Blog

Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Blog

Worker-centered policies make Alabama better for everyone

Every Alabama worker deserves a stable, safe environment where they can earn enough money to take care of their needs. On this Labor Day weekend and every day, the numbers are clear on the path to provide this environment. The best way to ensure this type of work atmosphere is for workers to belong to [...]
Issue
Economic Opportunity
Date
September 2, 2022
Author
Dev Wakeley
Blog

Annual meeting to chart Arise’s course for 2023

Grassroots democracy will be on display in a new way when Alabama Arise members choose our 2023 issue priorities at our annual meeting Saturday, Sept. 24. For the first time, we will meet both in person and online via Zoom. Click here for more details. Our members will have the power to select the legislative [...]
Date
August 30, 2022
Author
Chris Sanders
Blog

ARPA 101: How the American Rescue Plan Act can build a more equitable Alabama

The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched families, hospitals, schools, businesses and food banks across Alabama to their limits. Like tens of millions of other Americans, local and state officials have had to adapt to new challenges and respond to existing health and economic challenges exacerbated by the pandemic over the last two years. Congress reacted to [...]
Issues
Housing, Public Transportation, Safety Net, Health
Date
June 28, 2022
Author
Blog

Alabama Arise resources for the 2022 runoff election

The 2022 runoff election is Tuesday, June 21. Alabamians will vote on Democratic and Republican nominees for a range of local, state and federal offices, including the Democratic nominee for governor and the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat. Voters in some districts also will decide on nominees for the state Legislature. Have you [...]
Issue
Voting Rights
Date
June 17, 2022
Author
Blog

Community-driven ideas can improve health outcomes

Imagine a world where the people most harmed by hunger and food insecurity exercise their power to propose their own solutions to address this social determinant of health. What might happen if health care systems were responsive to those solutions? And what if a group of dedicated community leaders, organizations and civic groups rallied together [...]
Issue
Health
Date
May 10, 2022
Author
Presdelane Harris
Blog

Donate today to keep our momentum going

Because of your support, we made some important gains during this legislative session that will benefit Alabamians with low incomes. But we know we still have a long way to go. Will you donate today to keep up this momentum toward a more equitable Alabama? Over the course of the session, we built more bipartisan [...]
Date
May 10, 2022
Author
McKenzie Burton
Blog

Alabama needs to invest in our people

Do you know how hard it is to pass just one bill in the Alabama Legislature? We often measure progress on our issue priorities over periods of four-year quadrenniums, or even decades. So it’s remarkable that during the 2022 regular session, Arise members helped pass numerous priority bills on everything from equitable tax reforms and [...]
Issue
Budgets
Date
May 10, 2022
Author
Robyn Hyden
Blog

Summer food service programs need to be preserved

The COVID-19 pandemic added to the hunger challenges already facing many Alabamians. In response came a wave of federal flexibilities and waivers for the nation’s programs that feed children. As a result, many Alabama students have received nutritious, often free meals with fewer administrative barriers. However, many of these child nutrition waivers could be coming [...]
Issues
Safety Net, Coronavirus, Health
Date
May 10, 2022
Author
Carol Gundlach
Blog

A life-saving move: Alabama extends postpartum Medicaid coverage

Alabama is on its way to reducing maternal mortality and improving health for families across the state ‒ but we can’t stop here. Lawmakers and Gov. Kay Ivey last month enacted a budget that extends postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year after childbirth. That is up from the previous cutoff of only 60 days [...]
Issues
Health, Medicaid Expansion
Date
May 10, 2022
Author
Blog

Community eligibility helps keep children fed in Alabama

Arise's Celida Soto Garcia explains how the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) helps more than 450 high-poverty schools across Alabama offer breakfast and lunch to students at no charge. Now is the time to contact school superintendents and urge them to opt into CEP if their districts are eligible to participate. A full transcript can be [...]
Issues
Health, Safety Net
Date
May 5, 2022
Author
Celida Soto Garcia