By Pastor Jen Barnet, JONAH President and pastor of Hope UMC and Pleasant Valley UMC As Independence Day passes, adorned with red, white, and blue bunting, parades, and fireworks, it…
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Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope
Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope
By Pastor Jen Barnet, JONAH President and pastor of Hope UMC and Pleasant Valley UMC As Independence Day passes, adorned with red, white, and blue bunting, parades, and fireworks, it…
By Kimberly Vlcek, Co-Coordinator for CVV and member of LWV-GCV On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Tyler* registered to vote for the first time in the State of Wisconsin. He also…
By John Wagner JONAH held a rally and march at Wilson park on July 25 to lobby for improving the bus service in Eau Claire. The rally was attended by…
By Michael LaReau Weeklong was a challenge! It was a challenge in the best ways though, pushing me outside of my comfort zone by challenging thought patterns and personal roadblocks…
By Pat Garber I'm a member of the Strive Committee at Trinity Lutheran church. This committee focuses on a variety of justice issues: social, racial, mental health, environmental, etc. The…
By the JONAH Environmental Task Force “It may look overwhelming - however, taking one action at a time, building that habit, and then committing to another action can feel more…
By Susan Wolfgram, Co-Chair JONAH Affordable Housing Task Force Put the US in Bus! Our Gamaliel weeklong leadership training is July 21-27. Our action advocacy event, #RallyForTransit, will be held…
By Paul Savides How did you become involved in your JONAH Core team? Jackie Christner and I attended a Gamaliel Weeklong Leadership Training in the summer of 2008. At the…
By Virginia Wolf, retired Unitarian Universalist minister I am a Unitarian Universalist (UU)-Buddhist. As a retired UU minister, I continue to believe in the truths of all religions. I am…
I’ve been a member of JONAH for about 15 years, and I think one of the most powerful impacts JONAH has had in the Chippewa Valley is the understanding that…
By John Wagner, Child Poverty Task Force Chair Fifty years of research on alleviating child poverty has identified the best approach to reducing child poverty – direct payments to families…
By Kesiya Stamili Ramazani I can still vividly remember my arrival to what I now call a home. A place where I still crave to return to over holidays, to…
Throughout the spring of 2024, JONAH had three interns from the Social Work Department at UWEC. Here are their reflections on their time with JONAH. Dallas Crawford Organizing can be…
By Phil Ruge-Jones, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church Recently I was invited to speak to a Social Work class at UW-EC about spiritualities of aging. I want to tease out…
By Kesiya Stamili Ramazani “I was a young boy then,” Papa sighed and sat down in his chair. “One morning, I went hunting for wild pig with my friends, when…
By Joyce Anderson, Immigration Task Force member The questions were: How can we feel safe? How can we trust you? The answers came out of conversations and discussions organized by…
By Dustin Van Sloten, member of the Mental Health Task Force JONAH hosted an Emotional-CPR (eCPR) Training on March 30, 2024. Twenty local community members took…
By Dallas Crawford, JONAH Intern JONAH held two public events for writing letters to non-voters this spring. While attendance was low, mostly due to a winter storm, spirits were high. …
TF / TeamSummary of MeetingMental Health- Completed multiple Green Bandana Project trainings. Encouraged schools to get involved.- Discussed the community's needs for crisis services following the closure of HSHS hospitals.…
What stands out to you about JONAH? I moved to Eau Claire 3 years ago, and I was searching for an environmental organization home base to volunteer with--someplace that had…
By Susan Wolfgram, Co-Director Eau Claire Tenant-Landlord Resource Center "I didn't even know that was in my lease!" EXACTLY. This is the most frequent comment we hear from tenants after…
By Matthew Conte, Wisconsin Farmers Union Organizer, member of EC Coalition and the WI Rural Coalition, and a JONAH Partner Wisconsin is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, charming small towns,…
By Sue Waits, Chair of the Environmental Task Force The JONAH Environmental Task Force encourages everyone to do what they can, as it is more important for 1000 people to…
On March 5, 2024, the JONAH Religious Leaders group offered a vigil to hold space for all who are grieving the closure of two local HSHS hospitals. Below are a…
By Pastor Jerry Morris I was talking to my son the other day about how the pandemic experience has changed both of our workplaces. I told him about the greater…
By Lynn Buske, Chair of the Mental Health Task Force Chances are, by now you have heard of the Chippewa Valley Green Bandana Project (GBP) and might even have one…
By Mark Quam, Co-Chair of the JONAH Transportation Task Force On February 5, 2024, Eau Claire Transit observed Transit Equity Day in observance of Rosa Park’s birthday which took place…
By Dallas Crawford, JONAH Intern While each of the films shown during the Social Justice Film Festival deserve a detailed article and self-reflection, I would like to shed light on…
