Report Back from February 5th Action Team Meeting

80 Leaders from 21 institutions gathered at St. Johns Episcopal Lafayette Square, the historic “church of the presidents.”  Rector the Rev. Luis Leon, who gave the benediction at that Presidential Inauguration, welcomed and gave us our opening prayer. At the meeting we:

1. Elected a new WIN strategy team,
2. Discussed the budget of the organization,
3. Ratified next steps in our stormwater jobs campaign, and committed to bring at least 965 leaders to an action in April,
4. Ratified our FY 2014 budget plan and priorities committing to engage 1,975 leaders minimum in the process
5. Learned about upcoming actions and strategy sessions

1. STRATEGY TEAM The strategy team is the governing board of WIN.  Makes citywide strategic decisions for the organization, performs the research and planning function, oversees finances and personnel decisions.  The strategy team is accountable to the WIN action team.  The following leaders were affirmed by the action team as members of the strategy team.   WELCOME!

Allison Forbes All Souls Unitarian Rev. Kelly Wilkins Covenant Baptist UCC Anne Ford Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Mary Walek Holy Comforter St Cyprian Rev. Karen Brau Luther Place Memorial Kristen Kane-Osorto Luther Place Memorial Linda Davenport Metropolitan Memorial UMC Albert Sabir Masjid Muhammad Imam Talib Shareef Masjid Muhammad Eric Collins Sasha Bruce Debby Shore Sasha Bruce Rev. Mike Angell St. John’s Episcopal Church Rabbi Jessica Oleon Temple Sinai Amanda Poppei Washington Ethical Society and Returning Strategy Team members include: Rev. Joseph Daniels Emory United Methodist Church Rev. Roger Gench New York Avenue Presbyterian Church Hazel Broadnax Emory United Methodist Church Rev. Jeff Krehbiel Church of the Pilgrims Presbyterian Rev. Anthony Minter First Rock Baptist Church John More St. John’s Episcopal Church Rev. H. Lionel Edmonds Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church   2. WIN BUDGET – We reviewed the WIN budget.  Each organization agreed to meet with a WIN organizer to learn more about the details of the budget, review their 2013 dues commitments, and to plan our grassroots fundraising strategy for the year.   Please contact Amy Vruno at vrunoiaf@gmail.com if you need a copy of the WIN 2013 budget. 3. STORMWATER GREEN JOBS CREATION We learned about the campaign, and next steps include:

• Briefing your organizations on the campaign.  We have a powerpoint and various briefing materials that leaders and organizers can use.
• April 22^nd Action WIN will bring together a broad constituency from every ward of the District, along with allies in the Chesapeake Watershed to ensure investment in water infrastructure deliver a triple bottom line:
  • Good jobs for unemployed/ underemployed residents,
  • Reduced storm water pollution our rivers, streams, and  our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay,
  • More beautiful and less flood prone cities.

WHEN:      Earth Day – April 22, 2013, 7-9pm WHERE:      Temple Sinai, 3100 Military Road, NW WHO:      DC Water General Manager George Hawkins invited, & 800-1000 Washington Interfaith Network leaders, Allies from Maryland and Virginia IAF affiliates, Environmental and Labor allies, 4. FY 2014 BUDGET – Homes, Youth, and Jobs We adopted the budget goals below.  The next steps in the campaign are to:

• Brief your organizations on the campaign we have powerpoints, videos, and materials to help you at your briefing.
• Sign up voters who will stand ready to weigh in (through turnout, emails, and phone calls) at key moments in the budget season.  

WIN FY 2014 BUDGET PRIORITIES

Build Homes

Invest  $100 million per year for Housing Production Trust Fund, and support programs like the Local Rent Supplement to make DC more affordable for the 63% of renters who spend more than half of their income on housing (exact $ pending Taskforce Recommendations) End Chronic Homelessness in 5 Years – Invest $ 6.1 million to house and provide services to 150 individuals and families. Reach all homeless youth by 2018 – Invest $6.1 million in year one to provide housing, intensive counseling, and educational and career services for 150 youth, as well as fund, for the first time, a coordinated and mobile intake system for the estimated 3,000 youth ages 16-24 who experience homelessness every year in DC.

Invest in Our Youth

We are organizing so that both a 25 year old who grew up in DC and one who moved here from another part of the country have the same opportunity to reach the American dream. Reaching Homeless Youth (see above) Connecting Disconnected Youth to an Education and a Career (see above) Invest $5 million to serve 1,000 disconnected youth.  There are 9,910 youth in DC who are neither in school nor have a job.  This funding would connect 1,000 youth 16-24 with high quality and outcome driven programs to reconnect disconnected youth with school and / or training and employment.

A Modern City with Jobs for All

DC must upgrade its infrastructure to green and modernize our city.  This creates opportunities to connect unemployed residents with careers.  In the FY2014 Budget Support Act WIN will organize to include language on accountability and incentives for hiring unemployed residents in areas such as: Stormwater Infrastructure Upgrades at DC Water & DC Department of Environment Energy Retrofits on private homes and public buildings Transportation Upgrades