by Karen Topakian and Nicole Hsiang
On Sunday, November 16th, 2008, the Agape Foundation’s Board of Trustees awarded six grants for grassroots social justice: Arlington West Film and Speakers Program, People United for a Better Life in Oakland, Housing Long Beach, Insight Garden Program, Out4Immigration, and San Joaquin Et Al.
1) Arlington West Film and Speakers Program: Received $5,000 from the Agape Foundation’s David R. Stern Fund and the Frederick E. Pratt, MD Memorial Fund.
Nine hours of road closures, billowing smoke and forest fires couldn’t stop Peter Dudar and Sally Marr from driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. These two LA sculptures have spent the last 4 years screening their DVD Arlington West, about the emotional and physical effects of war, to assemblies and classrooms of 30 to 3,000 students a day. Their 74-minute documentary features 105 interviews of US soldiers who are traveling to and from war zones, military families whose children were killed in Iraq, veterans and youth. And it’s all part of their informed enlistment program, which includes a presentation at school assemblies and distributing a copy of the DVD of hundreds of students, teachers and community organizations. The Agape Board of Trustees were blown away by Peter and Sally’s compelling video presentation that featured the voices of several students saying that after seeing the film, they were compelled not to enlist in the military.
2) People United for a Better Life in Oakland: Received $4,250 from the Emmy Lefson Fund for Peace, Social Justice & Human Rights and the Women for Peace Fund
PUEBLO of Oakland arrived with a colorful power point presentation that described their simple but brilliant Urban Youth Harvest program. This pilot project provides real community, nutritional, health and environmental value to the citizens of Oakland. Here’s how it works: the city of Oakland hires young people through their summer jobs program to harvest the surplus fruit that languishes in the backyards of many Oakland homes. The young people then deliver the fruit to low-income senior citizens, usually within an hour or less of it being on the tree. We are thrilled to support such an innovative plan that perfectly aligns with our commitment to support self-determination and economic justice.
Youth workers for PUEBLO’s Urban Youth Harvest Program
3) Insight Garden Program at San Quentin: Received $5,000 from the David R. Stern Fund and Frederick E. Pratt, MD Memorial Fund
Speaking of gardens, Beth Waitkus of Insight Garden Program at San Quentin started her presentation with very important news. The Warden granted her project permission to plant an organic vegetable garden at San Quentin. This permission didn’t come easily but with it she and the men can understand the connection between healthy food, well being and environmental care. It was a major accomplishment for her project, which continues to create the only space in the prison that is not racially segregated. For more than four years, the garden has been thriving as a sacred place where men in prison can find inner peace and transformation, as well as job skills and support when they get out.
Tending the Echinacea in the Insight Garden at San Quentin
4) San Joaquin Et Al: Received $2,000 from the Sally and Lamar Hoover Fund, the Agape Foundation Board of Trustees Fund and the Emmy Lefson Memorial Fund for Peace, Social Justice and Human Rights
Merced County isn’t a place you probably think about very often. But Maureen McCorry the director of San Joaquin at Al does, all the time. This county is the home to the newest campus of the University of California in the heart of some of the most precious natural resources in the state – vernal pool and rangeland habitat. And guess what, the real estate boom brought about by the arrival of UC Merced has increased pressure by the agricultural industry to promote land parcel splits.
So what’s San Joaquin et Al doing? They’re ensuring an open public process, the preservation of agricultural lands and the continued protection of natural resources in the San Joaquin Valley. And now they have a grant to advocate for environmentally sound land use polices that will preserve agricultural lands and our natural resources for generations.
5) Housing Long Beach: Received $2,000 from the Wayne R. Hultgren Memorial Fund for Peace & Social Justice and the Agape Foundation’s Board of Trustees Grant Fund
Speaking of housing problems, Long Beach surely has their fair share. This fifth largest city in California with a population of 500,000 is in the midst of a severe housing crisis. Gentrification, skyrocketing rents, and no rent control protections force low-income tenants into substandard and overcrowded housing conditions. More than 20,000 families each month must choose between rent, food, medicine and clothing for their children. That’s why Housing Long Beach formed in 2003, to bring together community based organizations and low-income tenants to coordinate their advocacy programs and address the City’s severe housing crisis. They will use the grant to hire an experienced, bilingual tenant organizer who will expand membership and mentor leaders in the community.
6) Out4Immigration: Received $1,000 from the Agape Foundation Board of Trustees Grant Fund
We all know that with the passing of Proposition 8, LGBT rights has occupied the center of attention these days. But we must not forget the intersecting struggles that exist in our movement for change. That’s why the work of Out4Immigration is so important. They are one of the only organizations in the country that are addressing the widespread discriminatory impact of U.S. immigration laws on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV+ people and their families through education, outreach, advocacy and the maintenance of a resource and support network.
Six organizations received a total of $19,250 to fund their critical social change work that benefits us all. If you are inspired to support grassroots social change that is happening right now in our local communities throughout California, I urge you to make a generous donation to the Agape Foundation today. When you give to the Agape Foundation, your donation multiplies as it contributes to several organizations at once. The more we raise from you, the more grants we can give away. It’s that simple.
Tags: Agape Granting Session