Increase the SSI/SSP Grant Above the Poverty Level
Our organization joins with the Californians for SSI Coalition in calling on the Legislature to increase the SSI/SSP grant amounts above the federal poverty level for Californians who are blind, seniors and/or living with disabilities. While almost every area of the state budget has had funds and programs restored in recent years, SSI/SSP recipients have not received any restorations. We believe it is long past time for this to occur.
We appreciate that Governor Brown has proposed in his budget the first increase in ten years to the SSI grant’s state contribution, the State Supplemental Payment (SSP), by offering a cost of living adjustment. We are also pleased that pro tem Kevin De Leon and members of the Senate have proposed an increase in the SSI/SSP grant amount in their “No Place Like Home Initiative.” The Assembly has proposed SSI/SSP grant increases in each of the last two budgets. Now is the time for the Legislature and the Governor to work together and take action.
We are asking that the Governor and the Legislature take the following actions in this year’s budget:
First, increase the base amount of SSP until the maximum individual SSI/SSP grant is above 100 percent of the federal poverty level. These recipients have to pay for housing, food and all other living expenses entirely from the SSI/SSP grant amount and many are struggling to stay housed.
Second, once the SSI/SSP grant is above the federal poverty level the state should provide cost of living increases by restoring the prior statute for an SSI/SSP cost of living adjustment, which was repealed in the 2009-10 budget. This will ensure that the grants never drop below the poverty level again.
By taking these two actions, the Governor and the Legislature can reduce the number of Californians living in poverty by more than 1 million people. SSI/SSP recipients have the right to live in dignity, not poverty, and we urge you to take the steps needed to make this happen this year.
CA4SSI Statewide Endorsers AARP California, AllCare Alliance, ACLU of California, California Association of Food Banks, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Association of Public Authorities, California Church IMPACT, California Council of the Blind, California Emergency Foodlink, California Food Policy Advocates, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, California Partnership, California Senior Legislature, Californians for Disability Rights, CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Community Services Unlimited Inc., County Welfare Directors Association of CA, Courage Campaign, Disability Rights California, Food Chain Workers Alliance, Housing CA, IHSS Consumer Alliance, Insight Center, Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, Justice in Aging, Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California, Magnolia Women’s Recovery Center, National Association of Social Workers/CA Chapter, National Center for Lesbian Rights, ProduceGood, Resources for Independent Living, Service Center for Independent Life, UDW/AFSCME Local 3930, Western Center on Law and Poverty
Los Angeles / Southern California ACLU of Southern California, Adams Vermont/Gardena CFMS, Clergy Caucus of Inland Congregations United for Change, CLUE-LA, Communities Actively Living Independent & Free, Community Action Agency, Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino, Dayle McIntosh Center, Educate. Advocate., Fair Trade LA, Feeding America Riverside-San Bernardino Counties, FIND Food Bank, Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Food & Water Watch, Friends Across The Line, Friends In Deed, Guerrilla Food Not Bombs, Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, Hunger Action LA, Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, Jewish Labor Committee Western Region, Latino Diabetes Association, Latino and Latina Roundtable of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valley, Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition, Los Angeles Community Action Network, Los Angeles for a New Economy, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Orange County Food Access Coalition, Orange County Food Bank, Orange County Hunger Coalition, Personal Assistance Services Council of LA County, Project Angel Food, Prototypes, Santa Barbara Food Alliance, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, SEIU Local 721, Social Justice Learning Institute, Southern CA Resource Services for Independent Living, Starting Over, Inc., Thai Community Development Center, Time for Change Foundation, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College, VELA, Veterans For Peace Los Angeles, Westside Center for Independent Living, Women Organizing Resources, Knowledge & Services, Youth Justice Coalition
San Diego Access to Independence, A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing), Community Resource Center, Feeding America San Diego, Hunger Advocacy Network, Imperial Valley Food Bank, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Leichtag Foundation, Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc., San Diego Food Bank, San Diego Hunger Coalition, San Diego Senior Alliance
Central Valley Community Action Partnership of Kern County, Community Food Bank, Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living, FoodLink for Tulare County, Second Harvest Food Bank of San Joaquin & Stanislaus Counties
Sacramento/Northern California 2-1-1 Humboldt, Area 1 Agency on Aging, California Emergency Foodlink, California IHSS Consumer Alliance, Capitol People First, Cottage Housing Inc., Disability Organizing Group for Initiating Total Equality, Food for People, Inc., Ford Street Project, Life Support Alliance, Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction, Mary Immaculate Residential Facility, Mendocino Food & Nutrition Program, Placer Food Bank, Placer Independent Resource Services, Resources for Independent Living, Redwood Empire Food Bank, River City Food Bank, Sacramento Housing Alliance, Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee, Sacramento Loaves & Fishes, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, The Resource Connection Food Bank, Yolo County Commission on Aging and Adult Services, Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, Yuba-Sutter Gleaners Food Bank, Inc.
Bay Area ABD Productions, AIDS Housing Ala Costa Centers, Alliance/SF, Alameda County Community Food Bank, Alameda County Commission on Aging, Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council, All Saints Episcopal Church, Allen Temple Arms, Asian Law Alliance, Bay Area Community Services, Berkeley Food Pantry, Berkeley Food Policy Council, Bethel Community Presbyterian Church, CANV Food Bank, Center for the Vulnerable Child, Central City SRO Collaborative, City of Oakland Human Services Department, Community Action Alliance/ Agnes Memorial Church, Community Action Marin, Community Action of Napa Valley Food Bank, Community Resources for Independent Living, CSI Support & Development, Disability Services & Legal Center, Downs Memorial United Methodist Church, East Bay Food Justice Project, Family Emergency Shelter Coalition, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Food 2 Go, Harbor House Ministries, Hayward Seventh Day Adventist Church, Hazon Bay Area, Hope 4 the Heart, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay, L.A. Kitchen, Lake Merritt United Methodist Church Food Pantry, LIFT – Levantate, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Los Robles Apartments, Marin Asian Advocacy Project, Marin Food Policy Council, Meals on Wheels of Alameda County, Meals on Wheels of San Francisco, Mercy Brown Bag Program, Mission for the Homeless. Oakland Food Pantry, Oakland Mayor’s Commission on Aging, San Francisco Food Security Task Force, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, Second Harvest Santa Cruz, Seventh Step Foundation, Senior & Disability Action, Senior Services Coalition of Alameda County, SF-Marin Food Bank, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul-San Leandro Conference, South Hayward Parish, St. Anthony Foundation, St. Francis Living Room, St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish, St. Mary’s Center, Street Level Health Project, Tenderloin Housing Clinic, The Gubbio Project, The Neighborhood Village, The R.E.F.U.G.E, Tri-City Volunteers, United Seniors of Oakland and Alameda County, Whistlestop
Rev. 4/11/16
CA4SSI • Californians for SSI • #CA4SSI • CA4SSI.org
