'Tis
the Season to be Jolly...
A
Time for Giving
A sincere thank you to
YOU!!! Through your support along the way, you
have helped make a significant contribution in providing
a “voice” to those working to correct social injustices
and community problems. Even after 30 years of
funding social justice, we still witness the evils of
poverty, injustice and abuse of human rights in our
communities.
For over a month now,
we have witnessed Occupies develop around the world and
the numbers are growing. This international movement is
demanding an end to corporate greed and a real solution
to the economic crisis. This is a
movement and it needs support from all of us.
Since it started, the Occupy movement has put
economic justice in the headlines every day and
the energetic organizing by new and young
activists at Occupies worldwide have the potential to
make a real difference worldwide.
Injustice is
everywhere. It is undergirded by structural
mechanisms and social mores. Even the most privileged
among us have suffered systemic injustices through
culturally acceptable violence, misrepresentation and
exploitation in the media or
one-size/shape/color/ability/gender-fits-all
consumerism. And even at our most liberated and
individuated self-actualization we still work regularly
to recognize and debunk our prejudices. Injustice
defeats us. It diminishes our very
personhood. Oppression exists. But so does
Change.
Whether it was via a
personal relationship, an individual appeal, a
gathering, a grant, or a special event such as the
“Sweet Honey” benefit concert, we have garnered from
folks like you, and moved it into the hands of those who
suffer the most from inequality and other social ills –
the very people who are typically cut out of the
discussion about solutions. We know that none of
this work would be possible without supporters such as
you who care enough to make a difference, so we ask you
now to make a contribution to the Fund for Southern
Communities, the more you give, the more we can return
to the community. You have supported social
justice in the past, and we are asking you to please
consider supporting it today. You may make a secure
donation on line at
www.fundforsouth.org.
Thanks so much for your support.
Experience has taught
us that we all benefit when communities come together to
solve deeply rooted problems. Yet, we can find
hope and encouragement for the future in the remarkable
proliferation of community groups that are devoted to
addressing critical social and economic problems with a
range of creative initiatives. For three decades the
Fund for Southern Communities has endeavored to fill
this void by providing critical support and assistance
to community-based organizations working for social
justice and serving human needs. While
recent years have been
scarce, there have been years when The Fund has provided
more than $250,000 in assistance and technical support
to more than 50 groups. We are striving to get
back to that level of annual general grant making and
higher.
As we bring closure to
our fall grants cycle, we are looking to your support to
determine just how much we will be able to impact the
Southeast region social justice workers. This year
we have received competitive proposals from groups
working to …
- reduce incarceration and recidivism among female
ex-offenders;
- promote the civil, social and economic rights of
Asian Americans;
- educate the public and officials about the need
for and benefits of supportive housing for disabled
persons;
- build the capacity of disenfranchised low income
Blacks, Whites and Latinos;
- end farm labor abuses and injustices;
- organize low-income rural minorities around Green
Jobs and the Green Economy;
- eliminate prejudice against the LGBTQ community;
- empower women, men and children to honor
themselves and make a difference in the world;
- empower Latinos, regardless of immigration status;
- create a coalition to put forward progressive
values of good government;
- advocate for disability and human rights;
- ensure access to affordable housing;
Please give, every
dollar makes a difference. As we wind down our
30th year, we humbly request that you
consider a gift of $30 or
more in support of each year that
we have been on the battle field for those most
deserving of support of their social justice
work.
Happy Holidays,
Alice Jenkins
Executive
Director
