“ YOUR PEOPLE SHALL REBUILD THE ANCIENT RUINS AND RAISE UP THE FOUNDATIONS OF MANY GENERATIONS. YOU SHALL BE CALLED THE REPAIRER OF BROKEN WALLS AND THE RESTORER OF STREETS AND DWELLINGS. " ISAIAH 58: 12
WE
WILL DIALOGUE TOGETHER. WE WILL PLAN TOGETHER.
WE
WILL ORGANIZE TOGETHER. WE WILL ACT TOGETHER.
THE
PURPOSE OF FAITH BASED ORGANIZING IS TO BRING THE VOICES AND CONCERNS OF
ORDINARY CALIFORNIANS TO THE CITY, COUNTY AND STATEWIDE POLICY ARENA ON ISSUES
RELATING TO THE WELL- BEING OF FAMILIES.
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The
faith-based-organizing team of St. Peters questioned hundreds of people in Fallbrook since
September 2001. Those interviewed were asked to express their most critical
needs. Expecting health insurance or affordable housing to be the overwhelming
response, the team was surprised when the lack of safety for their children
while walking to school is the predominant worry at this time.
In researching the assertion, the faith-based
organizing team found that children are indeed walking to school next to heavy
traffic without sidewalks. At two schools alone, Fallbrook Street and Maie Ellis
Elementary, they found seven hundred or more children are walking in high
traffic areas without the safety of sidewalks.
"By this action we are saying the downtown
needs of the friendly village are just as important as the rustic character of
Fallbrook," said a team member.
"We
believe that these sidewalks are critical. Many people have chosen
Fallbrook for its rural environment, but without basic safety for our
children we make real human need
secondary to charm. "
ST.
PETERS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH COUNTY SPONSORING
COMMITTEE, A MEMBER ORGANIZATION OF PICO CALIFORNIA PROJECT .
PUBLIC
POLICY IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. THE PICO CALIFORNIA PROJECT IS THE UNITED
EFFORT OF SIXTEEN CALIFORNIA CONGREGATION-BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
AFFILIATED WITH THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE
COLLECTIVELY,
THE PICO CALIFORNIA PROJECT REPRESENTS 350 CONGREGATIONS AND 350,000 FAMILIES
STATEWIDE. PICO LEADERS ARE ACTIVELY ORGANIZING IN OVER 40 CITIES . IN
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN OVER HALF OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE
DISTRICTS. THE CALIFORNIA PROJECT HAS WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH DEMOCRATIC
AND REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES ON FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND CITY LEVELS.
THROUGH
ITS MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN EACH COMMUNITY, PICO UNITES PEOPLE OF DIVERSE
ECONOMIC, RACIAL, ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS TO IDENTIFY AND ACT UPON
COMMON CONCERNS. MEMBERSHIP IS BASED IN
I