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Los defensores de los ni�os est�n presionando a los legisladores para que aprueben el Proyecto de Ley 2956 de la Asamblea, que continuar�a con las flexibilidades de la era de la pandemia en Medi-Cal que permitir�an que m�s personas calificaran. (Fizkes/Adobestock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

Cientos de miles de niños de CA dejaron de recibir Medi-Cal desde el año pasado

Medi-Cal ha eliminado a varios cientos de miles de niños de bajos ingresos de las listas de seguro médico desde abril de 2023, según …

Children's advocates are pressing lawmakers to pass Assembly Bill 2956, which would continue pandemic-era flexibilities in Medi-Cal that allow more people to qualify. (Fizkes/Adobestock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

Hundreds of thousands of CA children dropped off Medi-Cal since last year

Medi-Cal has dropped several hundred thousand low-income children from the health insurance rolls since April 2023, according to a new report from …

Households in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Francisco counties pay the highest prices for groceries in the state. (Stokkete/Adobe Stock)

Feds: Grocery chain profits soared during and after pandemic

Consumer groups are accusing major grocery retailers - like Amazon, Kroger and Walmart - of price gouging, both during and after the pandemic…

Asian Health Services in Oakland, like many community health centers, tailors healthcare to their region, with culturally competent staff who speak multiple languages. (Asian Health Center)

Community health leaders press Congress for more stable funding

Community Health Center leaders are pleading with Congress to pass a budget deal by March 8 to avoid a partial government shutdown - arguing that the …

Leaders at the Community Action Program of San Luis Obispo said they would like to have more Section 8 vouchers to be able to find permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness. (CAPSLO)<br /><br />

Community leaders call for more housing to combat rising poverty

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month and community action agencies across the state are working to change lives for the 5 million Ca…

Betty Kwan Chinn is this year's California recipient of the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service, which comes with a $1,000 grant for her foundation, dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness. (Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation)

AARP CA honors advocate for people experiencing homelessness

Today AARP is honoring a California woman whose journey to the U.S. inspired her to open a shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Betty Kwan …

In 2024, a family of four would need to make less than $41,400 - less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Line - to be eligible for assistance under Covered California or Medi-Cal.(Gelmold/Adobe Stock)

New bill would modernize federal poverty line, make aid more accessible

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a new bill that would modernize the Federal Poverty Line, which hasn't been substantially updated …

To qualify for Head Start's preschool program, a family must be below the Federal Poverty Level, which is just under $15,000 for a single person, or $30,000 for a family of four. (Rawpixel.com)

CA advocates criticize proposed cuts to Head Start preschool programs

Children's advocates are slamming a budget proposal to slash funds for Head Start, the program providing free preschool for children in low-income …

The current state budget allocated $35 million to the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for young people aging out of the foster care system. (Adobe Stock)

CA launches guaranteed income program for former foster youth

About 300 young adults leaving foster care in California will now receive a monthly check to help them make ends meet, part of the state's first …

A worker from the With Love Market & Cafe drops off produce at Skid Row People's Market in Los Angeles. (L.A. Food Policy Council)

Food insecurity in CA on rise as food benefits drop

Despite the roaring economy, food insecurity got worse in 2022 - nationally and in Los Angeles County. New data from the U.S. Department of …

The Biden administration and the credit bureaus have announced a plan to clear an estimated 70% of negative medical debt from consumer credit reports. (Adobe Stock)

During Health Literacy Month, protect yourself from big hospital bills

October is Health Literacy Month and advocates are speaking out against big hospital bills. Studies show about two-thirds of bankruptcies in the U.S…

Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, speaks with Andy Naja-Riese of the Agricultural Institute of Marin at the Clement Street Farmer's Market in San Francisco. (Felice Thorpe)

Anti-hunger advocates seek federal funds, honor CA lawmaker

Groups that fight hunger are calling for a fair shake in the upcoming farm bill, which provides federal matching funds for programs that help low-…

