As winter approaches and we prepare to spend even more time indoors, utility bills are only going to get more expensive. Additionally, we know that the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn have made it difficult for many to keep up with home energy bills. No Pennsylvanian should ever have to worry that their heat will be shut off during the coldest and darkest months of the year. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) that provides assistance for home heating bills so Pennsylvanians can stay warm and safe during the winter months. Assistance is available for both renters and homeowners. LIHEAP helps some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens — children, older Pennsylvanians, people with disabilities, and low-income families — make ends meet. Anyone who may need help, or anyone who has loved ones or neighbors who could benefit from this program, is encouraged to apply for LIHEAP today. APPLY FOR LIHEAP LIHEAP FACTS How do I apply for LIHEAP? Depending on preference, different options are available to apply for LIHEAP: Apply online: Pennsylvanians can apply at www.compass.state.pa.us . Paper applications: Call the LIHEAP Helpline at 1-866-857-7095 to request a paper application. Paper applications can also be downloaded from the DHS LIHEAP web page . County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available if clients Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 29 – State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., hosted a public safety meeting last night to address solutions to the gun violence that is occurring in Philadelphia. The meeting was held in partnership with U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Phila.; Councilmembers Cindy Bass, Cherelle Parker and Derek Green; State Reps. Isabella Fitzgerald, Darisha Parker and Chris Rabb, all D-Phila.; and State Sens. Art Haywood, D-Montgomery/Phila. and Sharif Street, D-Phila. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner were present as well as Police Inspector Jerreau Thomas, Police Captain Nicholas Smith of the 14 th Police District and Captain Michael Zimmerman of the 35 th Police District. There were also representatives from Governor Tom Wolf’s Office, Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s Office, and Mayor Jim Kenney’s office present to hear the potential solutions offered by the audience. Kinsey noted that the meeting was moderated by the Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, which helped the meeting flow smoothly along. Roughly 400 community members attended the meeting with ideas and solutions to stop the gun violence in their communities. Some of the solutions presented were community policing, emphasizing skilled trades, teaching history in a different way, a citywide campaign against gun violence and better role models for children in the community. “We had a great Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 26 – State lawmakers representing the Philadelphia region have introduced legislation to start and fund a nonpartisan, academic research center on gun violence in Pennsylvania with the goal of providing policymakers and the public with accurate data to develop policies and programs that prevent gun violence. House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton joined state Reps. Joe Hohenstein and Stephen Kinsey in introducing the bill (H.B.2009), which was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for review. “In 2019, there were 1,541 people killed in Pennsylvania as a result of gun violence,” Hohenstein said. “There is a dire need to implement new policies that could prevent so much unnecessary death in our communities.” McClinton strongly agreed. “Gun violence has become a massive public-health crisis that must be addressed now,” McClinton said. “This center would provide key research to determine the main causes behind gun violence and what strategies are most effective at reducing it in Pennsylvania.” Gun violence is particularly rampant in Philadelphia, where more than 2,200 people were shot in 2020, according to statistics from the Philadelphia Police Department. “Shootings are happening more frequently and our current approach to combat them is not working,” Kinsey said. “Our duty as legislators is to protect and serve our constituents. Establishing this research center is Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 21 – State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., is partnering with EMIR Healing Center to host a Day of Remembrance from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25 at Vernon Park on Germantown Avenue. This event is to remember the people who have died in the last two years due to gun violence, by suicide and from COVID-19. “We are having this remembrance to mourn the loss of too many of our family, friends and neighbors, as well as to educate families on the resources available and support them in their healing process as they say goodbye to their loved ones,” Kinsey said. “Throughout the day, we will have discussions on my legislative work on these issues and how we can work together to prevent further unnecessary loss.” Supplies will be available for people to make remembrance art for their lost loved ones. There also will be music, food and prayer. More information is available at Kinsey’s office located at 5952-54 Germantown Ave., or by calling (215) 849-6592. Read more
