FACE Hunger and Homelessness Priorities Priorities for the Spring and Summer

This month we renamed one of our oldest projects, the Coalition of Religious Communities, to the Faith and Advocacy Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness-- FACE Hunger and Homelessness,  Our hope is that this new name will simultaneously be more clear about the purpose of the coalition and more welcoming to new people who are unfamiliar with the history of the coalitions.

The first monthly meeting for the coalition with this new name took place on April 12, 2023, at Mount Tabor Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City.   The meeting was very open and constructive and when it was over we decided to focus on three things:

• Drawing attention to the benefits of new housing that is being built to reduce homelessness.  Last year the Utah Legislature dedicated $55 million to the production of housing that will prevent homelessness and help move people out of homelessness.  This year legislators dedicated another $50 million to this purpose and some of the new housing units are close to becoming available.  This will move hundreds of people off the streets and out of shelters.  This spring and summer we will educate ourselves about the benefits of this new housing by organizing tours.  Then we will educate our congregations and other contacts by producing simple videos and other easy-to-share materials.
• Encouraging local housing authorities and nonprofit developers to produce housing specifically designed to meet the needs of families with children coming out of homelessness.  For years our coalition has had a focus on promoting solutions to homelessness for families with children.  The Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness has determined Salt Lake County alone needs 150 units of supportive housing for families with children headed by parents with disabling conditions. Families with children need different supports than childless adults who are experiencing chronic homelessness and so it is imperative this housing is built soon.  
• Asking state officials and Utah's Medicaid managed care providers to work to enroll people in SNAP and other programs they are eligible for when they review their Medicaid eligibility.  Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have very similar eligibility rules but there are over 100,000 more households in Utah participating in Medicaid than in SNAP.  The maximum SNAP benefit in 2023 for a family of three is $740 per month and so it can make a huge difference when eligible families participate in this program.  During the pandemic households were not required to prove continued eligibility and so each month this year thousands people will be completing their first Medicaid review ever.  This is a great time to educate them about how SNAP can help provide themselves and their children with nutritious food in the face of inflation and high rents.

If you are interested in getting involved with one of these issues please sign up for our email list and come to our next meeting on ​May 10, 2023, at noon, at the South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, 6876 S Highland Drive, Cottonwood Heights.