Here is a resource form ELCA Advocacy regarding speaking with the Media. As a public figure, we are often storytellers of the issues our congregants and community face.

ELCA Advocacy Resource

Joe Davis and Dave Scherer (*AGAPE) are hosting an eight-week online experience that equips participants with practical tools to help catalyze racial justice in their congregations. Sessions will be held every Tuesday at 10 AM beginning September 8. To make the program accessible to everyone, a reduced registration rate of just $5 is available for those with limited financial resources. Learn more HERE!

New data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that more than 4.5 million people have lost SNAP food assistance since July 2025. In just nine months, national participation fell by roughly 11%.

And children are being hit particularly hard.

In the states where child-level data is available, 1.1 million children have already lost SNAP, and CBPP estimates the national number is likely more than 1.5 million children.

These numbers matter because behind every statistic is a family trying to put food on the table, a child who needs enough to eat to learn and grow, a senior stretching a fixed income, or a neighbor trying to make it through the month.

And the full impact of the 2025 federal reconciliation law has not yet been felt.

Expanded work requirements, fewer exemptions, increased administrative burdens, and a historic shift of SNAP costs from the federal government to states are still being implemented.

For Nevada, that matters deeply.

Beginning in 2027, Nevada could be required to contribute toward the cost of SNAP benefits while also absorbing significantly higher administrative costs. Those new responsibilities will arrive as lawmakers are making difficult decisions about housing, health care, education, mental health, and other essential needs.

As Congress continues its work on the Farm Bill and Nevada prepares for the 2027 Legislative Session, Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada will continue advocating for a strong SNAP program that protects access to food rather than creating new barriers.

Because feeding our neighbors isn’t simply a budget question.

It is a question of who we choose to be as a community.

Student debt is more than a personal financial challenge, it is a community issue. It is a justice issue. When thousands of Nevadans struggle with loan payments, it affects their ability to buy homes, start families, build savings, support local businesses, and contribute to Nevada’s economy. Policies that expand affordable higher education, strengthen repayment options, and address the broader cost-of-living crisis can help more Nevadans achieve long-term economic stability.

More than 93,000 Nevadans are currently in default on their federal student loans, owing an estimated $2 billion. Overall, nearly 368,000 Nevadans carry student loan debt totaling $13.2 billion.

These aren’t just numbers. They’re teachers, nurses, social workers, small business owners, and young families trying to build a future while facing rising housing costs, inflation, and fewer repayment options.

When people are burdened by overwhelming debt, it becomes harder to buy a home, start a family, save for retirement, or invest in their communities. Student debt doesn’t just affect individuals—it affects Nevada’s economy and the well-being of our communities.

As people of faith, we believe education should open doors, not leave people trapped in a cycle of debt. We need policies that make higher education more affordable, strengthen repayment options, and ensure that working families have a fair opportunity to thrive.

A stronger Nevada is one where education creates opportunity, not lifelong financial hardship.

In June, the Bureau of Land Management approved a 167-megawatt data center in Eldorado Valley through a permitting process that did not include an environmental review or opportunities for public participation. It marked the first data center approved on public lands.

The project is located southeast of Las Vegas in habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. It also raises important questions about water use at a time when the Colorado River Basin faces increasing uncertainty. Last month, federal officials announced a new framework that could require Nevada to reduce its Colorado River water use by 13 percent under certain shortage conditions, underscoring the need for thoughtful planning about how we allocate one of our most limited resources. Water. Water is Life.

This summer Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN) is taking a closer look at the rapid expansion of data centers and what it means for our state. Communities we call home are currently grappling with difficult questions as local governments, counties, and state leaders respond to an industry that has received significant incentives while placing growing demands on electricity, water, and land.

Nevada can benefit from technological innovation, but we also live in one of the driest states in the nation. Our energy grid is under increasing strain, the Colorado River continues to face long-term challenges, and our public lands and wildlife deserve careful stewardship. Decisions made today will shape Nevada’s future for generations.

During the 2027 legislative session, LEAN will advocate for stronger policies that ensure greater transparency, meaningful public participation, environmental accountability, and responsible planning for data center development. Good policy should protect our natural resources, strengthen our communities, and ensure that growth serves the common good rather than placing additional burdens on future generations.