The City of San Bernardino recently agreed to a settlement requiring that the city update its plans to build more affordable housing and scrap its Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program. (Matt Gush)

Two CA Cities Repeal Crime-Free Multi-Housing Programs

In the past week, two California cities - Riverside and San Bernardino - have repealed most of their "Crime-Free Multi-Housing" programs, which were …

La ciudad de San Bernardino estableci� recientemente un acuerdo que exige que la ciudad actualice sus planes para construir viviendas m�s asequibles y elimine su Programa de Viviendas M�ltiples Libre de Crimen. (Matt Gush)

Dos ciudades derogan programas de viviendas múltiples libres de delitos en CA

La semana pasada, dos ciudades de California - Riverside y San Bernardino - derogaron la mayoría de sus programas de "Viviendas Múltiples …

Health centers put on 800 community events across the nation this week, including this one at the Patterson Migrant camp in rural Stanislaus County. (Yamilet Valladolid/Golden Valley Health Centers)

One in Five CA Patients Gets Care at Community Health Centers

National Health Center Week is in full swing with events across the country celebrating the impact of community health centers serving 20% of Californ…

A 2019 report found that automatically expunging an old conviction after a person has completed a sentence is key to promoting family stability, economic security and public safety. (Iushakovsky/Adobestock)

11 Million CA Criminal Records Expunged in First 6 Months of New Law

The Golden State has permanently expunged an unprecedented 11 million criminal arrest records in the first six months after the implementation of a cr…

Un informe de 2019 concluy� que borrar autom�ticamente una condena antigua despu�s de que una persona haya cumplido una pena es clave para promover la estabilidad familiar, la seguridad econ�mica y la seguridad p�blica. (Iushakovsky/Adobestock)

11 millones de antecedentes penales cancelados en primeros 6 meses de nueva ley en CA

El Golden State ha eliminado de forma permanente la cifra sin precedentes de 11 millones de antecedentes penales en los seis primeros meses de la apli…

CalFresh regularly holds outreach events on college campuses to make students aware of the program and help them through the complex application process. (CalFresh)

Work Rules Tighten for Students on CalFresh

The pandemic-era exemptions allowing many students access to CalFresh food benefits without having to work 20 hours a week expired in June, leaving …

CalFresh organiza peri�dicamente actos de divulgaci�n en los campus universitarios para dar a conocer el programa a los estudiantes y ayudarles en el complejo proceso de solicitud. (CalFresh)<br />

Endurecen normas laborales para estudiantes en CalFresh

Las exenciones de la época de la pandemia que permitieron a muchos estudiantes acceder a los beneficios de alimentos de CalFresh sin tener que tr…

Stanford University, a leading private college in California, says it will continue to pursue all legally permissible means to ensure a diverse student body. (Marelbu/Wikimedia Commons)

CA Points Way Forward After Supreme Court Guts Affirmative Action

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has declared affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, private colleges in California will have to …

La Universidad de Stanford, una de las principales universidades privadas de California, afirma que seguir� aplicando todos los medios legalmente permitidos para garantizar un alumnado diverso. (Marelbu/Wikimedia Commons)

CA da puntos a seguir después de que Corte Suprema negara la discriminación positiva

Ahora que el Tribunal Supremo de EE.UU. ha declarado inconstitucional la discriminación positiva en las admisiones universitarias, las …

A new report found 15 percent of California children live in a family where someone quit, changed or refused a job due to problems with child care. (Africa Studio/Adobestock)

Report: CA Families Struggle to Find Affordable Child Care

California families are paying way too much for child care, according to the 2023 Kids Count Data Book out today from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

More than 300,000 CalFresh participants take part in the Market Match program every year. (Ecology Center) <br />

As Budget Deadline Nears, Groups Seek 'Market Match' Funds

A program helping low-income California families buy fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets may be on the chopping block as state budget negotiatio…

Save the Children brings boxes with food and learning materials to rural low-income families in four California counties. (Mariano Friginal/Save the Children)

