WE KNOW YOU CARE

We know you care. When the people of Somerville needed you, you came together to raise more than $500,000 in relief for teachers, restaurant workers, healthcare professionals, childcare providers, and grocery store clerks. For neighbors and friends who never imagined they would need a food pantry or help paying rent. You were there.

NOW, WE’RE ASKING YOU TO STEP UP AGAIN

Help us stand up for Somerville families. Together, we can rally around policies that serve everyone and fight for bills that will give all of our neighbors the ability to weather the longstanding effects of this crisis. In less than 2 minutes, you can sign your name to a letter asking our local legislators to ensure that no family gets left behind.

THIS IS WHAT UNITED WAY IS FIGHTING FOR

Limit Predatory Debt Collection Practices: Even before the pandemic, 1 in 5 Massachusetts residents had a debt in collection – 39% in communities of color. This bill means no one will be imprisoned for failure to pay a consumer debt and makes sure our neighbors get to keep enough of their limited income to get back on their feet.

Provide Financial Relief to Afterschool Programs:  Afterschool programs provide critical support for countless working families. Yet almost 9 in 10 providers are experiencing long-term funding challenges related to COVID-19. Stand with us to call for a $10 million investment to help afterschool programs continue to support local students and their families.

Increase Emergency Paid Sick Leave: 1.8 million workers lack access to job-protected, paid sick time which means thousands of households are vulnerable to job loss and further economic ruin if they quarantine, negating the effectiveness of critical distancing efforts. During this public health emergency, no one should have to make the choice between isolating and making ends meet.