Network Connection
October 2018
Advocacy - A voice for low-income Missourians
2018 Missouri Poverty Summit Recap
 
Thanks to the many CAA staff who attended the 2018 Missouri Poverty Summit on September 20 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City – “Together We Can: Building Resilient Communities.” Staff from CAASTLC, CMCA, DAEOC, EMAA, WCMCAA, and many others drove from all over the state to converge on the capitol city for a day of thought-provoking keynotes from Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and Dr. Jason Purnell, along with engaging panel discussions led by Jeanette Mott Oxford of Empower Missouri and Angela Hirsch of Central Missouri Community Action.
 
As one Summit speaker concluded, “The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice.” For those of you who supported the 2018 Poverty Summit, we are grateful to each of you for being a strong advocate for justice and for helping to eradicate poverty around our state.
 
Read more about the Summit in  this article  from the Jefferson City News Tribune. Or check out KRCG-TV’s  interview about the Summit  with Jessica Hoey, Chairperson of Missourians to End Poverty and Director of External Affairs for Missouri CAN.
UPDATE: Federal Farm Bill Status

The Farm Bill authorized by Congress in 2014 expired on Sunday, September 30, as the Farm Bill Conference Committee did not come to a resolution on differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill prior to the deadline. What does this mean for Community Action and the folks we serve? Most importantly, the current benefits related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will stay intact for the time being. Once the House returns from its October recess after mid-term elections, the Conference Committee will continue its work to come to an agreement on the differing versions of the House and Senate bills.

Wonder what you can do to help advocate for a strong Farm Bill during the October recess?

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler is the only Missourian serving on the Conference Committee, and since she’ll likely be back in Missouri for at least part of the October recess, the coming month marks an ideal time to reach out Rep. Hartzler or her staff. Our Network submitted a letter to the congresswoman in August, asking her to consider the Senate version of the Farm Bill, which includes strong provisions for SNAP – unlike the House version, which would implement stringent work-tracking requirements for SNAP recipients and likely reduce or end benefits for many of the folks served by Community Action.

During the October recess, we encourage you to reach out to Rep. Hartzler to follow up on our Network’s request. If you need assistance in your advocacy efforts, please feel free to reach out to  Jessica Hoey , Missouri CAN’s Director of External Affairs.

For more detailed information about the legislative process related to the 2018 Farm Bill, check out this  Growing Produce article , or for a real deep dive, this  Washington Week in Review video from Agri-Pulse TV.
Network Capacity - Helping you help others
Newly Certified FDC Instructors

The 2018 Family Development Credential Instructor’s Institute was held September 17-19 at the Missouri CAN office. Sixteen individuals received their FDC instructor certification and are eligible to teach FDC courses within their agencies. These three days were full of learning and networking with a spirited group.

New Fiscal Year's Training and Technical Assistance Calendar

Our Training and Technical Assistance team is excited to share key training dates for Fiscal Year 2019. Download the calendar here to see what's on the horizon and mark your calendars.
CNA Data Tool Training: October 3

The Community Engagement Network training, formerly Community Commons, will be held Wednesday, October 3 at the Columbia College Jefferson City campus. This hands-on and interactive training will be facilitated by Jamie Kleinsorge from the University of Missouri. All of us use and interpret data on a daily basis. Come be a part of this workshop designed to help supercharge your Community Needs Assessment and discover new and innovative methods to bring data to life.
Missouri CAN Capacity - Helping us help you
Upcoming Events for Missouri Community Action Network
The new fiscal year kicks off with many Professional Alliance meetings at Missouri Community Action Network. Here's what to expect during October:
Visit the Missouri CAN website for a full calendar of upcoming events.
MCAN On the Road: Agency Visits in September

This past month, Director of Training and Technical Assistance Brian Valentine visited Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph on September 5 for a training and Missouri Valley Community Action Agency on September 14 for an all-staff event.
Let's stay connected! E-mail Us | Missouri CAN |(573) 634-2969