STATE PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Public Defender Training Initiatives Grant (Funding Source: Federal Funds) Who May Apply : Any organization that can demonstrate a history of providing training and technical assistance to public defenders in Pennsylvania. The applicant agency must also demonstrate the ability to provide training at a statewide level. Use : To provide training and technical assistance to public defenders in Pennsylvania. Funds : $550,000 will be distributed in total. PCCD expects to fund one grant over the two-year project period. Application Deadline : September 28 More Information : Click on https://www.pccdegrants.pa.gov/Egrants/Public/OpenAnnouncements.aspx . Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Prosecutor Training Initiatives Grant (Funding Source: Federal Funds) Who May Apply : Any organization that can demonstrate a history of providing training and technical assistance to county prosecutors. The applicant agency must also demonstrate the ability to provide training at a statewide level and become certified by the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Board as an accredited CLE provider. Use : To provide training and technical assistance to prosecutors and law enforcement professionals on legal issues relevant to adults and juveniles. Funds : $870,000 will Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 3 – State Reps. Donna Bullock and Stephen Kinsey, both D-Phila., have introduced a bill that would formally establish the Office of Health Equity in state statute to ensure that Pennsylvania’s current commitment to equitable health care for every resident continues. “Health care is a basic human right,” Bullock said. “This fundamental truth is acknowledged by the World Health Organization and embraced by scores of nations – developed and lower-income countries alike – that have built health systems devoted to providing equal access to quality health care for all citizens. In order to establish an ongoing commitment to the health of all Pennsylvanians, regardless of income, Zip code, etc., this is a necessary step to oversight and advocacy in health care.” According to the Pennsylvania Office of Health Equity, health equity means that every resident can live a healthy life regardless of race, sex, location, education or income level. The office works to ensure all Pennsylvanians receive the care they need, regardless of any of the social or economic factors listed above. “This last year has made abundantly clear that our health system discriminates against marginalized people and populations without access to care,” Kinsey said. “As this catastrophic episode in our history continues to claim the lives of the undervalued and underpaid, we can no longer ignore nor delay righting this Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 26 – After more than a year of quarantine, state Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., is slated to host his annual Unity in the Northwest Community summer event. Distinguished members of the Northwest Philadelphia community will be honored with the Honorable David P. Richardson Jr. Legacy Award for their outstanding service to the northwest community. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 in the 5900 block of Germantown Avenue, 19144 , on the grounds of the historic Germantown High School. “We’ve had a difficult year, but I am thrilled to host this year’s event and bringing people together. Hopefully, this event will help to lift spirits of neighbors as we gather in a positive unified environment while listening to good music being performed by great local musicians,” Kinsey said. “We also can’t ignore that our ability to come together has been made possible in part by our neighbors who have demonstrated immense dedication toward working to keep our community healthy during these trying times.” Unity in the Northwest Community will feature local organizations providing health and public safety information to attendees, food vendors and live musical performances by Philadelphia’s own Breakwater Funk Band, The Jolly Brothers, Monte and Sherry Wilson-Butler. Joining Kinsey at Unity in the Northwest Community will be federal, Read more
HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Reps. Stephen Kinsey and Manuel Guzman today announced that they will soon introduce legislation that would mandate ammunition manufacturers to encode ammunition for retail sale with serial numbers, making the bullet a more useable piece of evidence for law enforcement to solve more crimes in the wake of increasing gun violence. The bill would also require manufacturers to provide the serial numbers to the Pennsylvania State Police, who would be responsible for keeping a database on all encoded ammunition sold in Pennsylvania and allow law enforcement to easily trace the ownership of any ammunition involved in a crime. “Our commonwealth has experienced an uptick in gun violence, and very few of these crimes have resulted in an arrest or conviction because all that’s left at the crime scene is a victim and spent shell-casings,” said Kinsey, D-Phila. “Our bill that would require every piece of ammunition sold in this state to be encoded with identifying serial numbers -- much like the guns they’re discharged from. It is time for us to keep track of these lethal weapons and ensure that we have the tools necessary to convict individuals who use their firearms for unlawful purposes.” “Police investigations involving firearms go cold over a lack of evidence too often,” said Guzman, D-Berks. “By encoding ammunition, we will provide a much-needed tool in the fight to reduce firearm Read more
