{"action":"opened","issue":{"url":"https://api.github.com/repos/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/71","labels_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/71/labels{/name}","comments_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/71/comments","events_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/71/events","html_url":"https://github.com/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/71","id":66660255,"number":71,"title":"Mass. Appeal - Get the food stamp benefits you were wrongly denied ","user":{"login":"alanjosephwilliams","id":2983464,"avatar_url":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/2983464?v=3","gravatar_id":"","url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams","html_url":"https://github.com/alanjosephwilliams","followers_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/followers","following_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/following{/other_user}","gists_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/gists{/gist_id}","starred_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/starred{/owner}{/repo}","subscriptions_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/subscriptions","organizations_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/orgs","repos_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/repos","events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/events{/privacy}","received_events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/alanjosephwilliams/received_events","type":"User","site_admin":false},"labels":[],"state":"open","locked":false,"assignee":null,"milestone":null,"comments":0,"created_at":"2015-04-06T17:32:59Z","updated_at":"2015-04-06T17:32:59Z","closed_at":null,"body":"BLUF: New software and fraud-targeting data-mining practices are wreaking havoc on food stamp enrollees in Massachusetts. *73,000 people* (or ~8.5% of the entire user base, vs 1.2% drop nationally) have been churned off since October. This is a huge blow to the stability of devastatingly large number of families.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, \"the appeals process is not nearly so high-tech. Some residents have struggled to reinstate themselves: for example, it took one resident a month, including two visits to Boston City Hall and multiple faxes.\"\r\n\r\nSO: Let's make it easier to appeal these discharges, which are so often erroneous. \r\n\r\nThis seems like a candidate for a [generalized pattern we keep encountering](https://github.com/codeforamerica/project-ideas/issues/120): the need to fill out a web form, write that data to PDF, then fax it to the appropriate place ( + give recipient confirmation, power to follow up).\r\n\r\nThe problem may not be so easy. But! There is a organized advocacy community regarding this topic, led by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the [Massachusetts Poverty Law Advocates](http://www.masslegalservices.org/). I've spoken to the Food Stamps Outreach Team in Massachusetts, and would be willing to continue to help bring the right people together. These advocates could help validate user needs, defuse legal barriers, and provide distribution and marketing to the population in need.\r\n\r\nThis seems like an ideal project for Code for Boston if they have bandwidth and interest. Any thoughts @daguar @lippytak @WheresHJ @jennymt @RebeccaCoelius @cbracy @prestonrhea\r\n\r\nReferences:\r\nhttp://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/ppdated_snap_system_results_in.html\r\nhttps://www.equalfuture.us/2015/04/01/massachusetts-food-stamps-software/\r\n"}}