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Welcome to Policy Analysis and Advocacy at Mercer Street Friends
Because people in need often do not have a strong and consistent voice in government, Mercer Street Friends in 1996 established a program of policy analysis and advocacy, funded in part by a grant from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Our policy analyst monitors the effects of public policy on low-income people who struggle to remain or become self-sufficient. The policy analyst at Mercer Street Friends communicates regularly with and advises local, state and national officials on such issues as welfare reform, health care, child care and hunger relief.
As a result of the coalition-building efforts of our policy analyst and advocate, New Jersey adopted legislation in 2003 that mandates a School Breakfast Program in schools serving children most at-risk for hunger. Hungry children do not perform well on achievement tests, are more likely to repeat a grade, have higher rates of tardiness and absences from school than children who have access to adequate amounts of healthy, safe food.
Continuing initiatives by our policy analyst and advocate include working to improve access and participation in the food stamp program and other federal nutrition assistance programs; increasing access and participation in the summer feeding program (when school meals are not available to children at risk for hunger); promoting legislation and public policy, such as job training and education, that help people become economically self-sufficient; measuring the incidence and extent of hunger in our community; and advocating for state funding to support hunger-relief initiatives and programs.
Continuing initiatives by our policy analyst and advocate include working to improve access and participation in the food stamp program and other federal nutrition assistance programs; increasing access and participation in the summer feeding program; promoting legislation and public policy, such as job training and education, that help people become economically self-sufficient; measuring the incidence and extent of hunger in our community; and advocating for state funding to support hunger relief initiatives and programs.
For more information about Policy Analysis and Advocacy at Mercer Street Friends, contact Susan Jones at (609) 406-0503, or sjones@mercerstreetfriends.org. |
