30 Mar

Justice Matters assembly pushes for action on community issues, calls out local leaders

Posted by in Affordable Housing, Justice Matters, Mental Health Care, Public Education Improvement

March 30, 2017. Lawrence Journal-World.

An assembly hosted by faith group Justice Matters on Thursday brought up community issues such as mental health, affordable housing and school equity, and event organizers weren’t shy in voicing their disappointment that not all local leaders attended.

The conclusion of the third annual Nehemiah Action Assembly likely sent cell phones of two local leaders — School Board President Marcel Harmon and Douglas County Commission Chair Mike Gaughan — buzzing with text messages after their numbers were projected in front of the nearly full Lied Center and the approximately 1,500 attendees were encouraged to text them.

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28 Mar

‘Safe City’ meeting calls for drug, housing, school reform

Posted by in Affordable Housing, CLOUT, Mental Health Care, Public Education Improvement

March 28, 2017. The Louisville Courier-Journal.

The “Safe City” platform of Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together, or “CLOUT” was on the table Tuesday in a gathering of hundreds of residents, elected officials, civic leaders and activists at the Memorial Auditorium in Old Louisville.

Representatives from 22 churches and religious organizations led a conversation with officials about the agenda of affordable housing, education reform, substance abuse and mental health treatment.

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28 Mar

IMPACT updated on women’s treatment facility, senior housing initiatives

Posted by in Affordable Housing, IMPACT, Mental Health Care

March 28, 2017. The Daily Progress.

Hundreds of people from diverse religious backgrounds came together on Tuesday night for updates on two initiatives taken up by the Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together, better known as IMPACT.

With 16 congregations — some Christian, some Jewish, some Muslim — in attendance Tuesday night at the Church of the Incarnation, committee leader Janie Pudhorodsky reminded the crowd that the local regional jail locks up about 3,150 drug and alcohol addicts each year and said that nearly all female inmates have experienced sexual abuse and violence.

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28 Mar

At Brandon “Nehemiah” event, elected officials talk civil citations and affordable housing

Posted by in Affordable Housing, Criminal Justice Reform, HOPE

March 28, 2017. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

In front of nearly 1500 people gathered Monday at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE) brought out some of the area’s most well known politicians as part of their 2017 Nehemiah Action.

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27 Mar

After success with civil citations, group targets other issues

Posted by in Affordable Housing, Public Education Improvement, SURE

March 27, 2017. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

SARASOTA — A program that allows young people accused of minor crimes to avoid arrest had been embraced by Sarasota County law enforcement over the last year.

Now local leaders are part of a statewide push to increase the use of civil citations, which allow juvenile offenders to do community service and face other sanctions rather than arrest.

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