Nonprofit Works to 'Make Summer Fair' for Rural Kids

Summer break is broken for many children in rural America, who can become isolated once the school buses stop running in June. Research shows kids …

Agencies helping combat hunger are supporting a bill in the California Legislature to allow nonprofits to fully recover the cost of delivering services. (All Peoples Community Center)

L.A. Nonprofits Press for Better Deal as They Fight Post-Pandemic Inequities

During the pandemic, nonprofits in Los Angeles took on the monumental task of helping feed, house and vaccinate millions of Californians suddenly …

Trinidad Luna, a double amputee from Los Angeles, is expecting his CalFresh benefits to drop to $25 a month. (Trinidad Luna)

Recipients Prepare for Big Drop in CalFresh Benefits

CalFresh benefits are set to plummet for almost five million people in the state starting in a few weeks - as the emergency COVID increase expires…

Research shows that kids who get health coverage and stay covered have better health and economic outcomes. (AnnaStills/Adobestock)

Report: California Children at Risk of Losing Health Coverage

Two million children and adults in California could lose health-insurance coverage over the next year - as the state winds down the continuous-coverag…

The requirement for the state to maintain continuous Medi-Cal health insurance coverage regardless of eligibility will end March 31. (Lordn/Adobestock)

State Projects Millions Could Lose Medi-Cal as Renewals Start Back Up

Starting in April, an estimated 2-3 million people could be dropped from Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for low-income people…

The California Food Assistance Program currently works alongside CalFresh to benefit many income-eligible people who hold green cards. (JetCityImage/Adobe Stock)<br />

CA Anti-Hunger Groups Slam Governor’s Proposed Budget

Groups that fight hunger say they're "deeply disappointed" in the new budget proposal released Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Last year, the …

The Echo Park Trash Club is staffed by a rotating cast of volunteers. Two similar clubs have now formed in the Silver Lake and Lincoln Heights neighborhoods of Los Angeles. (Echo Park Trash Club)

L.A. 'Trash Club' Helps Unhoused People and the Community

By Caroline Tracey for High Country News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

Grant Program to Fund Innovative Solutions to Rural Child Hunger

Child hunger is a persistent problem in California and across the U.S., especially in rural areas, and now, a new grant program will promote and fund …

Sequaya, left, and Johnnie are participants in the Magnolia Mother's Trust, receiving a guaranteed income of $1,000 per month for 12 months. (Brandi Phipps/Magnolia Mother's Trust)

Guaranteed Income Helps Parents Boost Kids’ Education

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service/Public News Service After another school year …

HOPE Collaborative in Oakland partners with Cocina del Corazon to produce healthy meals that are distributed free at community fridges and corner stores to feed the needy. (HOPE Collaborative)

Oakland Nonprofit Fills Community Fridges to Combat Hunger

Local nonprofits in the Bay Area are tackling hunger in low-income neighborhoods by stocking corner stores and "community fridges" around town with fr…

California is home to 1,300 federally-qualified community health centers, that serve millions of low-income families on Medi-Cal. (Stas_malyarevsky/Adobe Stock)

Health Centers Call for Action to Protect Low-Cost Drug Program

Advocates for community health centers and their patients are speaking out against drug manufacturers that are trying to limit a federal low-cost drug…

En un esfuerzo por ayudar a las personas a reconstruir sus bienes despu�s de la pandemia, AARP California ofrece seminarios web gratuitos sobre temas financieros, tales c�mo evitar estafas dirigidas a los propietarios de viviendas.

