Time to Reinvest in the Safety Net

On Friday May 2 at 2:15 pm, St. Anthony’s will be participating in a rally supporting reinvestment in the state-funded safety net.  Many of our guests have experienced deeper poverty and increased instability as a result of the cuts to California’s health and human services safety net that were made during the recession.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI/SSP) recipients, low-income seniors and people with disabilities, make up a significant portion of the people who eat in our Dining Room. A few weeks ago, staff from the offices of our state representatives Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymember Tom Ammiano visited St. Anthony’s dining room during our “senior hour” and spoke with a few of our Dining Room guests who receive SSI/SSP.

One of them was Edward, pictured here with Dining Room manager Charles Sommer. Edward rents a room in an SRO hotel and spends about 50% of his income on rent. He is unable to prepare food at home because he has no kitchen in his SRO room. Because his building has a problem with roaches and rodents, Edward says that even if he could cook at home, he wouldn’t want to, because he doesn’t want to attract the vermin in his building into his room. After paying for his rent and medical expenses, Edward says he has about $100 left for everything else he needs for the month: food, laundry, toiletries, and transportation.  Needless to say, Edward runs out of money before the end of the month and before he is able to meet his basic needs.

Edward would like to see a restoration of the SSI/SSP benefits cut during the recession, a reinstatement of the Senior Citizens Renters Tax Assistance Program, and he’d like to have a safe, healthy, and affordable place to live. Each of these goals are components of St. Anthony’s anti-poverty advocacy work this year, and each of them could be addressed by a reinvestment in the state-funded safety net.  That’s why we’re participating in Friday’s rally.  Want to join us?  Look for our banner at 2:15 pm, outside of City Hall (Polk Street side).