. The series will also lift up some of the inspiring work being done by Vincentians throughout the country. A tremendous amount of work is being done by Vincentians in collaboration with other organizations to serve our brothers and sisters struggling to find safe and secure shelter:

The long-term effects of the pandemic on housing and homelessness are yet to be understood. What is certain, however, is that Vincentians will be ready to serve. Join us as we pray, learn, grow, support, and inspire each other to continue this ministry.

Eviction Moratorium and Rent Assistance Update

Eviction Moratorium and Rent Assistance Update 1200 628 Jill Pioter

The Supreme Court has struck down the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) eviction moratorium. Millions of renter households who have struggled to pay rent as a result of the pandemic now face homelessness.

For neighbors in need at risk of eviction, help is available. Find rental assistance available in your community here. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also created a comprehensive resource for finding housing assistance.

Our updated COVID Response Guide has more information on housing-related assistance and a host of additional resources related to hunger, health care, and more. Download it now on our COVID-19 Response page.

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