Bucks Writs - Summer 2018 - 29

including the Bucks
County Opportunity
Council, Woods
Services, Rolling
Harvest Food Rescue,
and the Maternity
Care Coalition. Third,
individual partners
volunteer with the
BCWAC to work
toward its principles-based goal of
systemic change.
Volunteers read and
track legislation, and
offer input and work
with legislators on
both sides of the aisle
to craft solutions to
problems facing Bucks
County women. The
BCWAC has over 250
individual partners.

"Rather than providing services to
individuals, [the BCWAC] is working
to educate and advocate around
opportunities for systemic, long-term
change so that every woman has the
essential tools (health care, shelter, a fair
wage, food sources) she and her family
need. I love the fact that we help people
debate intelligently and that the Coalition
annually identifies action priorities in an
effort to be sure we can measure success
or adjust course when necessary."

As Maslow explains, "[r]ather than providing services to
individuals, [the BCWAC] is working to educate and advocate
around opportunities for systemic, long-term change so that
every woman has the essential tools (health care, shelter, a fair
wage, food sources) she and her family need. I love the fact
that we help people debate intelligently and that the Coalition
annually identifies action priorities in an effort to be sure we
can measure success or adjust course when necessary."
The fact-based, bipartisan, diligent work of the BCWAC has
earned it the respect of Bucks County-based legislators and
Pennsylvania state officials. Indeed, elected officials consult
with the BCWAC, asking for its opinion of and recommendations with regard to proposed legislation. Legislators
also respond to requests by the BCWAC for legislation to
address issues affecting their constituents.

Maslow and the other volunteers at the BCWAC
understand that systemic change can come slowly, but
they are not deterred. As recent past-president Tam St.
Claire explains, "[t]his is not a sprint. This is a long-haul,
a marathon. ... We take small steps. .... We chip away at
the systemic barriers. ... we persist; we don't give up on
our principles."

For example, one issue brought to the attention of the
Pennsylvania state legislature by the BCWAC is benefit cliffs.
The system currently in effect in Pennsylvania can penalize
a lower-income, hard-working woman who receives a raise
from her employer. A small raise can push a woman's salary
over an arbitrary limit or "cliff" in the system, causing her
to lose benefits such as subsidized child-care. The net result
of a small raise, therefore, can be a substantial financial
set-back. The BCWAC is working with state legislators to
draft legislation that will remove those cliffs and instead
step down benefits gradually as wages increase.

When asked if she had any particular goals for the BCWAC
going forward, Maslow said that she would like to see the
number of organizational partners reach 50 and would like
individual partners to grow by at least 10 percent. Finally,
Maslow said "More lawyers would be great!"
Information about the work of the BCWAC, its ten
principles, volunteer opportunities, and more can be found
at http://bcwac.org/. 
- By Theresa Martin Golding, Esquire
29

SUMMER 2018

http://www.bcwac.org/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Bucks Writs - Summer 2018