United Way and our advocates have campaigned since April for the passage of California Assembly Bill 1296, which streamlines the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families application process for low-income children and their families.
Finally, our work has come to fruition!  This past weekend, Governor Brown signed into law AB 1296 – establishing a single application (both paper and electronic) for all state health coverage programs, and the new programs that will created for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Passage of this bill was also critical to ensure California complies ACA, which requires each state to allow access to multiple health care options through one application.

“Thank you to our advocates for helping to pass this bill. Because of your efforts, nearly 4 million children and their families who are currently receiving low-cost health insurance will maintain coverage in the new health care law,” said Shelley Kessler, San Mateo Central Labor Council Executive Secretary/Treasurer.

Please join us to thank Governor Brown for signing the bill and Assemblymember Susan Bonilla for her leadership in authoring the bill.
Thank our legislators by Tweeting (or re-tweeting from @bay_area_uw):
Thank you from #uwba supporters to @JerryBrownGov for signing AB1296, creating seamless access to health care!
Thank you from #uwba supporters to @SusanBonilla for your leadership in authoring AB1296, making it easier to access healthcare

400,000 struggling Bay Area residents could get cut off from services they receive from local food pantries and homeless shelters.  That’s because funding for the U.S. Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) has been slashed 40% in the 2012 federal budget and is unlikely to be restored unless Congress hears from you this week!

The Congressional Super Committee charged with reducing the federal deficit will make budget recommendations to the President and Congress.   If they do not restore $200 million to the EFSP, the Bay Area food banks and emergency shelters will be forced to significantly reduce services.

What can you do? Call Congressmember Xavier Becerra (202-225-6235), our California representative on the Super Committee and urge him to restore funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to $200M.

EFSP is a critical program to the San Francisco Bay Area, providing people in need with necessary food, shelter, utility assistance, and rent/mortgage help. Bay Area food banks and emergency shelters rely on $3.4 million of federal Emergency Food and Shelter (EFSP) funds each year to serve three million meals and provide shelter to thousands in dire need.  Almost 400,000 Bay Area individuals receive services from EFSP funded programs annually.
United Way of the Bay Area administers the EFSP program locally and ensures that it serves seven counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano) in our region.