By Amy Hahn What is the postcard project? The postcard project is a collaborative interfaith effort to create community reflection on tough topics through art and share that collective voice…
JONAH has 3 new interns from the UWEC Social Work Department that we'd like you to meet! What stands out to you about JONAH?Dallas - The diversity of stories between…
Edited by Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Leaders aren’t born overnight, they are grown. It’s a journey. Becoming a leader means taking steps and trying things - acknowledging the feeling that…
Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope's (JONAH) fundamental organizing principle is RELATIONSHIP. It can be challenging to organize around emotional social issues without understanding how to talk about them with those you…
Thanks to funding from our parent organization WISDOM, for the last year and a half or so, JONAH has been connecting with residents, congregations, organizations and leaders in rural communities…
Faith Leaders across multiple religions and beliefs come together to share their voices in support of the World Relief office in Eau Claire, WI, refugee resettlement work, and the idea…
By David Liners and Robert Karski, Photography by Eddee Daniel “We envision a world where the inherent rights of nature are respected and protected, and where the natural world is…
By Perla Martinez What is your favorite thing about JONAH? JONAH is the best of us. It invites us to be relational, authentic, and live out our faith values together…
Our Mental Health Task Force is working to keep our Green Bandana Project in people’s hearts and minds so it continues to work and grow. Here’s your reminder to WEAR…
By Kari Allen About the Conference On Saturday, October 21, a group of small town and rural leaders met for JONAH’s first Community Conference for Small Towns in the Chippewa…
Written by Lynn BuskeEdited by Perla Martinez-Beltran, Joyce Anderson, and Lidixe Montoya There is a lot going on in the world of immigration and around refugees these days. As a…
My name is Julia and I have been serving on the event planning committee of JONAH for a year and a half. My role in the annual JONAH fundraiser this…
Dear supporters of JONAH (and potential supporters) - The work that JONAH does in the Chippewa Valley is essential, but it is also difficult, time-consuming, and sometimes seems to be…
You're invited to JONAH's 16th Annual Event! This year, JONAH is having two separate activities on Sunday October 8, 2023, at the Brewing Projekt, in a fabulous and fun evening to set us up for success in…
I'm a recently retired massage therapist and former respiratory therapist and I was looking for new ways to serve my community. I'm married to my husband Tim, going on 34…
By Sue Waits, Environmental Task Force Chair The JONAH Environmental Task Force(ETF) is busy planning projects for 2024 around the two priorities of Waste Diversion and Biodiversity which are further…
By Cindy Currier The Village of Fairchild has developed their own task force as a result of JONAH’s connections and support. They are not officially a JONAH taskforce, but we…
In this column readers hear from area religious leaders, in their own voice and from their personal faith perspective, on social justice, how to make our community better, and other…
By Aidan Stotz Over the course of the past eight weeks, I have had the opportunity to engage with the topic of mental health and the disparities that exist in…
JONAH is proud to announce its second concert fundraiser and welcomes the band Dead Horses – which happens to be the favorite band of our organizer, Lynn Buske. Nik Foytik, a local talent,…
What is your favorite thing about JONAH? I love that JONAH sees an issue in the community and collaborates with a wide variety of people and organizations to understand the…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer I want to share a story. One of mine. One I always thought wasn't much of a story, until I unpacked it recently with a…
By Ken Hood Last Monday, WISDOM’s Immigration Task Force, and members from the regional affiliates, met for a lively night of action over Zoom. We met for a virtual “Call…
By Mark Judkins Helpsmeet What constitutes Justice seems obvious to some of us, but what seems Just has evolved significantly over the centuries, and continues to do so today. Quakers…
1. What is your favorite thing about JONAH? I like meeting new people, finding out what is important to them, then working together to make our community better for everyone.…
By Lynn Buske and Powerful JONAH Voices Giving public testimony is a powerful way to support an issue you care about, not only does it educate the elected official or…
By: Sue Waits In collaboration with Beaver Creek Reserve and the Eau Claire County Office of Recycling and Sustainability, the JONAH Environmental Task Force hosted an Earth Week Open House…
By Shannon Severud, JONAH intern I recently attended a BRAIN Conference in Eau Claire where I heard two doctors- Dipesh Navsaria and JONAH's very own John Wagner- speak about the…
By: Ken Hood Out of all the attendees at the 2023 WISDOM Leadership Retreat, I think it’s safe to say that I had the furthest drive. The Green Lake Conference…
By: Jen Barnet I did not know her. She had been calling the church for years and I had been responding to her calls for help for, I’d say about…
