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.
Blog
Arise update: April 4, 2020
Like all of you, we're doing what we can to weather this crisis, and we have many concerns about the health and well-being of our families and communities. Arise executive director Robyn Hyden highlights some resources on our website that can help you navigate new SNAP and unemployment insurance benefits available for people who need [...]
Fact Sheet
Federal law strengthened SNAP amid COVID-19 pandemic, but benefit increase still needed
The economic meltdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has created an extraordinary demand for food assistance. State agencies are working overtime to figure out how to get food to hungry Alabamians while schools are closed, people are sheltering in place and the risk of infection is high. Applications for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition [...]
Fact Sheet
Unemployment insurance improvements, recovery rebates will help Alabamians hurt by COVID-19 pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment insurance claims nationally. And the story is the same in Alabama, where 74,056 UI claims were filed in the week ending Saturday, March 28. That’s easily a record high since 1987, the earliest year for which weekly data is available for Alabama. The number of [...]
Blog
Arise legislative recap: March 27, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic will strain Alabama's health care system in unprecedented ways. Arise's Jim Carnes discusses how Medicaid expansion, elimination of enrollment barriers and other policy changes would help Medicaid save lives during and after this outbreak. Read our full list of recommendations here.
Blog
Targeted releases should be part of Alabama corrections system’s response to COVID-19 pandemic
State and local governments are responding in a variety of ways to the emergent coronavirus pandemic in Alabama. But that response thus far has fallen short where incarcerated people are concerned. The Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) has more than 27,500 people in custody right now. (For context, that’s more people than live in Anniston, [...]
Blog
Alabama Arise’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Here at Alabama Arise, we share the uncertainty and worry that many of you may feel about COVID-19 and how best to prepare ourselves, help our neighbors and speak out for adequate resources and aid. Our first priority is the physical and mental health and safety of our members, partners and staff, and of people [...]
Blog
COVID-19: 7 policy changes that would help protect Alabamians
The World Health Organization has labeled COVID-19 a global pandemic. And state officials announced the first confirmed case of the disease in Alabama on Friday. As the virus strains our health systems, schools and economy, we must ensure the most vulnerable Alabamians have the medical care, social supports and other protections they need to weather [...]
Blog
Arise legislative recap: March 13, 2020
We're excited to introduce you this week to Sherrel Wheeler Stewart, Arise's new story collection coordinator. In this video, Sherrel talks about her new position and explains how you can help her tell the stories of uninsured and underinsured Alabamians who live in the Medicaid coverage gap. If you'd like to share your story with [...]
Blog
Education, health care, nutrition and more: Why the Census matters to Alabama
The 2020 Census is nearly here. In mid-March, the Census Bureau will begin mailing out informational postcards to all U.S. residents. The postcards will provide instructions on how to complete the Census for your household. Filling out the Census is important for a number of reasons. Alabama’s count impacts our state legislative districts and our [...]
Letters & Testimony
Ending an ‘unjust burden’: Alabama Arise testimony in favor of SB 144 to untax groceries
Arise’s Robyn Hyden testified to the Senate’s education budget committee Wednesday in support of SB 144. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, would eliminate Alabama’s state sales tax on groceries and replace the lost revenue by capping the state deduction for federal income taxes. Here’s the full text of Hyden’s prepared remarks: Good [...]