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Montana's Welfare Action Coalition Has A Strong Beginning

Barely a year into its existence, the Montana Welfare Action Coalition (MWAC) has generated remarkable steam. Making an impact on the lives of welfare recipients in Montana, MWAC has assembled a statewide network of support and contacts and taken a leading role in the fight to achieve the dream of its co-founder, Debra Gram, that "welfare recipients have a voice in what's happening to them."

The Coalition began as a small group of individuals throughout Montana, united by a concern for ending stereotypes about people on welfare and defending the rights of recipients in the face of an often hostile bureaucracy. The group had its first statewide meeting in August 1996 in the state capital, Helena. Since then, there have been several state-wide meetings held in different cities in Montana, and the Coalition formalized its structure and elected state-wide officers on June 3, 1997. The state-wide board consists of delegates from around the state, as well as representatives of other groups allied with the Coalition, including WEEL (Working for Equality and Economic Liberty) and the People's Law Center.

In total, there are now over 200 members, one-third of whom receive public assistance. The only requirement to become a voting member is that one annually confirm support for MWAC's mission statement which affirms taking action to ensure social and economic justice for all. Members can either pay dues or receive scholarships.

The Bozeman MWAC chapter is the largest and strongest in the state. Chapter meetings always include a support group session where people are allowed to vent, sharing their feelings of frustration and despair. For each meeting, the group invites a special speaker; last winter, speakers addressed such topics as managing the overwhelming stress in the lives of poverty-stricken families, domestic violence, testifying at the legislature, and food banks in Montana. Meetings always conclude with an action hour, when the group discusses concrete steps that they plan to take in the near future.

Asked in a survey last fall to suggest a few welfare issues the group planned to work on, Ms. Gram mentioned the following: opposing oppressive and unjust legislation, creating a network of resources for advocates, disseminating information, empowering recipients, challenging stereotypes, corporate welfare, and workfare. Ms. Gram noted that MWAC was committed to preserving access to higher education, and shaping a state advisory council of welfare recipients that could directly engage government welfare administrators and welfare recipients in open dialogue. More recently, she mentioned growing concerns about mistreatment of recipients by county agency employees, including harassment of recipients who are trying to educate themselves by attending college, and sanctioning recipients for filing late paperwork or missing an appointment.

Ms. Gram has been appointed to the Governor's Child Care Advisory Council, but remains active as the President and main coordinator of the Coalition. In addition to being a single, student mother who currently receives welfare, Ms. Gram personally advocates for other recipients, takes part in radio talk shows regarding welfare reform, and has developed a presentation called "Welfare Queens" which challenges welfare stereotypes by providing scientific research about who receives welfare and why.

Interestingly, MWAC honors grocery clerks who treat food stamp recipients with the same respect and dignity they show to every other customer. This allows community members the opportunity to reconsider how they treat others in their community and encourages non-judgmental attitudes.

In the coming months, MWAC will persevere in fighting for the right to higher education for all, calling into question the notion that workers merely need "soft skills," such as punctuality, to hold down a job that pays a living wage. MWAC members will continue to insist that welfare families be given child care for any mandated activity, that welfare agents and welfare recipients communicate in a constructive manner, and above all, they will continue to educate the public by letting them hear a different voice -- a voice firmly asserting that poverty-stricken parents deserve respect and support.

Prepared by Brendan Lynch, a Center legal intern.

-- from the September 1997 issue of Welfare News