Today, August 14, 2012, is a state-wide call-in day in support of AB 828, the Nutrition Assistance for Families Act.  AB 828 would require California to opt out of the lifetime ban for CalFresh benefits for people convicted of a felony involving controlled substances.

This Wednesday, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee will decide whether to advance AB 828, the bill to lift the lifetime ban on receiving CalFresh assistance for people with a prior non-violent drug conviction.   We care about this bill because we see first-hand (through our Dining Room and our Father Alfred Center drug and alcohol rehab program) how this ban hurts the chances of people who are trying to change their lives and reenter society.

Take Action!

See below for a list of target committee members and their numbers. If you only have time to make one call, choose Senator Kehoe as your target. She is the Chair of the committee.

Here’s a sample message:

My name is_____ and I live in_____.

I’m calling to ask you to support AB 828, the bill to lift the lifetime ban on receiving CalFresh assistance for people with a prior drug-related conviction. People shouldn’t be sentenced to a lifetime of hunger for any crime. Food is a human right, and to put entire families at risk of hunger because one of them committed a crime for which they have already served their time is unjust and inhumane.

Target Senate Appropriations Committee Members

• Chair: Sen. Christine Kehoe (San Diego), 916-651-4039
• Sen. Elaine Alquist (Santa Clara), 916-651-4013
• Sen. Curran D. Price, Jr. (Los Angeles), 916-651-4026
• Sen. Darrell Steinberg (Sacramento), 916-651-4006
• Sen. Ted Lieu (Los Angeles), 916-651-4028

Our friends at the San Diego Hunger Coalition have made a little video showing just how easy it is to call in your support for AB 828.  Check it out and get inspired to make your call.

Join St. Anthony’s, the California Catholic Conference, the California Association of Food Banks, Friends Committee on Legislation of California, Western Center on Law and Poverty, and many others in asking the Senate Appropriations Committee to support AB 828 by making a simple phone call today!

Pictured: Two St. Anthony's advocates at the Capitol in Sacramento.

In June, advocates from St. Anthony’s traveled to Sacramento to testify on behalf of AB 828 (Swanson). AB 828, also known as the Nutritional Assistance for Families Act, would lift the lifetime ban on CalFresh (the new name for California’s “food stamp” program) assistance for people with prior drug felony convictions.

California is one of a handful of states that has opted in to the federal ban on food stamp benefits for people with drug related felony convictions that have occurred after 1996.  Drug related felonies are the only type of felony convictions that disqualify a person from receiving CalFresh benefits.

Tomorrow, August 17, we will travel to Sacramento again to meet with state Senators to talk to them about the importance of AB 828.   Advocates who are participants in St. Anthony’s drug and alcohol rehab program, the Father Alfred Center are coming to Sacramento to tell legislators that we believe that CalFresh benefits are critical for successful community re-entry and economic self-sufficiency. Denied these benefits, individuals who have already paid their debt to society are unable to secure nutritious food for their families.

Want to join us?  You don’t have to trek to Sacramento to make your voice heard!  Click here to sign an online petition in support of AB 828.  We currently have 611 signatures.  We’d love to be able to get up to 828!  Please sign the petition and share it with your friends.

(Pictured: St. Anthony’s Advocate Franky and Assemblymember Sandre’ Swanson (D, Oakland) testify on behalf of AB 828)

St. Anthony’s has supported AB 828, the Nutritional Assistance for Families Act, and its goal to lift the lifetime ban on CalFresh (the new name for California’s “food stamp” program) assistance for people with prior low-level drug convictions. We have testified in support of the bill in front of both the Assembly and Senate Human Services Committees. because we believe that CalFresh benefits are critical for successful community re-entry and economic self-sufficiency. Denied these benefits, individuals who have already paid their debt to society are unable to secure nutritious food for their families.

AB 828 is currently stuck in the Senate Appropriations Committee on the “suspense file”.  We need to ask the Chair of this committee, Senator Christine Kehoe, to support the passage of AB 828 out of the suspense file so that it can be voted on by the entire Senate.

Please join St. Anthony’s in supporting AB 828 by writing to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Christine Kehoe.  Hand written snail-mailed letters pack the most punch, but email is OK, too.

To send snail mail to Senator Kehoe, use this address:
The Honorable Christine Kehoe
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
State Capitol, Room 5050
Sacramento, CA 95814

To email the Senator, use this address: senator.kehoe@sen.ca.gov

Not sure what to say?  Feel free to use our sample letter, below.

Dear Senator Kehoe:

I support Assembly Bill 828 (Swanson) and its goal to lift the lifetime ban on CalFresh assistance for people with prior low-level drug convictions.

Access to CalFresh benefits is critical for formerly incarcerated people to successfully re-enter their community and stay self-sufficient.  Since people have already served their time, I think they deserve to qualify for CalFresh like any other individual.  When formerly incarcerated people are unemployed or underemployed with no food assistance, it makes it harder for them to feed their family.  Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have already restored nutrition benefits to this vulnerable population (USDA, June 2009).

For these reasons, I strongly support AB 828 and urge you and your colleagues to pass it out of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)