PICO Network News 8-11-08

Tue Aug 12 20:19:04 CDT 2008

From:
"PICO National Network" <news at piconetwork.org>

Monday, August 11, 2008

ECONOMIC SECURITY

PICO affiliates partner to expand federal employment program

This past spring, PICO's statewide network Massachusetts
Communities Action Network (MCAN) leveraged the power of being
part of a national network to help push through critical reforms
to the Food Stamp Employment and Training (FSET) Program.
Working with PICO affiliate Inland Congregations United for
Change in San Bernardino, CA, MCAN was able to reach San
Bernardino Congressman Joe Baca, the Chair of the House
Nutrition Subcommittee, whose support was crucial in eliminating
a restriction that made most working poor people ineligible to
receive job training through FSET. Read more about this victory
for the working poor at http://ga3.org/ct/t7_svVd1w46j/

Clergy urge officials to limit budget cuts' impact on low-income
people

In July, PICO affiliate People and Congregations Together (PACT)
helped convene a gathering of local clergy to explore ways to
work together to address the impact of California's $17 billion
deficit on low-income people in San Joaquin County. The
interfaith group drafted a letter signed by representatives of
over 40 area congregations, outlining principles for the
development of a "moral budget" in California that would
prioritize housing, health care, and public safety for the
state's poorest residents. Learn more about the PACT's proposals
for a "moral budget" at http://ga3.org/ct/v7_svVd1w46g/

HEALTHY FAMILIES

Colorado church wins improvements in care for uninsured

In May, members of St. Therese Catholic Church in Aurora,
Colorado - a part of PICO affiliate Metro Organizations for
People (MOP) - held a meeting with representatives from area
hospitals to press for greater access to, and affordability of,
health care for low income and uninsured or underinsured
patients. MOP leaders won commitments from area hospitals to
support the implementation of school-based clinics in Aurora,
and to continue negotiating with MOP to lower payments for
uninsured patients and remove caps on charity care. Read more
about MOP's victory for Colorado's uninsured at
http://ga3.org/ct/vp_svVd1w46b/

San Francisco wins timeline on health care plan

Members of Congregation Sha'ar Zahav and other San Francisco
Organizing Project (SFOP) congregations gathered on June 18 to
call on Director of the Department of Public Health Dr. Mitch
Katz and San Francisco County Supervisor Bevan Dufty to commit
to a timeline for completing the rollout of Healthy San
Francisco, the city's innovative program to make health care
services accessible and affordable to uninsured city residents.
After the meeting with SFOP, public health officials announced a
plan to begin enrolling people earning up to 500 percent of the
federal poverty level starting in February 2009. Read more about
SFOP's work to expand Healthy San Francisco at
http://ga3.org/ct/51_svVd1w466/

GOOD SCHOOLS

Louisiana affiliate organizes forum on state takeover of high
school

The state's decision to takeover Pointe Coupee Central High
School in New Roads, Louisiana and convert it to a charter
school has caused uproar across Point Coupee Parish. With many
parents and community members feeling left out and uninformed
about the decision to convert the county's only high school to a
charter school, PICO's new affiliate Faith United for Empowering
Leadership (FUEL) organized a community research forum with the
Superintendent and representatives from the charter school
network that will take over the school. Read more about FUEL's
community forum at http://ga3.org/ct/5d_svVd1w46O/

PICO steps up fight to reduce California's dropout rates

In July, for the first time ever, the California Department of
Education released accurate high school dropout rates for every
school and district in the state. Results show that nearly one
out of every four public high school students in California does
not graduate. At a press conference with California
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, PICO
leader Eva Vargas, from the San Diego Organizing Project, said
now is not the time to point fingers in blame, but rather, to
come together as a community for honest dialogue about what's
working and what's not working in California schools. Read more
about PICO's fight to reduce dropout rates at
http://ga3.org/ct/5p_svVd1w46I/

