09 Apr

Leaders, advocacy group discuss solutions to homelessness, police/community relations

Posted by in Criminal Justice Reform, Homeless Services, Minority Rights, PEACE Palm Beach

April 9, 2019. WFLX.COM

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Three major topics for Palm Beach County’s marginalized talked with leaders who could change laws: addressing homelessness, community ID’s and police relations with the community. They met at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Monday.

On homelessness, PEACE or People Engaged in Active Community Efforts, says the here more than 4,000 children without a home in Palm Beach County.

To spur action, they invited Palm Beach County Commissioners to present their solution: speed up the construction of the county’s second homelessness shelter.

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08 Apr

Homelessness, racial profiling to be addressed at annual PEACE meeting

Posted by in Homeless Services, Minority Rights, PEACE Palm Beach

April 8, 2019. The Palm Beach Post.

Homelessness and racial profiling are the focal points of this year’s annual PEACE Nehemiah Action Assembly, to be held 7 p.m. Monday at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach.

PEACE, which stands for People Engaged in Active Community Efforts, is a social-justice ministry organization founded in 1991 and is composed of 18 congregations in Palm Beach County. The group expects more than 2,000 people to attend.

To address these issues, the group will ask the Palm Beach County Commission to promise to speed the process of building a second Homeless Resource Center and to preserve part of a $25 million pot of tax revenue to address the housing need for residents most in need.

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18 Apr

PEACE calls for community IDs, slams commissioners who skipped meeting

Posted by in Homeless Services, Minority Rights, PEACE Palm Beach

April 18, 2018. Palm Beach Post.

WEST PALM BEACH — More than 2,000 people attended a community meeting at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Monday evening, but organizers were miffed that figure wasn’t a little larger.

Officials from the social activism group People Engaged in Active Community Efforts called out six of the county’s seven commissioners for skipping the gathering, saying the commissioners’ absences underscored the county’s lack of progress in addressing homelessness and the creation of a community identification card that could be used by immigrants who don’t have a government-issued one.

“Are you disappointed that six of our seven county commissioners did not see fit to meet with well over 2,000 of their constituents?” Jason Fairbanks, pastor of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, asked audience members. “Our community needs to know who stood with us and who did not.”

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04 Apr

Make youth arrests, homelessness top priorities, faith group says

Posted by in Criminal Justice Reform, Homeless Services, Minority Rights, PEACE Palm Beach

April 4, 2017. Palm Beach Post.

WEST PALM BEACH – The Rev. John D’Mello of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Palm Beach Gardens asked the thousands in the crowd to stand up from their seats if they had ever done something he said as a child.

Run through a parking lot trying to get home late at night? A handful stood up.

Steal a candy bar? A few dozen rose from their seats, some elderly attendees giggling at the memory.

Fought with a sibling? Nearly everyone in the Palm Beach Convention Center stood.

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03 Apr

PBC commissioner attendance likely to be slim in 2017 PEACE assembly

Posted by in Criminal Justice Reform, Homeless Services, Minority Rights, PEACE Palm Beach

April 3, 2017. Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach — Although a big resident turnout is forecasted for the annual People Engaged in Active Community Efforts (P.E.A.C.E.) action assembly, only three of seven Palm Beach County Commissioners have confirmed their attendance.

About 3,000 are expected to convene at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach on Monday to show their concern for homelessness, youth arrests, and community IDs.

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