Advocacy for Communities

MASSCAP is actively involved in a range of advocacy efforts focused on opening the doors to self-sufficiency for disadvantaged individuals and others living in low-income communities. As a partnership organization, these efforts are conducted in close coordination with—and on behalf of—the 25 Community Action Agencies across Massachusetts.

• Current Agenda & Issues
• Public Policy Archive
• Be an Advocate

Current Agenda & Issues

Public Policy Agenda

• FY 2002 (Not currently available.)

Fact Sheets, Summaries, and Updates

• The Debate over Head Start
• FY 2002 State Budget Initiative
  CAA Affordable Housing Support Program
• FY 2002 State Budget Initiative to Help Close the Digital Divide
  Information Technology Access Projects

See also the In the News section of this Web site.

Public Policy Archive

Public Policy Agenda

• FY 2001
• FY 2000 (Not currently available.)
• FY 1999 (Not currently available.)
• FY 1998

Updates, Summaries, and Fact Sheets

• FY 2001 State Budget Proposal
  Creating the Family Development Self-Sufficiency Program
• FY 2000 State Budget Proposal
  Language Related to the MASSCAP Family Development Program
• FY 1999 Suggested Revisions to
  An Act Creating the Post-TAFDC Self-Sufficiency Program (H. 1749)
• FY 1999 Support for
  Legislation to Provide Low-Income Homeowners with Water and Sewer Rate Relieve (S. 562/H. 4012)
• FY 1998 Summary of Chapter 164:
  The Massachusetts Law That Deregulated the Electric Utility

See also the In the News: Archive section of this Web site.

Testimony before Massachusetts Lawmakers & Agencies

• Federal Block Grants/CSBGs (9/26/00)
  Testimony from Joe Diamond, MASSCAP Executive Director, to the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Federal Financial Assistance
• Fuel Assistance (9/26/00)
  Testimony from Joe Diamond, MASSCAP Executive Director, to the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Energy
• Federal Block Grants/CSBGs (9/29/98)
  Testimony from Alan Sax, MASSCAP President, to the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Federal Financial Assistance
• Designation/Purpose of CAAs and Areas Served (8/12/98)
  Testimony from Bruce Morell, MASSCAP Vice President and PACE Executive Director, to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development

Position Statements

• FY 2002 State Budget (11/28/01)
  Request for Restoration of CAA-Related Funding
  Letter to Governor Swift from Joe Diamond, MASSCAP Executive Director
• MASSCAP/WEIU Statement on Poverty Guidelines
  Time to Revise the Poverty Guidelines: Heating Oil, Head Start Show the Need for New Income Standard
  Statement from Joe Diamond, MASSCAP Executive Director, and Laura Russell, WEIU Director of the Work and Family Resource Center
• MASSCAP Statement on S. 564
  An Act Creating a Special Task Force to Make an Investigation and Study on Issues Related to the Health Care Workforce
  Statement from MASSCAP's Alan Sax, President, and Joe Diamond, President and Policy Director
• Statement on the Massachusetts Community Action Child Care Network: Quality, Accessibility, and Affordability (4/98)

Be an Advocate

You can make a difference. Your voice counts.

If you wish to support any of MASSCAP's state legislative or budget initiatives, please take a few minutes to write a brief message—in your own words—to your state Representative and/or state Senator. You only need to write a few sentences. And you can send the message via e-mail or by conventional mail.

Contact Information

For address/email information, see the state's listings of Massachusetts state Representative and Senators by the cities/towns they represent.

You also can send U.S. Mail to any Massachusetts legislator using the person's name and the general address: State House, Boston, MA 02133.

To contact a member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, see the listing on this Web site.

Letter-Writing Tips

• Be specific. If you support a bill and you know its number, be sure to include it. You may wish to say why you favor the bill or the state budget item.
• If you have a relevant personal story or anecdote to tell that would support your position, tell it briefly.
• Feel free to include any points--in your own words-raised in MASSCAP facts sheets and postings on this Web Site.
• If you know your Senator or Representative has supported this bill, thank him or her.
• Let your Senator and Representative know that you live in their district, since legislators do listen to people who may someday vote for or against them at election time.
• Ask for a reply.

Thank you!