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

Los Angeles congregations move mixed-income housing forward

In July, three more members of the Los Angeles City Council
agreed to sign a pledge with PICO affiliate L.A. Voice in
support of their four-point plan to increase the city's supply
of affordable housing. City Councilmembers Jose Huizar, Richard
Alarcon, and Janice Hahn became the seventh, eighth, and ninth
councilmembers to sign the pledge. With 9 of 15 councilmembers
now in support, L.A. Voice plans to work with the Mayor to bring
legislation before the council. Read more about L.A. Voice's
campaign for affordable housing at
http://ga3.org/ct/td_svVd1w46u/

PICO helps build model affordable housing project

Members from three congregations involved in Congregations for
Civic Action (CCA) celebrated the July grand opening of La
Mision Village Apartments, an 80-unit affordable housing project
in Oceanside, CA. The opening of La Mision is a major victory
for CCA leaders, who for years have been working with city
officials and community agencies to develop more affordable
housing options for working families in northern San Diego
County. Read more about CCA's work to open La Mision Village at
http://ga3.org/ct/t1_svVd1w467/

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Bay Area youth bring needed changes to their communities

Youth leaders from PICO affiliate Peninsula Interfaith Action
(PIA) have been busy this summer working with city officials to
make their communities safer. In May, youth from St. Joseph
Church and St. Athanasius Church in Mountain View, CA moved
their city one step closer to building a state-of-the-art teen
center as a strategy to prevent gang violence. And in East Palo
Alto, youth leaders from Walls of Faith Church of God in Christ,
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, and other local
congregations won support for a plan to put in sidewalks on all
city streets within five years. Read more about PIA's youth
organizing successes at http://ga3.org/ct/vd_svVd1w46t/

SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS

Alabama congregations win $318,000 for sidewalks

PICO leaders from the Fairhope/Point Clear Local Outreach
Committee, part of All Congregations Together (ACT II) of
Baldwin County, AL, partnered with the city of Fairhope to win a
$318,000 grant to finish installing a mile-and-a-half section
of sidewalk on a heavily traveled section of highway. ACT II
leaders began demanding a sidewalk after two pedestrians were
killed walking along the road. Read more about ACT's partnership
with the city at http://ga3.org/ct/v1_svVd1w465/

San Diego leaders win $12 million to make streets safer

On July 14, leaders from St. Jude Shrine of the West Catholic
Church, a member of PICO affiliate San Diego Organizing Project
(SDOP), won a $12 million bond commitment to go towards
community enhancement projects aimed to reduce violence in the
Southcrest section of the city. Over the past year, St. Jude's
lost four parish youth to street violence in the neighborhood
around the church. Read more about SDOP's "Year of our Youth"
campaign at http://ga3.org/ct/tp_svVd1w46m/

Oakland leaders tell city: "Homicide doesn't take a vacation"

On July 22, after a deadly three days with 8 shootings and 3
people killed, PICO affiliate Oakland Community Organizations
(OCO) held a press conference on the steps of City Hall to draw
attention to the fact that city officials had failed to act on a
number of promises they made two months before to take immediate
steps to reduce the violence. "There have been 74 homicides so
far this year: last year there were 65," testified Rev. George
Cummings. "The beat goes on and the city government is not
moving quickly enough for us." Read more about OCO's strategy to
reduce gun violence at http://ga3.org/ct/57_svVd1w46W/

JOBS

PICO federations in MA, CA, LA and PA have job openings

Visitors to PICO's careers page can now search for jobs, submit
their resumes online, and sign up to receive future job
announcements. Visit http://ga3.org/ct/fd_svVd1w46r/ and sign
up to receive regular updates on jobs in PICO.

DONATE

PICO needs your financial support

PICO's success in empowering families and improving communities
depends on financial contributions from our donors. To help
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See past issues of PICO Network News at
http://ga3.org/ct/f7_svVd1w46f/