O'Malley's been highlighting a proposal to modernize and streamline Food Stamps

[FSogol]

Here's what that is all about: https://twitter.com/EasyFoodStamps


and why it is so needed:

Navigating a Bureaucratic Maze to Renew Food Stamp Benefits
by Winnie Hu of the NYT (July 23, 2015)

Three months after Delbert Shorter’s food stamps were cut off, he still does not know why.

At first, he thought that his $180 a month allotment from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called SNAP or food stamps, was just late. But as one week turned into another, Mr. Shorter, 78, who lives in a fifth-floor walk-up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, grew more anxious, and hungrier. He stockpiled canned foods from a church food pantry, borrowed $60 from his home health aide and turned to a senior center to help get his food stamps back.

“It’s very hard,” he said. “If I knew it was really going to come, I would not have to worry about the next meal.”

Even as New York City has embarked on a campaign to increase access to food stamps in recent months, Mr. Shorter’s plight illustrates the barriers that remain for those who are already enrolled. Many people who rely on the benefits say they have had to navigate a frustrating and overly bureaucratic process whenever there is a question or issue with their benefits, or when they are required to renew their eligibility. In the confusion, some lose the benefits.

Whole article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/nyregion/navigating-a-bureaucratic-maze-to-renew-food-stamp-benefits.html?smid=tw-share

[elleng]

1. Good to see this, FSogol.

'Great pitch event hosted by @MartinOMalley tonight! Loved meeting so many people who are fired up about improving social services.'

'making government more user-friendly (right now streamlining the app. process for food stamps)'

[FSogol]

2. O'Malley was at a #civictech event last night listening to pitches for startups

Pitches (besides the food stamp one):

@newsuptweets for stopping by! “Making games about the news.”
@newmajoritylabs: empowering communities of color to identify & build solutions to their own challenges.
Nerd-out about student financing? Check out @mpowerfinancing — part of our pitch contest tonight.
Great pitch from @mosavali! Providing farmers with tools, knowledge and info to improve production and income.
@sandboxx allows members of the military & families to send letters from their phone & reconnect with their units.
@idealimpact, “the worlds first news-driven social impact community.“
@opendatanation — using tech to engage the public in civic problem-solving.

O'Malley was introduced as: “We have a real digital political leader in Gov O’Malley.”

[elleng]

3. OH YES, I recall that was to occur.

[NCTraveler]

4. He is without a doubt very qualified to be President.

I think he would be an amazing speaker or minority leader in the house. He has it all for that job. As well as the Presidency. I'm pretty big on house leader positions. They are huge.