Heat and Eat Program--Rep Goyke

Good Afternoon – Below and attached is a media advisory for a press conference Rep. Shankland and Rep. Goyke will be holding at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 27^th at Hunger Task Force. Please consider for coverage and/or distribution. Thank you for your interest!

For Immediate Release                     Contact: Rep. Katrina Shankland, (608) 267-9649

March 25, 2014                                                             Rep. Evan Goyke, (608) 266-0645

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

Rep. Shankland, Rep. Goyke, and Anti-Hunger Advocates to Announce Plan to Preserve FoodShare Benefits for 255,000 Households

MILWAUKEE – On Thursday, Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) and Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) will host a press briefing announcing their plan to protect low-income Wisconsinites from the 2014 Farm Bill’s impending cuts to food stamps.

Wisconsin participates in the federal “Heat and Eat” program, which allows low-income households to receive a boost in FoodShare benefits if they receive at least $1 in low-income energy assistance. The 2014 Farm Bill raised the Heat and Eat energy assistance minimum from $1 to $20 per household, effectively cutting FoodShare benefits for 255,000 Wisconsin households.

Rep. Shankland and Rep. Goyke recently introduced legislation to raise the annual amount of federal dollars Wisconsin allocates for Heat and Eat assistance from $1 to $21 per household. The State Assembly has now adjourned without taking action on the bill, but Governor Walker retains the authority to implement the same measure with an Executive Order.

According to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, allocating $5.4 million of federal funds to the Heat and Eat program would preserve $276.2 million in FoodShare benefits for Wisconsin families. No state money would be used.

What: Press conference urging Governor Walker to take action to protect 255,000 low-income Wisconsin households from FoodShare cuts.

Who:   Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point)

            Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee)

            Sherrie Tussler, Executive Director of Hunger Task Force

            Jonathan Bader, Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP)

When: Thursday, March 27, 2014

            2:00 p.m.

Where: Hunger Task Force

            201 S. Hawley Court

            Milwaukee, WI 53214