St. Paul, MN – The chant “What do we want? Raise the grants! When do we want it? Now!” boomed throughout the Minnesota State Capitol building, Jan. 6, as low-income people marched in demanding that the legislature double welfare grants and pass a law that will provide immediate assistance to all in need. The protest, organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, coincided with opening day of the 2015 legislative session.

With the wind chill well below zero, the protest began on the steps of the State Office Building, where Ebony Harris told the crowd, “We are here today as we are here every year to let these legislators know that poor people in this state will not be forgotten. We are here to demand that they raise the grants now and give aid to all in need.”

It has been 29 years since Minnesota last raised the welfare payments. “There are people literally dying at the hands of the politicians in this building here! And the inaction is on both sides of the aisle. No one party is causing the suffering of people in this state; it’s both parties,” said Harris.

Demonstrators then marched into narrow hallways of the Capitol building, which is undergoing renovation, and filled the corridor where the Minnesota House session was just starting. Angella Kahn led the crowd in the call and response chant, shouting, “Double the grants!” with the crowd thundering back, “Past due!”

Protesters then marched to Senate chambers and kept up the loud chanting. They then went on to the offices of politicians, where ‘past due’ notices were delivered. The past due notices stated protesters’ demands to double the grants, stop the time limit on welfare and to give aid to all in need.

Legislation will be introduced in upcoming weeks to double the welfare grants.

#StPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommitteeWRC #Minnesota #welfareGrants

St. Paul, MN – On Feb. 25, Minnesota politicians returned to the State Capitol for the opening of the legislative session and the Welfare Rights Committee and their supporters were there. Over 50 low-income people joined together, despite below-zero temperatures, to send a message to legislators: “Raise the welfare grants. 28 years is too long!”

Lorretta VanPelt opened the rally, reminding people, “In 1986 a family of two received $437 a month. Now, in 2014, a family still only receives $437 a month, despite the cost of living having more than doubled in the last 28 years.”

Over the previous weekend, Welfare Rights Committee members sewed together bed sheets and painted a very large banner that greeted legislators as they entered and exited the chamber. The banner read, “Raise the welfare grants now! Bring 70,000 MN kids out of extreme poverty!”

This session, the Welfare Rights Committee has a bill in the Minnesota legislature to increase the welfare grants – Senate File 1693/House File 2191.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, reminded people how working people and unions need to be involved in fighting for raising the welfare grants: “Welfare is the line below which wages are not supposed to be below. Minimum wage continues to be so low partly because they continue to keep welfare grants small.”

In addition to dropping the large banner from the second story rotunda at the capitol, WRC members and supporters walked around the capitol with the banner chanting, “Hey politicians! We’re at your door! Stop the war on the poor!” and “What do we want? Raise the grants! When do we want it? Now!”

The protesters marched with the banner to Governor Mark Dayton’s office, filling both his inner office and waiting room, as WRC members reminded Dayton it’s time he raised the welfare grants for those most in need and help take 70,000 Minnesota children out of extreme poverty.

#StPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #lowincomeFamilies #workersRights #welfareGrants