NEWSMAKERS 2013
The Most Underreported Story of 2013
Rabbi John Lindner, Temple Solel
The most underreported and least understood story of 2013 goes to Arizona's Medicaid expansion driven by Valley Interfaith Project and the Arizona Interfaith Network. In uber right wing Arizona, purported land of archaic reactionaries, a massive expansion of Medicaid happened. The total number of potential new enrollees tops 300,000. IAF in Arizona pulled the trigger on this one with an action of 1,000 leaders and district by district citizen lobbying.
Even as Healthcare.gov gets all the ink, vid and opining, the Medicaid expansion facilitated by the Affordable Care Act may very well be the most important, long standing achievement of the Obama Administration. The Arizona Medicaid expansion rates as the least expected, most underreported story of 2013.
Even as Healthcare.gov gets all the ink, vid and opining, the Medicaid expansion facilitated by the Affordable Care Act may very well be the most important, long standing achievement of the Obama Administration. The Arizona Medicaid expansion rates as the least expected, most underreported story of 2013.
Working Together Jackson Scores Big!
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Jackson, Mississippi just took a major step forward with passage of a 1 cent sales tax for city revitalization. Working Together Jackson, a growing IAF organization, delivered big. WTJ and visionary Mayor Chokwe Lumumba make history crossing race, class and faith traditions. Read the story here.
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VOICE Works on Recreation Ops
Breaking Now in Brooklyn!
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Incredible trailer for Dateline on NBC this Sunday, January 5, 7:00 pm EST. EBC on mold, asthma. http://www.nbcnews.com/video/dateline/53856721#53856721
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Great Birth Story with Clear Paternity
Common Ground in Southeastern Wisconsin is one of the most impressive grassroots organizations in the USA. This institutionally based Metro IAF affiliate breaks new ground with the formation of the Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative. A member-focused and member-governed venture, CGHC is a leading example of how strategic vision, aggressive innovation and breakthrough partnerships can produce trend setting outcomes. As a result thousands of families in Southeastern Wisconsin will sleep better in what for them will be a much happier New Year!
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative.
Hot Now!
Gun Sanity in our lifetime.
Newtown: A Year Later
by Pastor Jim O'Hanlon, Rye, New York This story on gun violence continues to unfold in the US and Europe. Here Metro IAF leaders deliver letter to Italian gun manufacturer Beretta. 
Metro IAF on target with this one! Crosses pond to address gun manufacturers and gun violence - see New York Daily News
Citizens UK:
IAF has initiated remarkable work on wages and benefits. This story highlights the organization's impact on payday lending: Acting Together for Economic Justice 
From East Brooklyn Congregations:
Brooklyn Tenants Get Vow of NYCHA Fixes. "Over 450 tenants presented housing authority officials a long list of maintenance and repair needs, and got a promise that fixes would be made by Christmas" Get print version HERE. 
Deep local work by IAF's Virginia VOICE. Turf fields in two high schools.
Specific, immediate, concrete impacts delivered by broad based citizens organization. 
The renewal of democratic practice will occur from below not from the exhausted, high altitude politics of Washington, DC. Busted flat in Baton Rouge? Not when it comes to the renewal of public life advanced by Together Baton Rouge.
See an excellent piece in the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. Bringing a racially divided community together requires thoughtful, patient work across lines of division sharpened over many decades. That's what makes TBR so important and the community dividers so destructive. Fortunately these dividers also look like losers. |
Happening Now!
EBC! Have nots push back against NYCHA:
NYCHA vows Brooklyn fixes by Christmas as tenant hopes she can use the toilet without umbrella Nevadans for the Common Good
Nevada grassroots plot next big issue: Community coalition identifies next target of concern: Helping the valley’s seniors 
Valley Interfaith Project: Phoenix Bishop signs on to call for congressional action on immigration reform. IAF drives powerful event.
Arizona bishops lend voices to call for immigration reform 
While the Obamistas stumble around trying to figure out how to make their techno gamble website function like the contractors promised, real on the ground engagement by broad based organizations offer hope for the health care future. ONE LA on the West Coast and Common Ground in the heartland of Southern Wisconsin may end up saving the day by rekindling grassroots initiative, innovation and accountability.
The Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) has always dug into communities where hope is a scarce commodity and strategic initiative requires anger, imagination and persistence. Architects of the urban miracle - Nehemiah Homes - East Brooklyn Congregations continues to press for community betterment and accountability. Read this SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS by Rev. Edward Mason.
Big government programs and projects by themselves are not the answer to rebuilding neighborhoods or improving housing options. Real, locally driven engagement and accountability only happens when communities are organized by savvy leaders willing to invest time, energy and limited but vital dollars. Hot Organization
Sydney Alliance ramps up work with indigenous populations, battles religious bigotry, promotes a trained workforce and advances democracy.
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Just Happened
Common Ground launches with Obamacare
With all the Healthcare.gov foul-ups going on it's easy to miss a major success story emerging in Southeastern Wisconsin. There IAF's Common Ground is forging a remarkable non profit cooperative moving forward with Affordable Health Care Act enrollment and attacking the high cost of health care.
With all the Healthcare.gov foul-ups going on it's easy to miss a major success story emerging in Southeastern Wisconsin. There IAF's Common Ground is forging a remarkable non profit cooperative moving forward with Affordable Health Care Act enrollment and attacking the high cost of health care.
