Poligon and over 60 advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress urging that any final legislative package that responds to the public health and economic crises include an extension of USDA waiver authority for WIC services through at least September 30, 2021.

Poligon has endorsed the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act would allow all children to access breakfast, lunch, and afterschool snack programs either in school or through “grab and go” and delivery options. The bill was introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) and co-led by Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05).

Under the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act: 

• All students will temporarily be made eligible for free school meals during the 2020-2021 school year through the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
  • Due to the flexibility granted to USDA under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, free school meals will be available to students during remote learning through “grab and go” or meal delivery; All school districts, including those operating off-site services, can serve all children without having to certify the eligibility of each individual child. 
• Anywhere in the country, schools and non-profit community partners can operate meal services, including off-site, under the Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP) and the Summer Seamless Option (SSO), where they can serve all children without having to certify the eligibility of each individual child. 
• Anywhere in the country, schools and non-profit community partners will be able to serve afterschool meals and snacks, under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool Program or the NSLP Afterschool Snack Program, without having to certify the eligibility of each individual child. 

Poligon and over 800 other organizations sent a letter to Congress to include immigrants in the next COVID-19 Package. It is crucial that the next coronavirus relief package passed out of Congress includes provisions to include immigrant families who have been left out of previous bills

Poligon and members of the Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs (DHN) sent a letter to Congress urging them to protect the most vulnerable communities in the next COVID-19 relief package by enacting the following policy priorities.

1. ​Expand and increase SNAP  
2. Allocate more money for housing, homeless assistance, and extend the moratorium on evictions
3. Extend expanded unemployment assistance
4. Expand the EITC and Child Tax Credit 
5. Authorize Another Economic Impact Payment 
6. Authorize Pandemic TANF

We urge Congress to include these priorities in the upcoming COVID-19 package and demonstrate their commitment to addressing systemic poverty and racial disparities. 

Poligon and partners of Faithful Democracy sent a letter to the Senate urging them to provide funding for the general Elections and Census count in the next COVID-19 Package. States and local jurisdictions desperately need $3.6 billion in federal assistance to expand mail-in voting, make polling places safe for in-person voting, and increase online voter registration.  We urge passage of $400 million in additional funding to ensure a successful enumeration in the face of unprecedented disruptions to 2020 Census operations. 

Poligon and 170+ other advocacy groups sent a letter urging Congress to include the include the Pandemic TANF Assistance Act in the next COVID-19 bill. The bill would allow families can access flexible emergency assistance to cover groceries, utility bills, rent, and other basic necessities.