ECM News Feed

ECM's Annual Meeting a Success!

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'Keep it up,' Khazei tells Episcopal City Mission

PHOTO: Tracy J. Sukraw

Keynoter Alan Khazei (center) congratulated members of the diocesan young adult intern programs and their directors for their commitment to community service.

By Tracy Sukraw,
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

Episcopal City Mission (ECM) supporters heard a call to "big citizenship" from Alan Khazei and celebrated the past year's social justice work, including CORI reform and British Petroleum disinvestment, during the organization's annual meeting on June 8.

The dinner event at Boston University showcases programs and organizations funded through ECM's grants programs. It also brings together parish delegates and supporters from across the diocese to learn about its work. This year about 230 people attended.

ECM's annual social justice awards went to Frank Butler of Trinity Church in Topsfield; the Rev. Deborah Little Wyman, founder of Ecclesia Ministries and Common Cathedral in Boston; Anne Shumway of St. James's Church in Cambridge; and Diane Casey Lee of the Cape Cod Council of Churches.

Click Here for Full Article

New Data on Family Homelessness in Massachusetts

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Last week Episcopal City Mission hosted The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation's luncheon to announce the release of "Ending Family Homelessness in Massachusetts," the result of recently commissioned research and strategic thinking from nationally-recognized expert, Dr. Dennis Culhane. ECM was proud to be part of this exciting event and to continue to partner with the Fireman Foundation in their campaign to end family homelessness in Massachusetts.

The report lays out ways in which the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) program could be reformed to help stretch public resources and serve more families. To view the Executive Summary and full report, "Ending Family Homelessness in Massachusetts," Click Here.

The report states that by encouraging key shifts in thinking and practice, and by implementing principles to guide reform, important family homelessness programs will better support innovative service providers so they can focus on prevention, rapid re-housing, and stabilization.

To learn more about the work to end homelessness visit the following websites:

Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness

or

One Family, Inc.

Support CORI Reform!!

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Rally & Lobby Day
May 6 - 12:00 PM
Massachusetts State House

AGENDA

12:00pm - Rally on the State House Steps

1:00pm - Visit Legislative Offices

2:00pm - Debrief and Next Steps - Room B1

CORI, the state's criminal background check system, keeps residents from accessing jobs and housing. CORI Reform was passed last November by the Senate, but is still awaiting a vote in the House. CORI reform will increase taxpaying residents, reduce joblessness and help reduce crime. Demand CORI reform now!

The Commonwealth CORI Coalition (a statewide coalition of over 110 organizations, dedicated to passing comprehensive CORI reform in 2010) is calling on all supporters of CORI reform to join us at the State House for a Rally and Lobby Day. Speaker DeLeo has made commitments to bring CORI to a vote this session. Now that the House is done with the budget, we have a window of opportunity to pass CORI reform in May.

If you can't attend please CALL your Representative THIS WEEK to support CORI Reform

To find who your Rep is, go to www.wheredoivotema.com or call 1-800-462-VOTE (8683) and enter your address.

CALL IN DIRECTIONS:

Step 1: Call the State House operator at 617-722-2000 and ask to be connected to your Representative
Step 2: Ask to leave a message for your Representative
Step 3: "Hello, my name is _________. I'm a resident in your district. My address is ________. I'm calling to ask Representative _________ to help pass CORI reform. I would like Representative _________ to write a letter or talk to Speaker DeLeo to ensure that CORI reform receives a vote in the month of May."
Step 4: Thank the aide for their time. Email info@bostonworkersalliance.org to let them know you called. Spread the word to your friends and family!

Thank you for helping to advance CORI reform

2010 Census March to the Mailbox Volunteers Needed!

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Episcopal City Mission has partnered with over 20 other funders to support the Massachusetts Census Equity Fund. This collaborative has awarded grants to organizations across Massachusetts to provide financial support and educational resources to nonprofits throughout the state to more accurately count under-served communities in the 2010 Census, and to ensure a transparent, fair and non-discriminatory state redistricting process.

All of these organizations are hard at work reaching out to people in their communities and engaging folks in the census process. But now we need your help to increase our response rate and reach even more people!

On Saturday, April 10, the National Census Partnership Program (NCPP) is aiming to have thousands of volunteers actively encouraging the public to mail back their 2010 Census questionnaire. These activities can include parades, marches, walks, rallies and motorcades — in approximately 6,000 low-responding census tract areas in communities across the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. We’d like your help getting out volunteers for these March to the Mailbox activities.

During this neighborhood blitz, volunteers will converge on streets and high traffic zones to encourage residents to March to the Mailbox and mail back their 2010 Census forms. Local leaders will stand side by side with their community to elevate the message that it is not too late to mail back the census form.

NCPP has already pre-identified low-responding census tracts to help focus these activities, and will continue to tailor activities using real-time data on actual census participation. Volunteers may be supplied by the Local Census Office with 2010 Census hats, t-shirts, signs, noisemakers, and/or other materials to help make these events very visible in these low-responding, hard-to-count communities.

For additional information and learn how you can help visit the March to the Mailbox partner toolkit at <http://2010.census.gov/partners/toolkits/toolkits-m2m.php>

Thank you - -

What about homelessness, Glenn Beck?

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What about homelessness, Glenn Beck?

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