Issue Position: Social Services

Issue Position

The 15th District has a robust network of organizations and passionate advocates working to lend a hand to families and individuals in need of assistance. I am privileged to support local initiatives through federal programs designed to develop job skills and provide emergency assistance to those facing unforeseen circumstances, particularly in the wake of a volatile economy.

Community Service Block Grants (CSBG) is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funding over 1,100 Community Action Agencies around the nation, including the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley (CACLV) headquartered in Bethlehem. Although federal funding was slated for elimination in recent years, I have diligently worked to restore and increase federal appropriations to support the job training and education, affordable housing, and nutrition initiatives supported by CSBG. Every federal CSBG dollar leverages nearly $5.50 in state, local and private funds.

For decades, CACLV has provided countless services to our community, helping families and individuals overcome economic and financial hardship. CACLV has been instrumental in helping hundreds of low income families in the 15th District manage the financial strain of high cost home heating bills. I have been a staunch supporter of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which provide immediate and long term solutions to soaring heating costs.

Proper nutrition is vital to a child's growth and a parent's ability to provide for their family. As a member of the Congressional Hunger Caucus, I am sensitive to the struggles many families are facing during this economic downturn. The Second Harvest Food Bank provides nutrition assistance to approximately 50,000 individuals each month in a six county region in eastern Pennsylvania. Through private donations, state subsidies and federal programs like WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and CSFP (Commodity Food Supplemental Program), Second Harvest was able to deliver four million pounds of food last year.

HOPE VI is a redevelopment and affordable housing program operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program focuses on redeveloping severely dilapidated public housing units, promoting self sufficiency among the residents of the community, and forging new relationships between local businesses and development agencies. The 15th District has benefited from two HOPE VI projects. Both the Allentown and Easton Housing Authorities were successful, through the highly competitive application process, in securing 20 million dollars for redevelopment initiatives at Hanover Acres and Riverview Terrace Public Housing Facilities (Allentown) and Delaware Terrace Housing Development (Easton). Once complete, the new communities will provide over four hundred updated housing units for moderate and low income families.

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