Editor’s Note: We’re pleased to post this special Thanksgiving blog post from guest author Rev. Dr. Barbara Edema. It originally appeared in the Alpena News on Nov. 27, 2019.
I have my list. I’ve checked it twice. I’ll go to the grocery store and buy the feast. Thanksgiving is in a few days and our table will be full of people and full of food. It will be a day of festivities and over-filled stomachs.
Table talk will be lively in our home which will be full of the smells of turkey, bubbling cranberries, and spicy pumpkin pie.
Thanksgiving. Family. Friends. Food. Conversation.
I volunteer at our church’s food bank—we are part of the Greater Lansing Food Bank. People living in the surrounding zip codes may come once a month and choose the food they need to feed their families.
Rev. Dr. Barbara Edema
Let me repeat that: They may come once a month. Being a mother of four, I can easily see that the food they receive, although several bags, is not enough to feed a family for a month. But our clients are thankful.
Sometimes our clients have to leave work early to get to the food bank before we close at 3:30 p.m. Sometimes working moms and dads race in and choose the food they need before our doors are locked. They work full time yet are unable to take care of the needs of their families. Bills need to be paid. Sometimes medical care is a burden. And, of course, food. Everyone needs food on the table.
A cruel irony in the midst of the struggle occurs when a mom or dad gets a small raise at work and they can lose some of the help they need from assistance programs. Things like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), childcare, or medical coverage. The small raise leaves them in worse poverty than if they made less money. This not only confounds me, it angers me.
When I see those who are unable to work for myriad reasons beyond their control are blamed for being “lazy,” it not only confounds me, it angers me.
Judgment of people’s circumstances by those who are too comfortable for their own good must end.
Food banks are not the final answer to end hunger. I wish I could work myself out of the food bank (as much as I enjoy being part of it) because I wish we didn’t have children and adults who are food insecure. I wish our policymakers made sure that members of our society felt secure in every way. I wish education was the best in the country for our little ones. I wish a living wage was paid to all those who go to work every day and yet cannot support their needs. I wish medical bills did not leave people in poverty. I wish our veterans were cared for and respected for all they have given.
Philanthropy is important, but the realization of all those wishes will require change in policy. Public policies must take the lead in ensuring economic security, health and well-being for all Michiganders, and following organizations like the Michigan League for Public Policy is one way to help in the fight for economic and social justice in our state.
As a clergywoman, I believe in the God-ness of the people I meet. I believe we are all called to lift up those who struggle and smooth the bumps in their roads.
Thanksgiving is a day of family, friends, and food. It is also a day to remember those in our neighborhoods who won’t have a feast, or enough, or anything.
Our food bank will distribute Thanksgiving baskets this week. The list of clients is long, and there is a waiting list for those who hope they might receive something. But there’s a chance they won’t. We can’t feed them all, nor should we be expected to. It is up to our policymakers to ensure that our state policies support greater access to food assistance.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced a change in policy that will increase the asset limit on food assistance and will make it easier for families to receive assistance when they need it. That is a great first step, but the best step would be for the Legislature to use its power to eliminate the asset test altogether.
Table talk is fun when we are surrounded by those we love and the abundance of food we share.
Table talk is more difficult when the cupboards are bare, and the table is empty.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
