Income Security

Income Security programs provide a social safety net for low-income individuals and families in need of assistance. Examples of these vital programs include:

Public assistance/welfare and SSI
Nutrition assistance programs including SNAP (Food Stamps) and emergency food
Supportive services including child care and transportation

Recent Advocacy:

FPWA is working toward making welfare accessible to those who need it. Only a small fraction of income eligible households can get through the difficult application process and receive critically needed assistance. FPWA has been focusing its advocacy on minimizing the multitude of barriers households face in the application process, and punitive case sanctioning process that plunges families deeper into poverty.

Recent Policy Documents:

The State of New York’s Social Safety Net In Today’s Hard Times NY Safety Net 2009 pdf (9989107 bytes)
End Durational Sanctions - Sanction Info Sheet -FPWA pdf (29358 bytes)

Recommendations:

End Durational Sanctions and strengthen sanction prevention protections
Count educational activities including 4 year college to count toward fulfilling work requirements. Include classroom and homework hours.
Eliminate the 185% of Standard of Need (SON) income eligibility requirement for Public Assistance
Increase the Earned Income Disregard (EID) and extend it to all households, including those without dependent children

Portfolio Expert: Liz Accles
Liz Accles photo

Fact Sheet: Key Facts on Income Security pdf (32307 bytes)

GET INVOLVED

Send an e-fax to the Governor and your state legislators to eliminate the Standard of Need income restriction and to increase the Earned Income Disregard.

Did You Know?

*The number of NYC welfare recipients has dropped from 1.16 million in 1995 to 348,180 in May 2009 despite increased applications. The caseload has been largely unresponsive during the deep recession, even as the ranks of the unemployed swelled.

*In 1975 the welfare benefit level in NYC lifted a family to 110% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Today the average benefit in NYS is below 50% of the FPL.

Where We Stand

The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) believes in a safety net for all economically vulnerable New Yorkers to help meet their basic needs. Access, adequacy and opportunity are the principles that guide our policy advocacy.

FPWA works to ensure that benefits are adequate to meet basic needs, that income-eligible households can access and maintain benefits when needed, and that opportunities for economic mobility are available.
{Link to full Policy Statement in the folder}

Strategic Collaborations

The Economic Justice and Social Welfare Network (formerly the Welfare Reform Network) was founded in 1989 as a coalition of organizations and individuals that advocate for humane income security policies. Its mission is to advocate for a welfare system that assures all people a reasonable standard of living without stigma.

Click here for a list of additional collaborations.