For the past 15 months of the pandemic, broadband has become a lifeline for Pennsylvania’s disadvantaged and disenfranchised—low-income families, communities of color, and people with disabilities. Read more
HARRISBURG, May 26 – A day after the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, state Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., released the following statement: “Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the needless and horrific public execution of George Floyd by a police officer. Our nation and the world watched those heart wrenching 8 minutes and 49 seconds of a man, a father, a brother revert to basic childhood innocence and fearfully cry out for his deceased mother as he gasped for air due to being slowly asphyxiated to death by a knee to the neck. It was those cries that spurred countless global protests across the globe. “I also want to set the record straight that Mr. Floyd was not a martyr or a hero. He did not sacrifice his life for justice or anything grand, and that is perfectly fine. Like many of us, he was just a person existing in this world. This is what makes his murder more traumatic, especially to those of us who look like him. “This one-year anniversary was time of reflection on George Floyd’s life and our continued strides toward justice. We expressed sorrow in those unjustly taken from us, we spoke their names, but we also had glimmers of triumph. We once again relished in that feeling of finally being visible and respected when Mr. Floyd’s murderer was finally held accountable. “To those on the right side of this fight for justice, especially my fellow lawmakers who have a sworn duty to Read more
HARRISBURG, May 5 – State House members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and supporters today outlined their legislative agenda for systemic equity at a Capitol news conference. Members spoke about bills that would resolve bias, create diversity and provide inclusion, bridging the racial divide and inequities in legislation, state government agencies and health care. “This agenda is a road map for changing the way we deliver services, distribute resources and otherwise do business in the Commonwealth in all matters so that everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, gender, or Zip code, will have the same access and the same expectation as residents of Pennsylvania,” said PLBC Chair and state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. “The inequities in health care, housing and employment that were exacerbated by the pandemic are not new. They are systemic and often rooted in generations of racism. To address these systemic inequities, we have to remove stigmas, address implicit bias, and invest in systemic equity in ways that provide fair and equitable access to wealth, health, safety and more. We cannot continue doing things as we’ve done in the past and expect the outcome to be different. I have said that before, it still holds true and will continue to be true until we make substantial changes. We won’t relent until we see these changes.” “I truly appreciate the leadership of PLCB Chairwoman Bullock to keep us Read more
HARRISBURG, April 21 -- Following the unanimous guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, state Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., today announced legislation that he has introduced that seeks to outlaw the use of the standard chokehold in making an arrest, including the same chokehold used to kill George Floyd. House Bill 870, a bill Kinsey co-introduced with state Reps. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, and Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., would also ban police using any action that inhibits breath or the flow of blood to the brain due to physical position. “While we collectively revel in this moment that justice was served for Mr. Floyd, we must recognize that this is but a small victory in the grand scope of protecting communities of color from police violence and meaningfully reforming our system,” Kinsey said. “Yesterday, a jury unanimously decided that chokeholds are acts of murder, and this decision should compel us to examine policies of our own law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth.” Kim echoed Kinsey’s sentiments that while the verdict is a step in the right direction, it’s not enough. “This guilty verdict is long-awaited justice for many,” Kim said. “But it is certainly not enough. These are the first steps toward true justice for all. We must act now and work to ban archaic practices that put citizens’ lives at risk. Chokeholds should be a uniformly forbidden practice across Read more
