NEPA Homeless Union SPEAK OUT!

On Friday, July 11th from 2 – 4 PM the Northeast PA Chapter on the National Union of the Homeless, along with the Nonviolent Medicaid Army and Put People First! PA held a SPEAK OUT about the impact that the closing of Keystone Mission’s shelters will have on our community. The speak out took place in front of Wilkes Barre City Hall on Friday, July 11th from 2-4pm.

The action received earned media from TWO outlets. Read Coverage here:

Fox 56 – Advocates urge action as Keystone Mission closes in Wilkes-Barre

Citizens Voice – Housing advocates protest in Wilkes-Barre after shelter closure

Community members demanded that local elected officials work directly with the unhoused to find solutions to this housing crisis in light of the recent announcement of the closure of 2 critical Keystone Mission homeless shelters. Meanwhile PA SB780, currently moving through the Pennsylvania House, would force local governments to criminalize homelessness.

“Where are all the people supposed to go with all these closings?” said Esther Crooke, a Wilkes-Barre resident who MCed the rally. “You claim that the homeless are outsiders, but they are not. It’s our family who grew up here. It’s our friends who lost their job. You’re looking for outside organizations to come up with the answer – no. We need YOUR answer to this crisis.”

In Pennsylvania, the total number of all people experiencing homelessness underwent a 12.2% increase between 2023 and 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The NEPA Chapter of the National Union of the Homeless is still waiting for answers to our questions:

  1. Where are all the homeless people supposed to go?
  2. What are the city’s plans to help the homeless now and moving forward?
  3. Where will funding come from now to help those of us that still need housing?
  4. When it gets cold what is going to happen to our people?

We believe #HousingIsAHumanRight #Housingishealthcare.”

HEALTHCARE IN THE CROZER CRISIS

Hi Delco, what are the websites, phone numbers, offices, clinics you’ve found to help meet your healthcare needs in the wake of the Crozer crisis?

Put People First! PA is gathering resources to help people get healthcare after the Crozer system closure.

Our demand remains to REOPEN THE HOSPITAL, but we need to take care of each other in the meantime! Have you found ways to get your records, find a new provider, refill medications? What have you tried that hasn’t worked?

Drop them below, we’ll compile and share it out virtually and at our upcoming free People’s Clinics.

Put People First! PA is a politically independent, staff free organization of people fighting for healthcare as a human right, from medicaid cut offs to hospital closures.

Click here to like or share the graphic on FB.

E-news 📣 Fund Medicaid & SNAP, not War & Deportations!

Put People First! PA Enews

Fund Medicaid & SNAP, Not War & Deportations!

The Nonviolent Medicaid Army demands: Fund Medicaid, Not War & Deportations! As Congress moves closer to enacting devastating cuts and taking money from healthcare, housing and food to give to detention, war and billionaires, we cry out NO!

From sharing these beautiful graphics to holding a rally to sharing your story, there are many ways to speak out against war and detention and for our basic needs. Click here to take action. The Nonviolent Medicaid Army is picking up Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to build a nonviolent army of the poor to end poverty. We are uniting across all lines of division including the party divide and the urban/rural divide. We come together for support, survival and strategy with ALL whose families have been harmed and killed by this healthcare system that puts profit over our health and lives. We are fiercely independent from both political parties of Wall Street and we hold ALL power holders accountable.

READ & SHARE the Nonviolent Medicaid Army Statement on the “Big, Beautiful Bill” – for Billionaires! Click here o para leer en español, haga clic aquí.

Mastering Media: Getting Our Stories into the MediaOn Saturday, July 12th from 1 – 2:30 PM ET join the Nonviolent Medicaid Army for the July 2025 Saturday School of Struggle! July’s topic is: Mastering Media Part 1: Getting Our Stories into the Media. This is the first of a 2-part series on Media.

Register here: https://bit.ly/July2025SSoS

As we say in the Poor People’s Campaign: we change the narrative by changing the narrator.We all have a powerful story based in our lived experience, and we can learn to tell aspects of our story as a political act. One way of doing this is public testimony and speaking to the media. Learn more & share the FB event here.

Highlights from Healthcare Rights Committees

In the past month, Put People First! PA Healthcare Rights Committee (HRC) members have been out in our neighborhoods building the movement for healthcare as a human right. Here are some recent highlights.

