Economic Justice
Our Work for Economic Justice
As IJP grows and expands, we will work to address issues of consumer and financial injustice, in a variety of ways and with all stakeholders. This work will be responsive to the needs of individuals and communities, and will include looking at priorities through a racial justice lens. This work will focus on:
Current work:
Food Justice: making sure every individual, family, and child has equitable access to nutritious food, regardless of ability, income, language or living situation.
Future work:
Educating policy makers about predatory home selling practices.
Working to reform and revise allowable debt collection practices in Indiana.
Helping to ensure economic and employment opportunities for criminal justice-involved individuals.
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Food Insecurity
730,480 Hoosiers were food insecure in 2021. That is, 1 out of 9 Hoosiers do not know where they are going to find their next meal. The risk of becoming food insecure increases when money is limited or unavailable.
Some causes of food insecurity are:
lack of affordable housing
poverty and unemployment
lack of transportation and physical access to food
disability
chronic health conditions or lack of access to healthcare
structural racism and discrimination
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Also known as Food Stamps, provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income household so they can purchase healthy foods and become self-sufficient. SNAP is one of the most important anti-hunger programs in the nation.
SNAP increases food security by reducing the budgetary constraints individuals might have so they can purchase other essential items like diapers, clothes or medicine.
Benefits are given on an EBT card that is used like an ATM card, called the “Hoosier Works” card, in accepted grocery stores.
Food Justice Fellowship
Natalia Machicote
She/Her/Ella
Food Justice Fellow
nmachicote@injp.org
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Inform individuals of their rights to SNAP benefits.
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Represent SNAP beneficiaries and applicants in administrative appeals of denials of benefits.
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Identify systemic barriers to accessing SNAP benefits, partial focus on language access.
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Collaborate with community organizations to address those barriers in partnership.