Justice and Peace Committee
The purpose of the Justice and Peace Committee is to help the needy in our community and around the world. Using the principle, Educate, Contemplate, Act, we fulfill our purpose by educating our parishioners about how Catholic Social Teaching can be part of their everyday lives and by working to ensure that the principles of this teaching are incorporated into public policy.
We coordinate with Catholic Charities and the Justice and Peace committees of other parishes to provide educational programs and action plans. Small Christian Communities and the parish at large are involved in J&P letter-writing campaigns. Committee members also help with telephone calls and personal meetings with legislative representatives at all levels of government to discuss our positions on important issues that impact the needy. J&P has also occasionally coordinated special collections to address dire needs. Immigration reform, affordable housing, debt relief, hunger relief, welfare reform, accessible health care, and sentencing reform are some of the issues through which our committee is working to build Gods Just and Peaceful Kingdom.
CO-CHAIRPERSONS:
Mary Lee Barry, 754-1693
Ann Gardner, 757-7501
Please send the below letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Executive Chamber, The State Capital, Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Cuomo,
As you begin your term in office, amid a severe economic downturn and State deficit, let me call upon you to make the needs of the millions of new York working poor families one of your administrations priorities.
It is morally unacceptable and unsound economically for the richest nation on earth to allow millions of children to live in poverty and suffer hunger. One year ago, Island Harvest and Long island Cares/The Harry Chapin Food Bank released a study showing that one in ten Long Islanders is food insecure; over 280,000 Long Islanders a year seek help at local food pantries with almost 111,000 of them being children under the age of 18. And this in one of New York States wealthiest regions!
Child hood hunger in New York State is a direct result of systemic economic injustices as well as public policies that fail to support the needs of working poor people. Therefore, I join with the Hunger Action Network of New York State, Island Harvest/the Mobilized Interfaith Coalition Against Hunger (MICAH), Long Island Cares/The Harry Chapin Food Bank, the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Muslims Against Hunger and LI Jobs with Justice to urge your support for these initiatives to help working poor people make ends meet and avoids food insecurity:
- Funding for welfare to work green jobs, health care and transitional jobs should be maintained at $15 million and if possible, restored to the $70 million allocated in 2009.
- With nearly a million officially unemployed New Yorkers, job creation and an adequate safety net are vital. We urge you to increase funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program t(HPNAP) to $33.3 million.
- Provide the 10% increase in the 2011 basic welfare grant that was enacted in 2009.
- Maintain funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TAANF) summer youth and homeless prevention programs.
- Support A1827 and S5846 that allows welfare recipients to pursue a college degree.
- Support A1867 and S2247 to create a Farm Workers Bill of Rights.
Please do not balance our State budget on the backs of New Yorks vulnerable and hungry working poor families, especially their children. We can end childhood hunger in New York if we have the will to do so.
Regards,
Name _________________________________
Addres___________________________________________________
Need to Find Help?
UPDATE ON HELP WITH UTILITY BILLS
*Low-income households may be eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program or Emergency HEAP, which re-opened Nov. 1 and is more generous than last year. The income limits vary with family size from $2,030 gross monthly income for a single person to $6,029 for a family of 11, for example. For more information in Nassau County, or to request an application, call 516-565-HEAP (4327). In Suffolk call 631-853-8825. Or call the New York State HEAP Hotline at 1-800-342-3009. Seniors may be able to apply via mail or telephone or in person at the Suffolk Dept. of the Aging (631-853-8326) or the Nassau Dept. of Senior Citizen Affairs (516-227-7386) rather than the Dept. of Social Services.
DSS also may be able to pay up to four months utility arrears in a one shot loan that must be paid back within two years.
*Project Warmth, United Way of Long Islands emergency heating assistance program, starts up again December 1st. It provides one-time aid of up to $400 for fuel and/or $100 for fuel-related electricity bills. The LICC can help residents of Suffolk, Nassau, or the Rockaways to apply for Project Warmth, and if our locations are not convenient, our staff can direct people to another agency near them. Applicants must
--not have received Project Warmth help for more than two years in a row before this year,
--have a heating and/or fuel-related electricity bill in their name that is severely overdue, pending disconnection, or terminated,
--demonstrate financial hardship and provide acceptable explanation for their arrears,
--apply first for Emergency HEAP if eligible, which holds off termination for 30 days, allowing the customer to apply for Project Warmth and negotiate a payment plan with the utility or fuel supplier.
Homeowners may also be able to get free energy conservation assistance through Project Warmth.
Agencies that process applications are listed at www.unitedwayli.org. For further information, call United Way at 1-888-774-7633.
*Those receiving Supplemental Security Income can apply for the SSI Guarantee at the Dept. of Social Services if they are facing a termination. This guarantee can pay for 4 months of arrears and 6 months of utility costs. Reapplication after 6AP (food stamps), Child Health Plus, public assistance, Safety Net Assistance, SSI, Temporary Assistance to Families, Veterans Disability Pension, or Veterans Surviving Spouse Pension may also get a reduction in the gas delivery portion of their gas bill. Call 1-800-930-5003 to apply.
*Those who qualify for LIPAs REAP program (1-800-263-6786) may be able to save a considerable amount of money through energy conservation measures, which provides a free energy audit and can pay for anything from free light bulbs to a free refrigerator. You do not need to be a homeowner to benefit from thisrenters are welcome to apply--and they even come to your home to do this. You will need a LIPA bill at your current address and a current paystub. Income limits range from $50,820 a year to much higher for larger families, such as $72,520 for a family of four. Further info is available at http://www.lipower.org/residential/custserv/fa-reap.html
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