  • In South Central PA, members distributed COVID tests and built a healthcare story wall at the “Peace In The Streets” Block Party event on June 14th at Culliton Park in Lancaster.
  • In Southwest PA, members signed people up for Medicaid, did blood pressure screenings and made connections at a People’s Clinic at Crawford Village in McKeesport on June 21st.
  • In Southeast PA on Saturday, June 14, members continued to build with people in Chester who are angry and in disbelief about the hospital closures, collecting people’s stories and filing out legislative cards to expose profiteers and hold powerholders accountable for the shuttered Crozer-Chester Medical Center.
  • In Northeast PA, members tabled at Williamsport’s Juneteenth Celebration. Also, check out recent speeches by NEPA leaders at the No Kings Rally and Not Another War with Iran protest!

Click here for NEW VIDEO: Fighting back against Hospital Closures in PA!

Central Appalachia prepares for Justice Jam at Oakhurst Homes

On Saturday, July 19 from 11 am 2 pm, the Central Appalachia Healthcare Rights Committee will hold a Justice Jam in conjunction with residents at Oakhurst Homes in Johnstown

The event which is free and open to all ages will feature: a cook-out, singing movement songs, learning people’s history of Johnstown and the surrounding region, games and activities for youth, and a People’s Clinic that will assist people to sign up for state benefits or file appeals if they have been cut off. Jacob Butterly, movement theomusicologist will be leading the sing-out. Songs will be recorded as part of a new digital songbook for the national Nonviolent Medicaid Army. For more details click here.

#MedicaidMondays

Every Monday we share our stories. What’s your healthcare story? What does Medicaid mean to you and your family? Movements begin with the telling of untold stories that’s why we’re asking you to share your experience with your health and healthcare system.Whether you’re on or unfairly excluded from Medicaid, you have a story to share to build the movement for the human right to healthcare. See #medicaidmonday examples on the Nonviolent Medicaid Army facebook page here.

Sign up to share your story here: bit.ly/MedicaidMondaysForm

Upcoming Healthcare Rights Committee Meetings

Put People First! PA is organized into five regions: Southeast, Southwest, Central-Appalachia, South Central and Northeast. In each of these regions, members participate in twice a month meetings held by phone and online, organized around our healthcare struggles. If you’re new to Put People First! PA, attend a monthly Statewide Call or Saturday School or contact any of the members listed below to learn more.

Southeast PA Healthcare Rights Committee (Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties)Next meeting: Wednesday, July 9th & 23rd @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Contact: ppfpasepahrc@gmail.com

Southwest PA Healthcare Rights Committee (Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland, Greene, Fayette, Beaver and Butler counties)Next meeting: Thursday, July 10th & 24th @ 6 pm – 7:30 pm
Contact: Barbara at bawhite2012@gmail.com or Rica at phillipsfrederica@gmail.com

Central-Appalachia PA Healthcare Rights Committee (Centre, Clearfield, Cambria, Blair, Somerset, Bedford, Huntingdon, Fulton, Mifflin, and Juniata counties)Next meeting: Wednesday, July 2nd @ 7 – 8:30 PM & July 16th @ 8 pm – 9 pm
Contact: Josh at joshua.rinaman@gmail.com or Kiki at mftriplin@gmail.com

South Central PA Healthcare Rights Committee (Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties) Next meeting: Monday, July 7th & 21st @ 6 pm – 7:30 pm
Contact:  Jacob at jacob.butterly.pappc@gmail.com

Northeast PA Healthcare Rights Committee (Pike, Wayne, Susquehanna, Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Northumberland, Carbon and Schuylkill counties)Next meeting: Monday, July 7th & 21st @ 6 pm – 7:30 pm
Contact: Rebecca at prittidayzee@gmail.com or Nijmie at nijmied@gmail.com

Justice Jam 7/19 @ Oakhurst!

On Saturday, July 19 from 11 am 2 pm, the Central Appalachia Healthcare Rights Committee will hold a Justice Jam in conjunction with residents at Oakhurst Homes in Johnstown.

The event which is free and open to all ages will feature: a cook-out, singing movement songs, learning people’s history of Johnstown and the surrounding region, games and activities for youth, and a People’s Clinic that will assist people to sign up for state benefits or file appeals if they have been cut off. Jacob Butterly, movement theomusicologist will be leading the sing-out. Songs will be recorded as part of a new digital songbook for the national Nonviolent Medicaid Army.

For more info, contact:
Josh: joshua.rinaman@gmail.com
Kiki: mftriplin@gmail.com

Learn more about the Central Appalachia Healthcare Rights Committee or contact us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PPFPACentralAppalachia

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