AMHERST — Budgets and policies set in Washington for food stamps, housing subsidies, fuel assistance and myriad other programs can have big effects on a family’s safety net.
To grapple with possible impacts, the Amherst Survival Center is holding a community discussion Wednesday as part of its Feed Democracy initiative, during which representatives from Gov. Charlie Baker and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern’s offices, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, will speak about how to cope with threats to funding.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the 138 Sunderland Road site.
Executive Director Mindy Domb said Feed Democracy fits with the center’s strategic plan to do more outreach and advocacy.
“This will connect people to information and to share their experiences,” Domb said.
The panel will include Michael Knapik, director of Baker’s western Massachusetts office, Keith Barnicle, district staff representative for McGovern, and Michelle Geoffroy, training coordinator for the Food Bank. Each will bring expertise on how actions at the federal and state level affect people locally.
“An opportunity to get background information on what we know about these proposals will help increase our understanding about what they mean for our community and our state and support some to act on this knowledge,” Domb said.
In addition to answering questions, the event is a chance for people to write postcards to other state and federal officials and people they know about social service programs.
The Feed Democracy efforts has previously included the paper plate project. That allows people who visit the center to write down thoughts about the community meals and food pantry. McGovern then reads some of these from the floor of Congress.
Feed Democracy will also includes actions, such as food drives and donations for personal care items, and steps the center has taken to increase the hours during which Food Bank volunteers assist people in signing up for food programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program.
The event is co-sponsored by the Amherst League of Women Voters,
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.