Each semester, Appleseed is fortunate to work with bright, talented, and dedicated interns and law clerks who are passionate about fighting for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans. We’re excited to have interns and clerks join our team from across the nation virtually! Meet the outstanding Nebraskans who dedicate their time to positive change in our communities. We’re also excited… Read more →
We are in the final weeks of all-day hearings. Every committee but Judiciary will wrap up hearings on Thursday, March 4th, while the Judiciary committee’s hearing schedule will end on Friday, March 12th. All-day floor debate begins the week of March 15th, focusing primarily on senators’ priority bills for the session. Learn more about Appleseed’s priority bills on our blog.… Read more →
2021 priority bills for Nebraska families, communities, and racial justice Each legislative session presents an opportunity to bring long-lasting positive change for our communities. Your voice is important in ensuring that we are building a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Nebraska. Here is how you can safely advocate during hearings, and you can always call or email your senator to share… Read more →
We continued to testify on several bills during hearings last week, including those on paid leave, child care subsidies, and more equitable access for young adults in the Bridge to Independence program. As we noted last week, we are inching closer to the end of all-day hearings. Every committee but Judiciary will wrap up hearings on Thursday, March 4th, while… Read more →
Appleseed’s health care goals for 2021 Equity. Compassion. Quality. Affordability. Health care coverage is a vital part of enjoying a good quality of life. When every member in our community is healthy, our communities are healthy. The Affordable Care Act, which includes Medicaid expansion, is a great opportunity for thousands of Nebraskans to access quality, affordable health care. The work… Read more →
The Legislature continued its intense pace of hearings last week and Appleseed testified on a number of meaningful bills related to housing, child welfare, and immigration. Speaker Hilgers provided a snapshot of the next month, noting that all-day hearings for all committees except Judiciary will end on Thursday, March 4th. The Judiciary Committee will wrap up hearings on Friday, March… Read more →
Last week, Appleseed testified in support of a number of bills that will make positive impacts across our state. There are several more hearings up this week that Appleseed and others will be participating in too. All-day hearings will continue through at least the end of February and floor debate will resume once hearings wrap up. Your voice is vital… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** January 26, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed’s Molly McCleery Honored as Families USA’s Consumer Experience Health Advocate of the Year Lincoln, Nebraska – On Tuesday, January 26, Molly McCleery, Director of the Health Care Access Program at Nebraska Appleseed, was recognized as Families… Read more →
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, and here at Nebraska Is Home, we like to think of this as a day on rather than a day off of work. It’s a day of service, reflection, and education, as we commit ourselves to fostering a welcoming Nebraska, where everyone feels they belong – no matter their background or country… Read more →
Today is Day 1 of the 2021 legislative session. Nebraska senators will start the year by introducing new bills on a number of issues, including legislation to address the stark inequities within our systems that have been further exposed during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Nebraska Appleseed Priorities for 2021 Together with you, we will be advocating for meaningful change… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Tuesday, January 5, 2021 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119 C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org Every Nebraskan must have equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of status Lincoln, NE – On Monday, Nebraska Governor Ricketts announced the state’s plan for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. In response to a reporter… Read more →
After months of negotiations, Congress has passed an emergency COVID-19 relief package that will provide urgently needed support to Nebraskans. While the passage of this long-awaited relief will provide direct payments, housing assistance, increased support for many families, and more, this bill still falls short of meeting the level of need in our Nebraska communities. Along with a large spending… Read more →
For many, the holiday season is a time filled with joy and shared with loved ones. It is a time when families come together and share gratitude and food. While gathering may look different this year, we should all be able to come home safely to our loved ones. But Nebraskans who process our food in meat and poultry plants… Read more →
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Nebraska, and so do the number of evictions. In Douglas & Lancaster counties, over 200 eviction hearings have been scheduled, even when most other types of hearings have been shut down. Families with young children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and the immunocompromised are packed into courtrooms to fend off an… Read more →
Recommended Allocation of Remaining CARES Funds Recently, Governor Ricketts announced another round of CARES funded grant programs to help address the ongoing disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. This round of funding includes $48.5 million in support for non-profits and direct service providers, as well as another $25 million for businesses and ag producers who have not yet received assistance.… Read more →
For over fifty years, Medicaid has provided health care coverage to hundreds of thousands of low-income Nebraskans, helping children in Nebraska succeed in school and keeping the state’s communities healthy. Medicaid not only supports the health and well-being of Nebraskans, it also supports Nebraska’s workforce, health systems, and economy. When people have access to health care through Medicaid, they are… Read more →
Nebraskans’ votes should be honored. Two years ago, in November of 2018, Nebraskans voted for Medicaid expansion to provide health care coverage to thousands of our family members, friends, and neighbors. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) delayed implementing the program, keeping more than 90,000 Nebraskans from accessing lifesaving Medicaid coverage. This October, eligible Nebraskans were finally… Read more →
Nebraskans can still access free and local assistance during COVID-19 pandemic This is a guest blog post from Marissa Morales, Health Care Access Program Intern The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted thousands of Nebraskans, including many who have lost their health insurance coverage through their jobs. The Health Insurance Marketplace will offer coverage to eligible Nebraskans during the Open Enrollment Period… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Contact: Magdalena Cazarez Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed C: (402) 504-0074 mcazarez@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Responds to Federal Approval of Medicaid Expansion Waiver Nebraska does not need a complicated waiver system that makes it harder for Nebraskans to access health care Lincoln, NE — Today, Governor Ricketts announced the federal approval of the Section 1115… Read more →
Each year, Appleseed is fortunate to work with bright, talented, and dedicated interns and law clerks who are passionate about fighting for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans. Although we have had to adjust the way we work during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to have interns and clerks join our team from across the nation! Meet some of… Read more →
Medicaid expansion coverage finally begins today! This moment—after seven years of multiple legislative sessions and a statewide ballot initiative—is made possible because of your support and advocacy. Thank you! Now, more than 90,000 of our family members, friends, and neighbors can get the care they need, and 10,000 Nebraskans have already signed up as of this past weekend. I want… Read more →
Mika Takamori recently joined Appleseed as the new Weitz Fellow. In the midst of the pandemic, she graduated from Carleton College with a Studio Art degree and a History minor. She has lived in a few cities including Tokyo, San Francisco, and Minneapolis and is excited to now be exploring Lincoln! She is passionate about figuring out how to… Read more →
We are all feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including our immigrant neighbors We need relief during a pandemic. While previous federal COVID-relief efforts have brought support and protection to some, millions of immigrant families have been excluded and continue to struggle during the pandemic across the country. Mixed-status families were excluded from federal COVID-19 relief, even if one… Read more →
On Friday, September 4, 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an order placing a nationwide moratorium on most evictions for nonpayment of rent through the end of the year. The order went into effect the same day, and provides much-needed protections for Nebraskan families. As many as 107,000 Nebraska renters at risk of eviction Previous measures… Read more →
Many of the essential protections in the CARES Act, passed in March, have now expired, yet Nebraskans continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis. While the U.S. House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, the Senate has yet to act to provide critical and inclusive relief to thousands of Nebraskans, including Black and Latinx communities who have… Read more →
