For more information on any of these activities, please contact the task force chairs directly!
Our Transit Alliance continues to advocate for public transit needs as a part of conversations around transportation, from local EC Transit to the West Central Rail Coalition on the state level. To join our Transportation Committee, please contact [email protected].
The Mental Health Group: They will be displaying the Bandana Project at the Eau Claire Public Library, more information to come. The group is invited to have members attend Madison Action Day so legislators can hear people talk about issues in person. Check out their article “Reflections on a Community Need” here. Join their next meeting on Thursday, April 6 at 10am via Zoom. Contact [email protected] to attend the task force meetings.
The Immigration Task Force has set the date for the Culture Fest date for August 2023! Continued work for Driver’s Licenses for immigrants. Conversations continue with churches and have come to a conclusion that it is best to work together for events and to share information to the community. Join their next meeting Monday, March 20 at 4:30pm via Zoom. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The Environmental Task Force has scheduled the Earth Week Forum sponsored by the JONAH ETF for Thursday April 20th at the Brewing Projekt 5:30-7:30PM. JONAH is collaborating with Beaver Creek Reserve and EC County on this project and they continue their planning for the event. No Mow May, The City Manager has approved No Mow May and a proclamation has been submitted. A big thanks to Jane Mohler for all her work applying for two grants though VisitEauClaire and the Pablo Foundation. Also, A group of concerned citizens have been organizing to discuss a proposed tree ordinance. They are just in the early stages. If anyone is interested, please contact Jamie Larson and she will add you to the list. They have had a couple meetings and are currently meeting at the library. Join their next ETF meeting Monday March 13 at 5PM – 6:30PM at LE Phillips Library, Eau Claire Carnegie Room (first floor). Contact Sue Waits, [email protected] for more information.
The CV Justice Action Team is working on having EXPO/ FREE and RoundTable Revival to be able to visit people who are in the jail prior to their release to offer services around peer support as well as community – based services to support them in the community. It seems this group should focus on a more community/population-based strategy of advocacy such as a mural and/or a gallery, exhibit of some type. They are working with artists and art professors to see how to incorporate art with people that are in need of services. Join their next meeting on Wednesday, March 8 at 8:30am via Google Meet.Contact Tom Wirth, [email protected]
Affordable Housing Task Force: The Eau Claire Tenant Landlord Resource Center (TLRC) is a soon to be nonprofit, currently operating under the nonprofit status of JONAH (Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope), committed to housing justice for all. We help tenants, landlords, and service providers to keep people housed because housing is critical to everyone’s health and well-being. The new legislative session has just started. State Representative Jodi Emerson and State Senator Jeff Smith met with the governor recently in Eau Claire to discuss budget priorities and ways to sue the current budget surplus. This is a public/private partnership between, the City, Grace Lutheran Church, and CVH4H that will be funded by a $1.2 million HUD grant. Read the article here: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/local-habitat-humanity-proposes-affordable-025000675.html. Join their next meeting on Thursday, April 6 at 5:30pm via Zoom. The Affordable Housing Task Force continues to advocate for affordable housing for all of our neighbors. For up-to- date information, visit their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JONAHAffordableHousing/ Contact Susan Wolfgram, [email protected]
Child poverty: Survey Results– Canvassing residents of rural towns to list concerns of residents and access to resources. The top rural issues according to the survey are: Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Healthcare Access, and Child Care Access. Fairchild and Fairchild Village have the highest poverty rate in EC County at 42%/74%, respectively (ALICE Report 2020). According to the survey, rural residents find supporting information and resources at Food Pantries, Family, Local Organizations, and local Churches. To join their next meeting or connect with our chair, contact John Wagner at [email protected].
Fundraising Team: The Fundraising Team has been planning for events throughout the year. Stay tuned to see what else they will do! Here is a list of what they have so far:
- Spring Fundraising letter coming soon!
- Swag – a button making party planned for Sunday, March 12, 1-3 PM
- Finding dates for the Brat Stand fundraiser
- Looking into ad sales
To join next meeting contact Joanne Mellema [email protected]
Rural work: February has been a productive month for the Rural Team at JONAH. On February 10th we facilitated an event titled Fairchild Comes Together at the Fairchild Community Center. There were 14 organizations present at the event. We heard stories from community members and collected data about what issues residents were most concerned about. We also learned about the perceived strengths of Fairchild. Lynn, Ken, and Kari are following up on this work by thanking those who attended and deepening the connections that we began.
At the end of February, the Rural team will present at the United Methodist Church in Jim Falls, a rural area in Chippewa County. The week after, March 5, Ken and Lynn will present at the Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Rice Lake. Ken continues to do phone calls and door-knocking to reach out to our target areas in Stanley, Jim Falls, and Fairchild as we continue our rural community survey. We’re asking residents to identify what two issues impact them the most and inviting them to get to know our organization and the values we stand for. Since December we have had conversations with over 100 individuals through direct canvassing efforts, plus many more through individual leads and community events. Ken is organizing a Canvassing Strategy Meeting on March 3rd at Pizza Plus in Eau Claire. The goal is to energize volunteers to join us in our rural outreach. Our plan is to do integrated voter engagement in target areas so that rural residents can have their voices heard in the Spring Election while deepening their connection to JONAH and the work we do.
If you have questions about this project, or if you want to be involved in some way, please reach out to KenHood at [email protected] or, if you know of congregations and leaders looking to start a faith-based conversation on caring for their community, please contact Kari at [email protected].