OC+JUSTICE+UNITED+-+HISTORY

Back to MAIN P ** age of OC Justice United ** toc **Orange County Justice United in Community Effort ** Accomplishments 2008 – 2012 2008: 2009: 2010: 2011: 2012: 
 * Glen Lennox established a neighborhood conservation district to address the development of their community, which was originally proposed to be leveled to make way for new development.
 * JU negotiated with UNC Hospitals to increase hours in the clinics and provide more bi-lingual interpreters so more patients could receive services at the clinics and the hospital could find a way to have them covered under insurance.
 * The Mayor of Carrboro, the owners of apartment complexes and JU negotiated a solution to health care concerns of tenants. Apartments received extermination treatments at no cost to the dwellers.
 * The Pine Knolls and Northside communities performed an audit of their neighborhood and had the towns address all the issues noted in the audit.
 * A Living Wage policy was passed in Chapel Hill that included an indexing feature as JU requested.
 * The Town of Carrboro implemented a Living Wage policy and recently (2012) changed their living wage policy to a housing wage index as a result of work with JU.
 * The Town of Chapel Hill established an affordable housing study, then a policy and is now working on a strategy to implement the policy.
 * A waste transfer station was not placed in Orange County.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">The Efland community was facing a 300% increase in their sewer rates. A plan was negotiated n to keep the rates where they are and money was found to fund the building of a new sewer system for the community. A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of this new system was held in 2011.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Chapel Hill Mayor Kleinschmidt and staff helped halt questionable practices by new owners of an apartment complex, allowing tenants to stay and not be overcharged.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">JU helped pass a sales tax to provide money for education and economic development in Orange County.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">JU secured a firm closing date for the landfill and a commitment from the county commissioners to provide water to all the homes, clean up the illegal dump sites and improve the buffers to the landfill. In addition, county leaders agreed to work with Chapel Hill and Carrboro leaders, and representatives from RENA, to explore options for a community center and sewer service for the community.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">The funding for a staff member of El Centro Hispano to serve as a liaison between day laborers, employers, Carrboro town staff was included in the Town of Carrboro budget, which was recently passed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">for a narrative report with photos: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Justice United History ** 2012
 * **June 14 - Justice United potluck** at Binkley Baptist Church
 * **April 23rd** Justice United Leader's Meeting at The Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist
 * **March 12, 2012** at University Methodist Church to celebrate the hard-won success of Justice United’s Environmental Team and to talk about our plans for the future: We began in 2008 with a partnership with RENA (Rogers/Eubanks Neighborhood Association) to fight a transfer station to be placed at the current Eubanks Road landfill site. Orange County Voice joined our campaign in order to unite all our communities and assure that waste facilities were not sited in anyone’s backyard.Today we celebrate the Orange County Commissioners unanimous vote to:· Close the landfill on June 30, 2013· Not pursue the placement of a transfer station in the rural buffer· Appoint Commissioners Foushee and Hemminger to a committee to determine how to fund sewer service to the historic Rogers Road community and support a community center· Fund water service to the remaining community members· Cleanup of the illegal dumpsites· Placing additional buffers between the landfill and the community· Negotiate a contract with Durham for the county’s garbage when the landfill closesThey also made a commitment to begin working on long-term solutions to waste management that includes new technologies for waste to energy.