State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, D-Phila., said a local organization that focuses on helping fathers embrace a responsible and comprehensive plan of action for their lives is the recipient of a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 11 – Trust and inclusive policies are key in getting COVID-19 vaccines distributed to communities of color and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee heard from multiple researchers, doctors and advocates on how to execute those strategies. Read more
STATE GRANT PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Council on the Arts: Creative Communities (Funding Source: General Fund) Who May Apply : Lead applicant must be a unit of government, nonprofit 501(c)3 or 501(c)6) organization. Required partnership of at least two organizations, one of which will serve as the lead applicant. Please note: Creative Communities projects are currently underway in the following counties: Crawford, Indiana, Lancaster, Lehigh, Mercer, and Philadelphia. Counties without existing projects will receive priority. Use : To provide multi-year funding to community-driven, arts-based projects that serve as catalysts for livability, economic development, and community connectedness. Funds : Up to $25,000 per year for up to four years. Application Deadline : March 19 More Information : Click on 2021_PCA_Creative_Communities_Letter_of_Interest.pdf (pa.gov) . Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency: Nonprofit Security Grant Program (Funding Source: F ederal Funding ) Who May Apply : 501(c)3 nonprofits, including religious institutions. Must be at a high risk of a terrorist attack based on the following: (1) Substantiation of prior threats or attacks (from within or outside the U.S.) by a terrorist organization, network, or cell against the applicant based on their ideology, beliefs, or mission; (2) Symbolic value of the site(s) as a highly recognized Read more
HARRISBURG, March 9 – State Reps. Donna Bullock and Stephen Kinsey will host a joint hearing of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and House Democratic Policy Committee this week to explore how communities of color have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus recently commended the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on its first Equity Report, according to PLBC chairwoman, State Rep. Donna Bullock (D-195th Dist.). Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 25 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus this week commended the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on its first Equity Report, according to PLBC chairwoman, state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. “The report hits many points that we on the PLBC fight for every day,” Bullock said. “As Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller pointed out, this cannot be a momentary, singular conversation because we watched George Floyd be murdered before our eyes without cause. This needs to be addressed every day, for every person of color, in both the workplace and our living communities.” “Every year I ask questions about racial equity at our appropriations hearings,” Bullock said. “I want to know, encourage and even urge our departments to provide diversity training, include employees of color in all aspects of managerial levels and decision-making, and ensure a healthy work environment for all at the highest levels of government. Our government agencies should, at the very least, ensure that they are representative of the people of our commonwealth for whom they serve.” The report provides information on efforts that DHS is undertaking on diversity, equity and inclusion so they may be a partner in correcting systemic racism within their own offices. While the report covers many areas within the department and where it will provide this training, it is a starting point for efforts moving forward. Read more
STATE GRANT PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs: Veterans’ Trust Fund Grant Program (Source of Funding: Veterans’ Trust Fund) Who May Apply : 501(c)(3) nonprofits with a mission of serving veterans, 501(c)(19) veteran service organizations, and county directors of veterans affairs. Use : Up to $150,000 in grant funding is available for new, innovative or expanded programs or services operated by the county directors of veterans’ affairs or the Pennsylvania Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs. The areas of emphasis for applicants in this category are veterans’ outreach and veterans’ court programs. Up to $650,000 in grant funding is available to veteran service organizations and non-profit organizations with a mission of serving Pennsylvania veterans. Funding priorities for applicants in this category are homelessness, behavioral health initiatives and veterans’ courts. Funds : A total of $800,000 will be awarded statewide. Application Deadline : January 27, 2021 at 2 p.m. More Information : Click on https://www.dmva.pa.gov/veteransaffairs/Pages/Programs%20and%20Services/Veterans%27%20Trust%20Fund/VeteransTrustFundGrantProgram.aspx . UPCOMING APPLICATION DEADLINES: DEP Driving PA Forward Onroad Rebate Program – Trucks and Buses: Read more
State lawmakers forge a new path for Pa. politics, form bipartisan caucus Read more
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5952-54 Germantown AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19144
P*: (215) 849-6592P: (215) 849-6896
F*: (215) 560-1824
317 Irvis Office Building P.O. Box 202201Harrisburg, PA 17120-2201
P*: (717) 787-3181
F*: (717) 772-4038