Eau Claire Tenant-Landlord Resource (ECTLRC) Center Program Coordinator ~By Susan Wolfgram, Co-Director ECTLRC “Coming out of college, I worked full time at an animal shelter and held down fourother part-time…
April 24, 2023 The JONAH (Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope) Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) is launching throughout the Chippewa Valley the Green Bandana Project (GBP)! We invite any person in the…
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…
By: Bea Evans A spark of an idea ignited into a grassroots movement named Welcoming New Neighbors (WNN) a year ago. In early February 2022, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin…
This month we would like to highlight Paul Savides. He is currently a Member of the Affordable Housing Task Force & Training Teams Group. Read on to see what he has…
By Shannon Severud- JONAH intern As a mother to five children and a former foster mom to many more, children hold a special place in my heart. My compassion for…
By Lynn Buske “The difference between mobilizing and organizing is relationship.” WISDOM’s Freddie Wilson said that in a training session recently (originator of the statement is unknown). I love that,…
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…
by the JONAH Mental Health Task Force After the shocking death by suicide of Sheriff Ron Cramer, many in our community had our eyes opened to the fact that mental…
This month we would like to highlight Jackie Christner. She is currently on the JONAH board and a member of the Mental Health Task Force and the Chippewa Valley Justice…
by Perla Martinez, JONAH Communications What is Immigration? “Immigration [is] the process through which individuals become permanent residents or citizens of another country (definition from https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state).” Seems like a simple…
by Christine Warloski I recently was involved in a community conversation that raised questions about the lines between ‘justice’ and ‘charity’. In my faith tradition, as a Pastoral associate with…
by Paul Savides “The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope.…
By Don Mowry JONAH's work around the criminal legal system has been evolving since its merger with the Chippewa Valley Justice Action Team (which is the name we have taken…
"This month we would like to highlight Kelly Mahoney, she is a part of the Justice Action Team (a merger between JONAH and Clear Vision) which works on the intersectionality of poverty, mental…
The Buddhist View On Justice By Gabe Brummett My friend Lynn asked recently if I’d be able to write something about the Buddhist view of justice. It struck me because…
A Community Accomplishes What It Is Committed To By Susan Wolfgram, Co-Chair of the JONAH Affordable Housing Task Force November is Homelessness Awareness Month in Wisconsin. There can be no…
Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t talk about them enough. This…
For more information on any of these activities, please contact the task force chairs directly! Our Transit Alliance task force continues to advocate for public transit needs as a part of conversations around…
By Ken Hood, Rural Organizer Below is a short update from our new Rural Outreach Team, and you can learn more about these new staff, Ken Hood and Kari Allen,…
By Mike Steuer, Executive Vice President I don't know exactly why I enjoyed this year's event, “Making It Happen,” more than past events. Maybe it was the long absence of…
This month we would like to highlight Susan Wolfgram who is on the JONAH Affordable Housing Task Force. She is a great organizer and we hope you get to know…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t…
Segdrick Farley is the new Fellow Organizer of EXPO of Wisconsin. He has decided to use his own experience to help others finding themselves in similar situations. He is a…
by Bob Lesniewski Seven years ago I started organizing Inter-Faith Prayer Services. “Peace and Unity For All People” Our Prayer Leaders are Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Baha’i and Quakers. Three…
Lori has worked as accounts and operations officer for Eversole Associates, International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, Infinite Eversole-Specialty Crop Services, and the International Alliance for Phytobiomes Research for the past…
At a meeting on Tuesday last week, the Eau Claire County Human Services Committee voted 7 to 1 against proposed amendments (numbers 6, 7, and 8) that would have cut…
We are excited to celebrate 15 years of making social change happen for the betterment of all. Sunday October 16 from 7-8pm at the Brewing Projekt or via Zoom. Tickets are $35 for in person and $15 for Zoom. Purchase your tickets here…
Collaborative article by: Susan Wolfgram, Paul Savides, Debbie Gough, Judi Moseley, and Lynn Buske “One eviction can change the trajectory of an individual or a family’s life and multiple evictions…
JONAH Rural Outreach Project – Job Posting Overview: Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope (JONAH, Inc.) exists to deepen relationships within and among faith communities and partner organizations to empower people in…
Collective Action – by Regan Watts Last May I took the position as Eau Claire County’s Recycling & Sustainability Coordinator. I was excited to move to a new community with ambitious…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t talk…
