Page 2 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, February 7, 2020 Lift Our Kids Coalition holds shoes-and-socks event to highlight needs of children in deep poverty T he Lift Our Kids Coalition joined State Senator Sal DiDomenico, State Representative Marjorie Decker and other legislators at the State House for an event to highlight the difficulty families receiving cash assistance face in meeting their children’s basic needs. As part of the event, shoes and socks were collected to benefit children in need. After the event, coalition members The Home for Little Wanderers and Cradles to Crayons are distributing donated shoes and socks to children they serve. The Coalition advocates for Massachusetts Bills S.36/H.102, An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty – whose lead sponsors in the Senate and House are DiDomenico and Decker, respectively. This legislation would raise cash assistance grants by 10 percent a year until they reach 50 percent of the federal Law Offices of John Mackey & ASSOCIATES * PERSONAL INJURY * REAL ESTATE * FAMILY LAW * GENERAL PRACTICE * PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY 14 Norwood St., Everett, MA 02149 Phone: (617) 387-4900 Fax: (617) 381-1755 John Mackey, Esq. WWW.JMACKEYLAW.COM Patricia Ridge, Esq. * Katherine M. Brown, Esq. poverty level approximately four years from now. Families living below 50 percent of the poverty level are considered to be in Deep Poverty. Under the bills, once grant amounts reach half the poverty level, the grant would be adjusted as the poverty level goes up with inflation and would no longer lose their value over time. “It is unconscionable that we have 50,000 children living so far below half of the poverty level in our Commonwealth,” said DiDomenico. “Children go to school without socks, wearing worn out shoes, because their families have to pay other bills. We can – and must – do better.” Sal DiDomenico State Senator Massachusetts Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children benefits are a maximum of $593 a month for a family of three, leaving thousands of Massachusetts children below the level of Deep Poverty, currently $905 a month for three. Costs have gone up, but grant levels have been frozen. As a result, the grant buys only half as much as it did 30 years ago. “Repealing the family cap made children equal regardless of when they were born, but they are still in Deep Poverty. Passing the bill this year would be the first step to bringing them halfway to the federal poverty level,” said Decker. “Toilet paper and soap should not be luxury items people can’t buy,” she added, LIFT OUR KIDS | SEE PAGE 17 La Hacienda opens on Broadway Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Lucy Pineda, Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins, Police Chief Steven Mazzie and the Mayoral Chief of Staff Kevin O’Donnell recently attended the grand opening of Everett's newest restaurant, La Hacienda, with owner Jose Callejas and his wife. (Photo Courtesy of the City of Everett) Everett's Newest Real Estate Office Commercial Sales and Leasing Residential Home Sales Real Estate Consulting Apartment Rentals Real Estate Auctions Business Brokerage Personal Property Appraisals Mass Licensed Auctioneer 560 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 | 617-512-5712 | sam@broadwayRE.com ADRIANA RESNICK DOMENICA RIGGIO SAM RESNICK
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