In 2006, Social Justice Fund supported 17 organizations with Rapid Response grants of up to $1000, totaling $16,250.00.
AFSC received a $500 Rapid Response grant to support the “Solidarity March for Human Rights and Economic Justice” held in Seattle on September 4, 2006. AFSC is a Quaker organization that includes people of all faiths and backgrounds who share a commitment to peace, social and economic justice and humanitarian aid.
The Bitterroot Human Rights Alliance received $1000 to respond to the holding of a US House of Representatives Resources Committee hearing on immigration in Hamilton, MT. BHRA protested the hearing by picketing and leafleting, and organized a counter-hearing and press conference to educate the community on the devastating effects of the proposed House and Senate bills.
A grant of $1,000 was awarded to CAUSA to help cover the mobilization and material costs for two events held in February and March of 2006. CAUSA participated in a press conference on February 14th to release a regional report on the state of immigrant rights in the Northwest. On March 4th, CAUSA joined coalition partners in Portland to participate in a rally and march against H.R.4437- the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (“Sensenbrenner bill”), an anti-immigrant piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives an considered by the Senate Judiciary committee.
The COMITE received $1,000 from Social Justice Fund to respond to national mobilization calls for the National Day of Action on April 10, 2006. COMITE works to educate, organize and mobilize members of the Latino community to work on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform. The COMITE organized two major marches and rallies in Seattle, which attracted thousands of supporters and new community members.
C2C is a women-led, grassroots organization working to build healthy communities and a just society. C2C received $1000 to organize against the National Minuteman Project’s (MMP) efforts to conduct armed border watches on the U.S./Canadian border. C2C responded to this by organizing community opposition to the Minuteman Project and establishing a Legal Observer Program to educate the community on the MMP and their agenda.
ICAN received $1000 from the Social Justice Fund to organize the “March for Immigrant Justice” on April 9th, 2006 in Boise. ICAN works to build a powerful grassroots multi-racial movement dedicated to social change by working with immigrants, people with disabilities, and low-income Idahoans to organize campaigns for social, racial and economic justice in Idaho.
The local Washington Chapter of Military Families Speak Out received $1000 to mount a campaign to have Seattle become the 101st city to pass a “Bring the Troops Home Now Resolution” and to become a City for Peace. MFSO is a national organization comprised of military families whose loved ones have served, or are serving in Iraq.
MLP received $1,000 to support the mobilization of community members for a May 1st march for immigrant rights in Salem, OR. This march coincided with the Day of Action in conjunction with nation-wide efforts to coordination a work stoppage, where immigrants withheld their economic power for one day by not going to work or purchasing anything. Funds assisted MLP with the costs of radio ads and transportation to and from the rally.
Nodutdol promotes the self-determination and unification of the Korean people through community development and grassroots organizing. Nodutdol received a $1000 Rapid Response grant to support a mass-mobilization in Seattle in opposition to the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. Nodutdol and other collaborating organizations picketed the FTA negotiation site every morning, held public rallies and marches, workshops, and forums to exchange ideas and strategies.
PCUN received a $1,000 Rapid Response grant to support mobilization, media, and logistical expenses for the march and rally held in Salem, OR on April 9th. PCUN is Oregon’s farmworker union, dedicated to improving working and living conditions by empowering workers to understand and take action against systematic exploitation.
The Social Change Caravan organizes with Hurricane Katrina survivors to exercise their rights to return to New Orleans. In commemoration of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, SCC members traveled to New Orleans to assist with ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts. SCC received $1,000 to help defray travel costs of 50 participants.
The Tenants Union received $1,000 from Social Justice Fund for an emergency campaign to fight against a resurgence of racial discrimination at a housing complex in Renton, WA. In 1998, The Tenants Union assisted African American mothers who faced unfair evictions from the Avalon Ridge Apartments win a fair housing legal victory in federal court. In 2006, stories of racial discrimination in the same apartment complex began to resurface, prompting The Tenants Union to reorganize on behalf of the affected tenants. This Rapid Response grant funded 40 hours work for organizers to educate tenants on their rights, conduct a strategy meeting, and research potential legal action to pursue.
Unete received a $1000 Rapid Response grant to help organize immigrants in response to the Sensenbrenner bill by organizing various actions throughout Medford, OR, and in collaboration with other groups working on the Oregon coast. Unete is a volunteer-led movement of farm workers and immigrants in rural Southern Oregon, working to enrich and empower their lives through education and advocacy.
A grant of $750 was awarded to United for National Health Care to help mobilize and educate citizens about single-payer health care through a “Citizen/Congressional Hearing” event in March. UNHC advocates for comprehensive health care for all in the United States, and convened a panel of local, state and national advocates for a national health care system.
The Unity Coordinating Committee represents a coalition of organizations active on immigration rights issues. They received $1000 to support the work of their coordinator, Rosalinda Guillen, to mobilize the community to participate in meetings that took place during the Congressional summer recess.
Social Justice Fund awarded $1000 to VOZ Workers’ Rights Education Project to mobilize their constituency to participate in the march and rally against the Sensenbrenner bill in March. VOZ organized a street theater program to educate the community, and hosted educational forums in the weeks leading up to the march to increase turnout at the protest.
YFFN received $1,000 to hire a membership coordinator to assist with administrative duties as the organization prepares to respond to the anti-LGBT marriage amendment on the ballot in November, 2006. YFFN has organized Idaho’s LGBT community in response to this measure by forming a statewide coalition of LGBT groups and allies by facilitating statewide communication, hosting trainings, and launching a statewide membership campaign.