= 2011 = Maj-Britt announced to the assembly the completion of a listening campaign, in which representatives of Justice United listened to a total of 1,000 Orange County citizens talk about their hopes and concerns. Based on these conversations, Justice United has set priorities and is supporting five action teams. They are: Homelessness/Affordable Housing, Jobs and Wages, Environmental Justice, Anti-usury/Foreclosure issues, and Senior Citizens. 2010 April 6th, 2010: Carrboro Board of Aldermen Living Wage action
 * **Sunday, May 15, 2011: Orange County Justice United Spring Delegates Assembly** at [|Faith Tabernacle Oasis of Love Church] On-line photos at [] Media reports: [|WCHL story before the event] [|CH News Blog entry before the event] [|WCHL story after the event] Rev. Maj Britt Johnson, Ruth Gibson, Joan Garnett, Lynn Harmon, Maureen O'Rourke, Barbara Lininger, Aviva Enoch and Marilyn Alexander represented the Community Church of Chapel Hill at the Orange Justice United in Community Effort spring public delegates assembly on Sunday, May 15th. There were 189 people there, representing a broad spectrum of area congregations and community organizations —as well as about a dozen elected officials from town, county, and state levels. The purpose of the meeting was to sum up the group's current efforts and to chart a course for future action. We celebrated the successful outcome of Justice United's work with the County Commissioners in resolving the 300% proposed sewer rate hike in Efland, which put an unfair burden on low income home owners. We heard committee progress reports on ongoing issues:
 * working with Chap el Hill/Carrboro officials to establish safety standards and fair wages for day laborers—including plans to create an indoor job center where they can connect with employers
 * continuing advocacy for environmental justice in the Rogers Eubanks neighborhood, which has lived for nearly 40 years with the garbage, industrial, and toxic waste of Orange County.
 * joining forces with NC United Power to combat unfair foreclosures and exorbitant interest rates through investigation and negotiation with banks, clerks of courts, and Attorneys General.
 * joining a statewide effort to improve the quality of life for senior citizens in these economically challenging times.
 * **Sunday August 26, 2011** **Share-The-Plate Offering** went to Orange County Justice United to pay the rest of our dues for this year.
 * **Monday, October 24, 2011 Justice United Fall Delegates Assembly** was held at the Friends and Family Hall of St Thomas More Catholic Church. Justice United Leaders reported on progress in five Working Groups, and invite elected officials and those running for office to support our Agenda for the Common Good. Working Groups include: **Environmental Justice:** is working with RENA-CEER and County leadership proposing actions needed to mitigate the impacts of the Orange County Landfill. Proposals include water and sewer connections to Rogers Road, clean up of illegal dump sites, date certain to close the landfill, landfill buffers, and support of a community center. **Jobs and Wages:** has a good collaborative relationship with Carrboro and Chapel Hill, mayors, the Community College System and Chamber of Commerce working towards the start of a worker center to improve conditions for day laborers. **Affordable Housing:** is working with tenants and NC Justice Center to remedy housing violations and discrimination taking place in the community. AND **Anti-usury / Foreclosure** and **Senior Citizens**
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[|Carrboro Citizen coverage] **

April 28, 2010: Bank anti-usury Campaign <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bank of America and Wachovia Wells Fargo executives to respond to Justice United/NC-IAF on economic recovery proposalsAfter successful meetings on the anti-usury campaign, bank executives have agreed to study and respond to NC United Power proposals. Our requests included 1) voluntary usury caps on credit cards; 2) upholding federal law on interest and foreclosures for military families; and 3) application of principal reduction strategies on foreclosures across the United States. A response from both banks is expected at any time this week. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">http://www.huf:fingtonpost.com/2010/04/19/move-those-dollars-anti-u_n_542400.html <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">@http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/nyregion/18about.html?emc=eta1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/14/AR2010041404863.htm
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Action on Bank of America- On Wednesday, April 28, Bank of America held its annual meeting. ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Hundreds of our clergy and lay leaders attended the meeting (using proxy shares). Thanks to the pressure placed on Bank of America and Wachovia Wells Fargo, the two banks are now negotiating with us on areas that could have a tremendous economic benefit for families across the state. Although change is beginning to take place, we must keep our proposals in front of the bank executives and their boards of directors.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Massachusetts State Treasurer Timothy Cahill to move $200 million in state money out of Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">More than 300 leaders from religious congregations in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois, all affiliated with the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, gathered at the U.S. Capitol to demand passage of S. 582: The Interest Rate Reduction Act, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. This act would cap interest rates on credit cards and consumer loans at 15 percent. At this event, religious congregations, labor unions, and public agencies announced moving money out of the worst-offending banks until they bring their interest rates down. The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, a Metro IAF affiliate, has worked with Timothy Cahill, state treasurer of Massachusetts, to move $200 million in state money out of Bank of America, Citibank and Wells Fargo because they refuse to abide by the state’s usury law.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">See video link: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIk-OLiVq1c
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Media Coverage: **

May 6, 2010: Justice United publicly opposes Efland's 300 percent sewer rate hikes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Leaders of the Environmental Justice Action Team worked tirelessly to prepare for an action declaring Justice United's opposition to the proposed sewer rate increases in Efland (highest rate increase in North Carolina). Commissioners have agreed to listen to the proposals developed by leaders of the affected community at their regular meeting on Thursday, May 6, at 7 p.m. The action started with a press conference at 6:30 p.m. to introduce an alternative solution.

