Pennsylvanians Urge Their Representatives To Act and Lower Costs

PENNSYLVANIA – Today, Affordable Pennsylvania released a new storybook ahead of Mother’s Day. Making Ends Meet: PA Moms & Families Share Stories of Cost and Care features powerful stories from mothers, caregivers, and families across the Commonwealth who are struggling to get by as costs continue to rise.

“Pennsylvania families are doing everything right, but the rising cost of living is making it impossible to get by,” said Rachele Fortier, Executive Director for Affordable Pennsylvania. “This storybook shows these are not abstract debates, but real decisions hurting families across our state. Our leaders should be lowering costs and protecting essential programs, not making life harder for people already struggling.”

The storybook comes as Congressmen Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), and Scott Perry (PA-10) continue to defend their votes for the Republican Tax Law that made deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—programs millions of Pennsylvanians rely on—while prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations.

To highlight the real-life impact of these decisions, Affordable Pennsylvania hosted a virtual press call featuring several storytellers included in the storybook. These Pennsylvanians shared firsthand how rising costs—from groceries and gas to health care and child care—are stretching families thin and making it harder to make ends meet.

“Congressman Bresnahan said he wasn’t going to vote for cuts before the [Republican Tax] bill was passed because he said he was for his constituents, for the people. Well, let me just tell you – he’s not,” shared storyteller Krysten, a 35-year-old Scranton resident working as a home health care aide and full-time caregiver to her mother. “Maybe they should understand that just because you aren’t a billionaire, just because you don’t have a lot of money, doesn’t mean you’re less of a human. [...] These people need to understand that these cuts are hurting people a great deal. Either you have to figure out how you're going to pay your utilities, your groceries, or your co-pays for your medicine.”

The storybook features firsthand accounts from Pennsylvanians like Krysten that underscore the growing strain on working families:

• Dalton, PA resident Jennifer, a registered nurse, raised a son with Crohn’s disease who now relies on Medicaid to access lifesaving treatment while working full-time, highlighting how essential coverage remains even for working adults.

• Arona of Harrisburg, PA saw her family lose employer-sponsored health insurance after a layoff, and with premiums nearing $800 a month, was forced to go without coverage just to afford basic necessities.

• Bethlehem-based Aidalis, a mother of two, depends on Medicaid and SNAP to ensure her children have access to health care and food, while facing the high cost of child care that makes steady employment difficult.

Affordable Pennsylvania is sharing their stories to ensure that members of Congress hear directly from the people they represent, reverse course, and take meaningful action to address the rising cost of living.

Read the full storybook here.