Fast Wednesday

The Ohio Empowerment Coalition is calling on concerned citizens to fast Wednesday, February 25, from 12:00 noon until noon the following day.

Ohio’s Fast for Justice will draw public attention to the harshness of Ohio’s welfare sanctions. We are calling our government officials to repentance for imposing one of the harshest sanction policies of any state of the nation. The sanctions are punishments on Ohio’s poorest citizens. The Fast will also raise awareness of the families who have lost basic essentials as a result of these governmental “punishments”.

Sanctions include:

First Punishment: (sanction): One month loss of all cash assistance, adult portion of food stamps, child care eligibility & job search eligibility.

Second Punishment: Three months loss of: cash assistance, adult portion of food stamps, child care and job search.

Third Punishment: Six months loss of cash assistance, adult portion of food stamps, Medicaid for the adult, child care and job search eligibility. For each additional sanction, the household will continue to be sanctioned for a six month period or until compliance.

For more information call 216/241-1104

Copyright NEOCH and the Homeless Grapevine published 1998 Issue 25