A member from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts will be on Governor Maura Healey’s anti-hunger task force along with around 30 representatives from other nonprofits across the state. The goal of the panel is to present long term solutions to hunger in the wake of federal clawbacks to social programs.
Andrew Morehouse, the executive director for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, said he hopes the task force will create policy changes to address the cliff effect, which is when a small increase in income for a person or family receiving public assistance leads to a disproportionately large loss of benefits.
"If we really want to support families to become self-reliant and and active in the labor market and get jobs and be able to care for themselves, we need to provide more of a glide path, Help them help these households become successful in the labor market and be able to support themselves," Morehouse said.
Morehouse said the task force will be working together to try and identify where there is a lack of adequate food assistance for people in need and address the needs specific to that region.
“And the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts will speak to the issue of food insecurity in rural, suburban and our gateway cities here in Western Mass,” Morehouse said. “And we're going to be advocating for policy changes and investments in programs that ensure people have access to food, healthy food.”
The co-chairs of the task force are finalizing membership and working to schedule their first meeting.
Disclaimer: The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is an underwriter of NEPM. This does not affect how we cover the news.