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Letter from the Executive Director
The Interfaith Assembly addresses the crisis of homelessness and the shortage of affordable housing in two ways. Through our empowerment programs we help those who have been homeless to recover from the trauma associated with their homelessness, and with our advocacy partners we work to “Build the Blessed City Together” and promote public policies that will – produce affordable housing; prevent homelessness, provide important services; and promote income and employment.On both these fronts, there has been much recent activity.
In the area of empowerment, in late 2007 the Assembly received a generous grant in memory of Andrew Stallman which has enabled us to assist three community partners in replicating the very effective life-skills program that we helped to establish in 1989 with New York Catholic Charities. These include "Break Through", established by Mercy Haven, Inc. in Sayville on Long Island; "Rebuilding Towards Manhood" organized by the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica; and in partnership with Congregation Ansche Chesed and other upper west side congregations, the first Synagogue based program entitled Face to Face" ("Panim al Panim"). The Assembly also assisted St. Francis Xavier Church to re-activate its own Education-Outreach Program in downtown Manhattan.We are currently exploring the development of a number of other life-skills program sites as well as working with Fordham University in developing a project to document the long term effectiveness of this program model.
Occupy the Courts on Fri. Jan. 20 -- Say No To "Citizens United"
From Coffee Party Board Member Eric Byler:
On Friday Jan. 20, the Coffee Party is joining Move to Amend and democracy advocates across the US to hold more than 80 rallies in front of federal court buildings, including the US Supreme Court. These rallies will launch grassroots campaigns for ballot initiatives and resolutions rejecting the "Citizens United" decree for unlimited, anonymous spending to influence our elections.
Momentum has been building in recent months, with resolutions passed by city councils in Los Angeles and New York City, and the Montana Supreme Court asserting that states have the right to prevent the corporate purchase of their governments. Let's make this happen in states, towns, and cities across the country.
Here are some actions you can take:
Biblical Economic Justice: Supply and Demand Isn't Enough
Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson argues that the moral requirment to honor human dignity requires that society look beyond a rigid adherence to the efficient law of supply and demand to meet the needs of people in society; especially those of society's vulnerable.
Read his essay in the Huffington Post.
Excellent Overview of Housing and Mortgages on Affordable Housing
This guide aims to help persons of low income gain an understanding of the options available when it comes to finding affordable housing and getting a mortgage. By the end of this guide the reader should have a better grasp of the following:
- The advantages and disadvantages of home ownership for low income earners.
- How to determine whether the home you are interested in really is affordable.
- The process for finding, getting a contract on, and closing on your new home.
- The responsibility for budgeting for incidentals.
- Considerations regarding homelessness and home ownership.
- Programs that may help you achieve your dream of home ownership.
Read more at Housing and Mortgages on Affordable Housing
The Vatican meets the Wall Street occupiers
From Washington Post:
By E.J. Dionne Jr.,
Will we soon see a distinguished-looking older man in long, white robes walking among the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators in New York’s Zuccotti Park? Is Pope Benedict XVI joining the protest movement?
Well, yes and no. Yes, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace issued a strong and thoughtful critique of the global financial system this week that paralleled many of the criticisms of unchecked capitalism that are echoing through Lower Manhattan and cities around the world.
The report spoke of “the primacy of being over having,” of “ethics over the economy,” and of “embracing the logic of the global common good.”
In a knock against those who oppose government economic regulation, the council emphasized “the primacy of politics — which is responsible for the common good — over the economy and finance.” It commented favorably on a financial transactions tax and supported an international authority to oversee the global economy.
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