Send page to a Friend Action Opportunities Congregations can take action against homelessness in a variety of ways from volunteering at a shelter to organizing a legislative advocacy campaign. Volunteer service and donations are invaluable to the functioning of organizations that serve homeless people. We also encourage synagogues to get involved in advocacy and organizing campaigns that are geared towards creating a system that will contribute to societal justice. Below is a list of action initiatives, volunteer clearinghouses, and advocacy campaigns that will facilitate synagogues’ action against homelessness. JCRC Action Initiative The One Family initiative offers a variety of ways for congregations to get involved in hands-on action opportunities with local shelters, transitioning families, and service providers. Through the JCRC partnership with OFC, action opportunities can be tailored to meet the synagogue’s particular need and program plan. Action projects in congregations currently involved include: Collecting household items, toys, and toiletries for shelters or newly stabilized families Raising funds for first and last months’ rent Establishing mentor and tutorial relationships between congregants and people fighting homelessness Fundraising towards scholarship programs that support homeless women learning job skills Making ‘welcome baskets’ of essential supplies for families temporarily housed in hotels or motels To read more about the work of JCRC, the One Family Campaign and local synagogues, see the General Education Resources section of this guide. For information on how to get involved contact JCRC at 617-457-8673 or go to http://www.onefamilyinc.org Volunteer Clearinghouses The following organizations connect interested groups with non-profits that need volunteers and/or donations. Jewish Community Volunteer Program (JCVP), a program of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, provides a central clearinghouse for action opportunities matching individual interests, skills and availability with a wide range of volunteer jobs in the Jewish and Greater Boston communities. In addition, JCVP functions as a volunteer center, providing consultation, training and resources to individuals, groups, and agencies. For more information, visit http://www.cjp.org/. Jewishservice.org connects organizations that enable youth and adults to engage in service domestically and around the world. The website is located at http://www.jewishservice.org/. The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, an alliance of several direct service organizations, accepts contributions and volunteers. For more information, contact 617-423-9162 or visit http://www.mahomeless.org. Servenet.org also allows lay leaders to set up group profiles and search for volunteer opportunities by type of project and age of volunteers. The website is located at http://www.servenet.org/. Shelter Inc. is a Cambridge based organization that aims to support homeless people in their quest to find homes and lists various shelters in Boston. To learn about volunteer opportunities for groups, call (617) 864-8140. The website is located at http://www.shelterinc.org/ Volunteermatch.org has searches for opportunities by zip code, and highlights opportunities available for youth and groups. The website is located at http://www.volunteermatch.org/. Volunteersolutions.org unites potential volunteers with non-profits that need help. By setting up a user profile, a lay leader can establish the types of service his or her synagogue group is interested in participating in, and will receive email notification of when such opportunities become available. United Way of Massachusetts Bay provides this service, and can be contacted for more information about volunteer opportunities. The website is located at http://uwmb.org/volunteer.htm. Advocacy Campaigns The type of service described above is crucial in supporting homeless families and helping them get back on their feet. Citizens cannot act alone; they must be supported by government policy to ensure social justice. One important component of taking action to end homelessness is advocating for legislation that supports individuals at risk. Unlike service opportunities that aim to meet the needs of the current homeless population, advocacy is directed at changing the system that creates and allows for homelessness. Volunteer service means helping out in a shelter for people who can’t afford homes, advocacy means persuading the legislature to raise the minimum wage, or build more affordable housing units, so that the need for shelters is eradicated. The following is a list of leading homelessness advocacy organizations that are fighting for their agendas to be addressed by the Massachusetts Legislature. Contact them directly to see how you can get involved. For organizations involved in advocacy for affordable housing, please see the Affordable Housing Action opportunities section of this guide. Advocacy Organizations JCRC has a guide on How to Advocate for Government Programs and Legislation. For a more extensive description of how to lobby specifically from a faith perspective, and for information about the Massachusetts legislative process, see the advocacy guide produced by Faith Into Action Together (F.I.A.T.), a program of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. For a copy of the advocacy guide or to discuss becoming a part of JCRC’s synagogue legislative advocacy network, contact JCRC at 617-457-8600. To stay updated on current affairs, sign up for the JCRC Government Affairs’ regular e-mail update, the Jewish Community’s State House Action Alert. Send an e-mail to governmentaffairs@jcrcboston.org with the title “Sign up-State House Action Alert” and include your name and contact information in the body. The Massachusetts Family Economic Self Sufficiency Project advocates for the state- wide adoption of the self-sufficiency standard to more accurately measure the cost of living in the Commonwealth. For current information about their campaign, see the MassFESS website or contact JCRC. To read more about the educational materials produced by the MassFESS Project, see the General Education Resources section of this guide. http://weiu.org/index.php?page=9 One Family Inc.'s advocacy agenda is aimed at ending family homelessness in Massachusetts by 2005. The plan is connected to leading advocacy organizations, such as Homes for Families. Sign up for action alerts, to be a part of postcard and letter campaigns, and visits to that State House. Take things a step bigger and invite a legislator to the congregation to make the community’s voice heard! For materials about this agenda and information about how to get involved, contact the JCRC at 617-457-8600 or go to http://onefamilycampaign.org. The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless grew from the realization that emergency services alone could not solve the problem of homelessness. Today the Coalition addresses the broader economic and social factors that lead to homelessness. They continue to work to create affordable housing, adequate income, and accessible services for all homeless families and individuals. The Coalition was the first statewide advocacy organization for homeless people in the Nation. http://mahomeless.org/