Hey there, it’s Luke Elzinga, board chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition. Now that Iowa’s 2023 legislative session has come to a close, and SF 494 has been signed into law, I wanted to reach out and thank you for all your advocacy this session.
It certainly wasn’t an easy or fun job to do, but together, our advocacy made a difference for Iowans. It can be hard to celebrate your victories in the face of losses (trust me, I’m the worst at this), but it’s important to do so.
Thanks to your help, and the help of all our advocates…
- We successfully fought back against food restrictions for SNAP and brought national attention to the ridiculous proposal in House File 3 to limit SNAP purchases to the WIC-approved food list.
- While we were unable to kill the asset test for SNAP entirely, we did successfully lobby to see the asset limit increased from $2,750 up to $15,000, with an additional exemption of up to $10,000 in value for a second vehicle.
- We helped raise public awareness of hunger and centered the voices of people with lived experience in media interviews, subcommittee meetings, a public hearing, and press conferences.
- We ensured SF 494 had bipartisan opposition in the House, including from members of leadership.
None of this would have been possible without all your advocacy.
We don’t have any paid staff at IHC. We have a volunteer board of directors, an amazing group of volunteer advocates (you!), and rely on dues from our members to pay for a contract lobbyist. We’ve been contracting with John and Cyndi Pederson of Pederson Consulting for the past few years and have been very pleased with their work.
Our members make this work possible. Without your support, IHC would not exist. Whether you’re an individual or organization, you can become a member of our coalition today – contributing whatever amount fits with your budget. If you’re already a member of IHC, you can expect to hear from us in the coming weeks about renewing your commitment.
Want to learn more about becoming a member of IHC? We’d be happy to talk with you about the benefits of membership and joining our coalition. Contact us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.
We’ll also be sharing more details about becoming a member of IHC at our next monthly meetup on Wednesday, June 21, at 10:00am. We’d love to have you join us every month for the latest anti-hunger news in Iowa!
June 2023 IHC Monthly Meetup
Wednesday, June 21, 10:00am
Collaboration is key to this work, and we would love for you to deepen your involvement with IHC. We have a number of opportunities to do so:
- Apply to join IHC’s board of directors. Help lead the organization and provide governance through the board of directors. Board applications are due Friday, June 23. Please note: this opportunity is only available to dues-paying members.
- Join one of IHC’s committees. Our Policy, Communications, and Outreach & Membership Committees are all in need of volunteers! If you’re interested in joining a committee, please email us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.
- Attend our annual meeting on Wednesday, July 19. We’ll be hosting a hybrid event this year, with options to join online or in-person at DMARC’s headquarters on the southside of Des Moines. Connect with anti-hunger advocates from across the state and help IHC brainstorm our policy priorities for 2024!
IHC’s 2023 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, July 19, 12:00-3:30pm
The fight to end hunger in Iowa continues. Though we’ve had some discouraging policy losses recently, we’re already gearing up and getting ready for what’s next. We’ll be planning, strategizing, and training during the off-session. And with the Farm Bill debate heating up over the summer, you’ll be hearing from us again sooner rather than later.
Thanks again for all you do!
Luke Elzinga
Chair, Iowa Hunger Coalition