April 28, 2009. Evansville Courier & Press.
Hundreds of members of local congregations will meet Thursday to make a case for improving public transportation and affordable housing.
Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment, also known as CAJE, will have its annual public action meeting at 7 p.m. at St. Benedict Cathedral, 1328 Lincoln Ave.
Formed in 2004, CAJE is a grassroots group focused on social justice issues. The group’s membership currently stands at 11 congregations and includes Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and Unitarian Universalist churches.
Each year, CAJE selects an issue to tackle and holds an action meeting at which the group presents the issue and attempts to gain action commitments from local leaders. CAJE said it expects more than 800 people at tomorrow’s meeting.
CAJE members have selected public transportation as this year’s issue. The group’s leaders say strengthening public transportation, both within Vanderburgh County and across county lines, would benefit both the working poor and area employers while also reducing pollution levels.
Also at the meeting, CAJE will revisit the issue of affordable housing. CAJE first introduced this issue in 2007 and still is working with the city of Evansville to revive the city’s Housing Trust Fund. The trust fund would provide a funding source that could be used toward affordable housing.
CAJE co-chairman, the Rev. Joe Easley, pastor of Central United Methodist Church, said CAJE knew from the outset that the issue of affordable housing would take several years to adequately address.
“We’re committed to staying with it until it’s successful because it’s that important,” Easley said.
