New legislation would increase Pennsylvania welfare benefits

Oct 27, 2021

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announced a new bill alongside the Meet the Need Coalition, a statewide group of organizations advocating for TANF. The coalition includes Pennsylvania Health Access Network, Community Legal Services, Just Harvest, the Black Women's Policy Agenda and the Building Wealth and Health Network. State Sen. Katie Muth, a Democrat representing suburban Philadelphia, introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

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Inside Philadelphia’s Thriving Community Fridge Movement

Oct 27, 2021

Community fridges are a grassroots mutual aid effort to address food insecurity that is urgently needed. Philadelphia is the poorest big city in America, with a poverty rate of 23.3%, more than double the nationwide rate of 11.4%.

Center Director Mariana Chilton supports the mutual aid effort as an alternative to the humiliation and stigma associated with government assistance programs but notes they unfortunately do not address the root causes of hunger.

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Pa. uses taxpayer money to fund antiabortion organization

Oct 25, 2021

Pennsylvania is one of 14 states that directly fund the anti-abortion movement through state dollars, some of it with money diverted from TANF cash assistance, which should be used for people living in poverty. Center Director Mariana Chilton calls this what it is: "a form of racism and sexism."

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