idealist.org

Our Current Goals and Program Areas:

Advocacy: Just Harvest conducts public policy advocacy on hunger- and poverty-related issues in order to win more just public policy at all levels of government. We aim to strengthen the public safety net for our hungry neighbors and provide long-term opportunities for people in need to become economically self-sufficient. Our current advocacy objectives include ensuring adequate funding for food assistance programs in the budgets of local, state, and federal government; enhancing the farmers market nutrition program which provides fresh locally-grown produce for low income mothers and senior citizens; maximizing the availability of child nutrition programs in schools and in the summertime; and reducing barriers to participation in the food stamp program.

Education: Just Harvest educates the broader community about the causes and extent of hunger and its relationship to public policy issues. We accomplish our educational goals through publications, speaking presentations, programs in local high schools, generating news media interest in hunger and poverty issues, and special events throughout the year.

Organizing & Empowerment: Just Harvest works to mobilize people directly affected by hunger and poverty to advocate for policies that respond to their needs and to involve like minded organizations in relevant coalitions. Through our Welfare Justice Project and other grassroots organizing efforts, we assist low-income people in working together for just public policies through public hearings, meetings with legislators and other key public officials, and public actions to illustrate and dramatize the problem of economic injustice, as well as participation in statewide and national coalitions.

Outreach: Just Harvest works to maximize awareness of and participation in safety net programs by those who are eligible for them. Our outreach campaigns on the Summer Food Program for Children and the Earned Income Tax Credit Program and Pa. Tax Back use a variety of community, media, and coalition strategies to reach tens of thousands of low-income families each year with information about these underutilized programs.