AUSTIN INTERFAITH VICTORY PAGES    --  JANUARY-MAY 2007
Below are some of the recent major accomplishment of the congregations, schools,
and unions of Austin Interfaith. Collectively, this work has improved the lives of
thousands of families in Austin and across Texas.

                Austin Interfaith/Texas IAF get CHIP Restoration on Governor's Desk

This is the signature accomplishment of the Legislative Session. The congregations of
Austin Interfaith and the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation have been credited with
playing a key role in working with the Lt. Governor to pass legislation that would add
127,500 children to the Childrens Health Insurance Program. (approximately $70,000,000
new dollars) This was the work of countless visits to the Capitol and 4 press conferences.
The Lt. Governor has guaranteed that all eligible children will be covered, so it will be up
to us to begin enrolling new children through our congregations and schools.

Santa Barbara families get Water

Leaders at Santa Barbara Catholic Church in East Travis County as well as Austin Interfaith
pastors and leaders came together to get a $475,000 water infrastructure deal passed by
County Commissioners Court and Hornsby Bend Utility. After 40 families had been
without running water for 5 years, Santa Barbara joined Austin Interfaith last year and
began organizing to secure this money. It took a lot of house meetings, block walks, and
meetings with public officials, but all 40 families will have running water by the end of the
summer!

Southside Congregations rally behind Travis Heights Elementary

Congregational leaders from St. Ignatius, Prince of Peace, and San Jose worked with
leaders from Travis Heights Elementary (an Alliance School) and other allies from the
neighborhood to improve living conditions at Travis Park Apartments. Working with Cong.
Lloyd Doggett and HUD, leaders put pressure on the owners to fix leaky sewage pipes,
install security lights, repair A/C units, and clean thick mold from many of the units.
These conditions were resulting in increased respiratory illnesses and absenteeism among
many of the children attending Travis Heights Elementary. 

Two-hundred parishioners attend assembly at Dolores Catholic Church

Leaders, pastor, and staff at Dolores Catholic Church held a congregational assembly to
ratify a local agenda of issues which emerged from the 35 house meetings (small group
meetings) conducted at Dolores. The agenda includes Youth Programs, Immigration,
Education in Faith, Community Building and Collaboration, and Living Wages. The next
step is to have all parishioners to sign-on to support the agenda and begin action.

Austin Interfaith Corporate Money Campaign

Each year Austin Interfaith Pastors and leaders hold a drive to raise financial investment
for the organizing work from local corporations. This year's corporate campaign was
held in March, and leaders already raised $24,500, and have several proposals submitted
and still waiting for a reply. Leaders have nearly doubled last year's total. This was truly
an organizational campaign, with nearly every member institution represented by at least
one leader.

Congregation-Based Organizing

This month three congregations will be kicking off "House Meeting Campaigns" during
services. House meetings are small group conversations to surface issues and new
leaders…it is one of the primary organizing tools our congregations and institutions have
utilized. House meetings campaigns can engage 400-500 parishioners in conversations
within a few months, and beyond developing leaders and identifying issues, can help build
a relational and "covenantal" culture in congregations. Two other congregations, Dolores
Catholic Church and Santa Barbara Catholic Church have already completed house meeting campaigns.

Education Organizing

Austin Interfaith and Texas IAF leaders successfully advocated for the creation of a
Governor's Select Committee to evaluate and redesign the states testing and accountability
system. This will allow our institutions to have the important conversations about what
our children should learn and how they should be assessed. Leaders have begun to focus our education work on reducing the over-reliance on a single test, and broadening
assessment and curriculum. Congratulations also to our Alliance Schools for their
commitment this year to the highest academic standards and organizing parents
and teachers in collaboration for school improvement.

Affordable Housing

Late last fall, Austin Interfaith Pastors and leaders asked the Public Housing Authority to
hold off on its plan to demolish all public housing complexes in Austin. (The plan was to
redevelop this land to commercial and mixed-use facilities, and give residents section-8
vouchers). One Eastside Alliance school has over 50% of its children living in these
complexes. Leaders involved in housing issues testified at public hearings, and the
Housing Authority agreed to take 1-2 years to look at the impact of the issue.