Programa gratuito de planificación financiera ayuda a latinos a recuperarse post- pandemia

Aproximadamente la mitad de las y los latinos perdieron un trabajo o les redujeron el salario durante la pandemia, según una encuesta reciente …

Hunger Action Los Angeles volunteers pack food bags for seniors impacted by the pandemic. (Frank Tamborello)

For Hunger Action Week, Advocates Press for More Funding

It's Hunger Action Week, and activists are asking lawmakers to use California's wealth for the people's health - and harness the budget surplus to …

California may grow much of the nation's fresh produce, but new research estimates a half-million undocumented California residents, ages 27 to 49, are affected by food insecurity. (Olga Lyubkin/Adobe Stock)

Groups Press to Include Undocumented in CA Food Assistance

New research on hunger shows 45% of undocumented immigrants in California are affected by food insecurity, and 60% of undocumented children live in …

Save the Children has partnered with farmers to make boxes of fruits and vegetables available to low-income rural families. (Cavan/Adobeststock)

Rural Kids’ Food Programs Ramp Up for Summer

One might think that food insecurity would improve as California recovers from the pandemic - but advocates say hunger remains a significant issue…

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaints about credit reporting surged 50% in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: CA Bill Triggers Anti-Consumer Credit Reporting Loophole

A bill in the California Legislature to regulate credit-repair organizations has advocates concerned because it triggers a federal loophole allowing d…

Urban Tilth distributes bags of produce in parts in the Richmond area, which is considered a

Boxes of Vegetables as Medicine? Advocates Work Toward Food Justice

Low-income families in the East Bay area may soon have easier access to fresh, locally grown produce thanks to an expansion of a state Medi-Cal …

Nationwide, 6 million to 7 million children depend on WIC food assistance. (Liliya Trott/Adobestock)

Program Providing Extra Fruit, Vegetables to Kids Set to Expire

Advocates warn that low-income families may have to cut back on fruits and vegetables starting in April - if Congress allows part of their food benefi…

More than half of all American children are insured via Medicaid/CHIP.(Nyul/Adobestock)

Advocates Warn Millions May Lose Health Insurance Starting in July

The rules for staying on Medi-Cal are expected to change this summer, and millions could lose health coverage if they don't stay on top of the …

M�s de la mitad de todos los ni�os estadounidenses est�n asegurados por Medicaid/CHIP. (Nyul/Adobestock)

Defensores advierten que millones podrían perder el seguro médico a partir de julio

Las reglas para permanecer en Medi-Cal cambiarán este verano, y millones están en riesgo de perder la cobertura de salud si no se mantienen …

Supporters of universal basic income programs say they give lower-income people the flexibility to meet their immediate needs. For students, the goal would be to help them stay in school. (Rimm art/Adobe Stock)

$500 Monthly Stipend Proposed for Low-Income Cal State Students

A bill will soon be introduced in the California Legislature that would grant low-income students at five California State University campuses a stipe…

Los partidarios de los programas de ingresos b�sicos universales dicen que brindan a las personas de bajos ingresos la flexibilidad para satisfacer sus necesidades inmediatas. Para los estudiantes, el objetivo ser�a ayudarlos a permanecer en la escuela. (Arte de Rimm/Adobe Stock)

Estipendio mensual de $500 propuesto para estudiantes de bajos ingresos de CSU

Pronto se presentará un proyecto de ley en la Legislatura de California que otorgaría a los estudiantes de bajos ingresos en cinco campus de…

La nueva propuesta de presupuesto del gobernador Gavin Newsom representa un aumento de m�s de $16 mil millones para la educaci�n en comparaci�n con el a�o pasado. (Jantanee/Adobestock)

Presupuesto incluye mayor financiación para educación en historia de CA

Los grados de K a 12 y educación superior recibirían $102,000 millones el próximo año fiscal, como parte de la nueva propuesta …

An analysis from McKinsey suggests the learning gap from COVID may result in students earning $49,000 to $61,000 less income over their lifetime. (Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

Without Mask, Vaccine Mandates, Moms Choose Between Jobs, Kids’ Health

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine. Broadcast version by Lily Bohlke for California News Service. Reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Farmers' markets are starting to reopen, after some had to shut down when their venues were closed during the COVID lockdowns. (SEE LA)

Celebrating Progress in the Fight Against Hunger in CA

LOS ANGELES -- Hunger-fighting advocacy groups are speaking out in California, drawing attention to the continuing problem of food insecurity…

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CA: Poverty Issues