June 28, 2010 - Meeting with Orange County Manager about Efland Sewer Rates
 * **Chapel Hill News coverage: Efland meeting shows there is a better way**

August 15, 2010 - NC Latino Coalition Delegates Assembly on Immigration Delegates Assembly on Immigration was held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Durham, NC. The goal of the public meeting was to discuss the need for comprehensive immigration reform with public officials. Immigrant leaders held a gathering involving **1505 delegates**, Congressional leaders and candidates, Bishops, and religious executives, media, industry and labor leaders. The Justice United Immigrant Action Team has been working closely with our sister network the statewide North Carolina Latino Coalition. Immigrant leaders held a gathering **involving 1505 delegates,** Congressional leaders and candidates, Bishops and religious executives, media, industry and labor leaders. The goal of the public meeting was to discuss the need for comprehensive immigration reform with public officials.<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Durham, NC. The Justice United Immigrant Action Team has been working closely with our sister network the statewide North Carolina Latino Coalition

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">WRAL coverage: [|http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/8139698] **
 * The FIVE points of immigration reform supported at the rally are:**(Quoted from a.heraldsun.com/ article by DAWN BAUMGARTNER VAUGHAN)
 * 1) Family reunification -- reducing the backlog of visa petitions that can take several years and implementing a more efficient process.
 * 2) Workers protection -- setting up rules to protect wages and working conditions of those admitted legally to fill available jobs.
 * 3) Restore the rule of law and enhance security -- realistic law enforcement that targets terrorists, smugglers and lawbreaking employers.
 * 4) Allocate sufficient visas to close unlawful migration channels -- set the level of legal immigration by labor market needs.
 * 5) A rational and humane approach to the undocumented population -- address the 12 million undocumented immigrants by creating a registration process that includes background checks, a fine, taxes and studying English and leads to permanent residency and citizenship.

October 4th, 2010, COUNTY WIDE LEADERS MEETING

Thursday, December 9, 2010 - [|Fall Assembly] We celebrated the accomplishments of Orange Justice United at our 2010 Delegates Assembly on Thursday December 9 at Binkley Baptist Church. The majors of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, as well as many other elected officials, public workers and business leaders accepted our invitations. The purpose of the Assembly was to: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**MEDIA REPORT:** []
 * Hear the stories of this year's campaigns and publicly thank those leaders who have responded favorably to our calls for change in Orange County.
 * Develop public agreements with elected officials and business leaders regarding two ongoing campaigns: justice and safety concerns for Day Labor and the Efland sewer rate campaign, and
 * Develop a new organizing agenda by launching a new countywide listening session. Periodically, all the partner groups within Justice United do this grassroots work to create the Justice United agenda. Your Justice United Community Church Team is working to create a discernment process within our church to seek your vision for a better Orange County

= 2009 = April, 2009: Chapel Hill Town Council Living Wage action

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 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Chapel Hill considers a 'living wage'] **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> News & Observer - Apr 17, 2009The Orange County Organizing Committee is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Saul Alinsky. Groups that follow this model,...
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Chapel Hill council passes living wage law] **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> News & Observer - Jun 12, 2009 The $11.06 figure represents a compromise between the staff and the Orange County Organizing Committee, which had sought $13 an hour.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Town Council adopts new budget] **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The Daily Tar Heel - Jun 10, 2009 Council members approved the Orange County Organizing Committee’s proposal for a minimum living wage rate of $11.06 for full time employees who work 37.5 to **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.... **

= Monday, Oct 26, 2009 = Our Founding

// The [| FOUNDING PUBLIC ACTION OF ORANGE COUNTY JUSTICE UNITED IN COMMUNITY EFFORT] //
 * 450 people filled the sanctuary of United Church of Christ
 * 20 out of 25 candidates running for elected office in Chapel Hill and Carrboro agreed to meet with us within 90 days of taking office to discuss our Agenda
 * 30 Community Church folks stood witness when Maj Britt signed the covenant as founding member of Justice United

photos by Allen Spalt <span style="color: #bc2020; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">

> || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">==<span style="font-family: georgia,;">Member Institutions ==

<span style="display: block; font-family: tahoma,arial,verdana,san-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: top;">(updated 2/25/2013)
 * 1) Amity United Methodist Ch! urch
 * 2) Binkley Baptist Church
 * 3) Chapel Hill Friends
 * 4) Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church
 * 5) Church of Reconciliation
 * 6) The Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist
 * 7) El Centro Hispano
 * 8) EmPOWERment, Inc.
 * 9) Efland Community
 * 10) Episcopal Church of the Advocate
 * 11) Grace Community Church
 * 12) Habitat for Humanity
 * 13) Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
 * 14) Kehillah Synagouge
 * 15) Newman Catholic Center
 * 16) Orange County Voice
 * 17) Pine Knolls Neighborhood Association
 * 18) RENA
 * 19) St. Paul AME
 * 20) St. Thomas More
 * 21) UU Congregation of Hillsborough
 * 22) United Church of Chapel Hill
 * 23) University United Methodist Church
 * 24) University Presbyterian Church

<span style="font-family: georgia,;">Partner networks
>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> **JUSTICE UNITED is not a protest group, a political action committee, or a service organization. We do not run programs, endorse candidates, or take government money.**
 * Durham CAN
 * Industrial Areas Foundation
 * NC United Power