Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program

• WASHINGTON, May 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A reminder that the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its annual national food drive this Saturday, May 13.
• The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive, the country's largest one-day food drive, provides residents with an easy way to donate food to those in need.
• "On Saturday, May 13, NALC invites everyone to participate in the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
• Since the first national food drive in 1993, active and retired letter carriers, with the help of volunteers from their communities, have collected a total of 1.82 billion pounds of food.

• Canadians are feeling the effects of these stresses: in 2021, nearly 16 per cent of provincial households experienced some degree of food insecurity.
• But a basic income guarantee would involve regular payments, not just a one-time rebate.

What the research says

• We draw on our research with Coalition Canada, a network of basic income advocacy groups.
• Our research brought interdisciplinary teams of scholars and practitioners together to develop a series of case studies examining basic income through the lens of different sectors.
• Overall, our research suggests that a basic income guarantee could have a significant impact on the economic uncertainties faced by farmers and fishing communities in Canada.

Reducing economic uncertainty

• One potential impact of a basic income guarantee would be reducing economic uncertainty for the most vulnerable agriculture and fisheries workers.
• A basic income guarantee could offer individuals more financial security and control over their employment choices, and thus address the racialized, classed and gendered disparities prominent in food systems labour.

Supporting new fishers and farmers

• Supporting new farmers and fishers, especially those using more socially and ecologically sustainable practices, is an essential part of building a more resilient food system.
• While a basic income guarantee alone can’t address these challenges, it could provide greater economic stability for new farmers and fishers when they invest in infrastructure and training.

Preparing for future stressors

• A basic income guarantee could also be a step towards building resilience against ongoing stressors, like the climate crisis and extreme weather events, along with preparing for future emergencies.
• The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that those with more stable incomes and flexible work arrangements are better able to adapt to unexpected shocks.

Next steps for the food system

• A basic income guarantee also shouldn’t replace contributory programs, like the Employment Insurance fishing benefits.
• There is also a need to think systematically and holistically about the role of basic income across the food system.
• The only way to accomplish this is with further input from farming and fishing communities and Indigenous communities in collaboration with anti-poverty, food sovereignty and food justice organizations.

• The Beantown Beanfest will take place on Saturday, June 24, 2023, from 11am – 5pm on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
• Beantown Beanfest will support the Equalizer Institute, a social economic justice initiative of NELF that will provide free corporate legal aid to entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities to help them start their businesses.
• "The inaugural Beantown Beanfest will lift up the small business community, draw attention and support to the Equalizer Institute and provide Boston residents and visitors with a fun, festive day on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
• Beantown Beanfest also announced key partnerships that will support the event and the mission of the Equalizer Institute:

• Program
  BALTIMORE, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Comcast today announced it has awarded $20,000 to The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET) to help veterans throughout Baltimore with broadband adoption and digital skills training, as well as 100 laptops to participating veterans.
• MCVET is a nonprofit that has provided 14,000 veterans in need with workforce training, food assistance and shelter since 1993.
• "This investment will take our workforce training programs to the next level by ensuring veterans in need have the skills to thrive in today's digital economy," said Misty Bruce, Executive Director of The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET).
• The laptops were presented to local veterans by Comcast's Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Executive Vice President, Digital Equity, Broderick Johnson, and members of Comcast's local Veterans Network Employee Resource Group.