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Tell USDA: Save SNAP (Again)!


save SNAP

SNAP food assistance is at risk again, and we need your help. Just days after legislators protected SNAP in the Farm Bill, the Trump Administration on Dec. 20, 2018, proposed a SNAP regulation that could eliminate food assistance for unemployed and underemployed people in areas with insufficient jobs; undo long-settled regulations; increase hunger and nutrition-related diseases; and increase poverty, the Food Research & Action Center reports. You can make a public comment to tell USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue how much you value SNAP, and urge him to ensure the program continues to feed Latino and all disadvantaged families. Here’s how you can speak up: Copy this model comment (add a personal story if possible): I greatly value the SNAP program. And I am not alone. SNAP ...

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210,889 People Spoke Up on Public Charge!


Silhouette of a refugees family with children immigrant

More than 200,000 people—including some from Salud America!—submitted public comments on proposed changes to the "public charge" rule that could negatively impact the health of immigrant families. For the past 60 days, the U.S. government sought public comments on the Trump Administration's proposed changes to the public charge rule. Experts say the changes could penalize legal immigrants applying for green cards if they enroll in healthcare or use public benefits, such as food aid and housing. We at Salud America! asked our network to submit comments to protect families. Regulations.gov received a total of 210,889 comments! Here are some key results: Only 17,073 of the comments appear in search results on Regulations.gov, as of Dec. 11, 2018. About 40 people ...

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Tell U.S. Gov’t: Protect Immigrant Families


Immigration Rally in Washington latino dad and daughter march

Everyone deserves a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. But the Trump administration's proposed change to the Public Charge rule could penalize legal immigrants applying for green cards if they use public benefits, such as food assistance or housing, according to the National Immigration Law Center. The government wants public comments on the proposed Public Charge changes from Oct. 10 to Dec. 10, 2018, at regulations.gov. Here's how you can speak up: Copy a model comment below, drafted by our Salud America! research team. Hit "Comment Now." Paste the comment in the box at regulations.gov; be sure to to edit the comment by adding a personal story or tweaking the information before submitting, as exact duplicate comments will be discarded. Model ...

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New Action Pack: How to Start a School Food Pantry



About 1 in 6 children are food insecure. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. Fortunately, your school can help these students! The new Salud America! "School Food Pantry Action Pack" is a free guide to help school personnel talk to decision-makers, work through logistics, and start a School Food Pantry to help hungry students and reduce local food insecurity. A School Food Pantry accepts, stores, and redistributes donated and leftover food to students. The Action Pack was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez had input from Jenny Arredondo, nutrition director at San Antonio ISD, who started school food pantries on 10 campuses in 2017-18, based on a Texas law change led by Diego Bernal. Get the ...

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Tell TxDOT: Prioritize the Lives and Physical Wellbeing of Texans



The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants your input to shape transportation planning and spending across the state for the next 10 years, in what is known as the Unified Transportation Program (UTP). The UTP will guide construction, development, and related activities for 13,000 projects. However, the program prioritizes congestion relief over safety, connectivity, and economic development, says nonprofit Farm & City. You can speak up for transportation that prioritizes Texans’ wellbeing! Copy one of the model public comments drafted by our Salud America! research team, click the “submit” button, and paste the comment on txdot.gov’s comments website by Aug. 20, 2018. Be sure to click “No” in the required field asking if this is a complaint. Model ...

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New Action Pack: Make Your School Trauma-Sensitive!


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About half of U.S. children suffer abuse, poverty, parental incarceration and other traumas. These kids face deep physical and mental scars that impair development, learning, and health. How can schools support and help students dealing with trauma? The new Salud America! “Trauma Sensitive School Action Pack” is a free guide with coaching to help school personnel talk to decision-makers, build a support team, craft a system to identify and support traumatized students, and more! The Action Pack was created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Salud America! Latino health program at UT Health San Antonio, with input from John Hernandez, who created a unique system to help traumatized students at East Central ISD in San Antonio. Get the Action Pack! The Action Pack ...

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Webinar: How to Start a Trauma-Informed System in Your School



Childhood Trauma is a big reason many students miss school. Whether its neglect, abuse, or poverty, trauma hinders a child's brain, body, and future success. How can schools help students deal with trauma and reduce absenteeism? Register for our webinar on May 29, to get free tools and support to help you start a Trauma-Informed Care system in your school district! Our webinar will feature John Hernandez, director of student services at East Central ISD in San Antonio, who pushed district leadership for support, fund advocates at each campus, and eventually created a trauma-informed identification and monitoring system into his district's existing software program. What: How to Start a Trauma-Informed System in Your School District Time/Date: 12 p.m. CST, Tuesday, May 29, ...

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Uncover the True Health of Your Town!



Is it hard to find healthy food in your town? Or places to play? Or health care? What does local health look like, compared to other areas? The new Salud America! Salud Report Card has these answers and much more. You can select your county and automatically generate customized data on local obesity, food access, physical activity, and health equity issues compared to the state and nation, and comparing Latinos to non-Latinos. The Salud Report Card also offers policy solutions, case studies, and share-ability to inspire people and policymakers to start and support healthy changes in their communities. Enter your location for your own free Salud Report Card! "Moms, dads, teachers, local leaders and more can use the Salud Report Card to find out what health issues are ...

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