By Pastor Phil Ruge-Jones, Grace Lutheran Church One of my favorite authors writing about transforming the world is adrienne maree brown (she, like bell hooks, opts not to use capital…
As of 6.27.22 The JONAH Board and Committees has held several fundraisers, is working to improve sustaining membership experience, is finishing a huge update to our website, spoken at congregations and…
By Jan Frase, First Presbyterian Board Member In early 2022, JONAH received a grant of $2000 for a Mental Health event from the Cody and Molly Filipczak Family Fund of…
By Pat Mertens, Trinity Lutheran Member, Environmental Task Force Member, and Interfaith Committee Leader A few months ago, prompted by discussions at the Environmental Task Force Meetings, 6 women from…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t talk…
By Lori Arsenault “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.” “We cherish…
By Tom Westcott, Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran It seems to me that our culture is entranced with the idea of justice equating to fairness. That is, it is heard…
By Megan Schaefer and Perla Martinez The Real ID Act was passed in Congress in 2005 and took effect in Wisconsin in 2007. This makes it mandatory for states to…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t…
Meet Rebecca Wurzer – a JONAH Volunteer doing great things! Name: Rebecca Wurzer JONAH Roles: Book Group Leader, Fundraising Team, Past-Secretary, Past Board Member What is your favorite thing about…
By Robbie Joern The crowd at the vigil for Ukraine was quite large, and, while several people there were friends, many were new to me. I wish we could have…
By Perla Martinez, JONAH Communications and WISDOM RVP Organizer Working with WISDOM and JONAH with IVE (Integrated Voter Engagement) & RVP (Relational Voter Program) I have learned that a lot…
By Megan Schaefer, JONAH Intern My name is Megan Schaefer, and I am an intern with JONAH. I am currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In my…
By Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology simply because we don’t…
While we all come to JONAH with shared values around compassion, inclusion, justice, equity, sustainability we individually bring our own faith perspectives to the work. We have much to learn…
By Nancy Coffey, Environmental Task Force Member and County Supervisor The JONAH Environmental Task Force looks at how our values lead us to tend to the environment and make a…
by Amy Kalmon, Environmental Task Force Member JONAH’s Environmental Task Force will be recognized on February 16 by the City of Eau Claire Sustainable Advisory Committee with a Sustainable Eau…
by Rev. David Huber, Interim President On the evening of December 20, the night before winter solstice, JONAH Religious Leaders held a Candlelight Vigil for Homelessness. Our community gathered to…
by Lynn Buske, JONAH Organizer Many of our followers, no matter how long they’ve been part of JONAH, aren’t familiar with our organizing techniques and terminology. Maybe they haven’t taken…
by Martha Nieman, Board Member Representing EC Quakers What a concert! Truly an evening to remember! On November 6 at Grace Lutheran Church, Carrie Newcomer, folk singer-songwriter, enthralled JONAH supporters and her…
by Tom Westcott, Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran It seems to me that our culture is entranced with the idea of justice equating to fairness. That is, it is heard…
My name is Perla Martinez-Beltran. I am the new communications hire with JONAH, and I also am part of the Integrated Voter Engagement & Relational Voter Program team with WISDOM. …
“Rest is a beautiful interruption in a world that has no pause button.” -The Nap Ministry The Nap Ministry is an amazing instagram account started by Tricia Hersey. Hersey is…
The JONAH Executive Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. David Huber as the JONAH Interim President to fill the vacancy in this position that occurred with the…
By John Wagner, Chair of the Child Poverty Coalition Poverty remains a pervasive issue in the US, Wisconsin, and the Chippewa Valley but there are some positive developments. The US…
By Judi Moseley, AHTF Co-chair “A friend tells me that his children’s grandmother is being evicted. She’s in her 70’s, has special needs, and will be homeless if they kick…
by Jackie Christner, First Congregational Core Team Member Although JONAH’s annual celebration on October 10 and the accompanying silent auction were held virtually for the second year, they were well…
*On August 21st, 2021 a public “Rally for Passenger Rail” event took place at Phoenix Park in Eau Claire. The event was initiated by the Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance to…
Thanks for your support of JONAH, here is a short summary of current activities. Executive Committee - In process of hiring a new bookkeeper, looking for next treasurer(s) and secretary(ies),…
By Christine Warlowski, St James Justice is such a formational part of nearly every world religion. In Christian scripture (and most other religions), the demand is clear that we take…
By Donna Raleigh Soon after COVID started, JONAH Organizer, Lynn Buske, created the JONAH COVID Advisory Task Force to share ideas on JONAH’s role in the time of COVID. Recently,…
By Krista Cleary Over here in River Falls, WI, I feel like a lone outpost of the Jonah affiliate, one the western edge of the state. Jonah folks have always…
By Chris Hambuch-Boyle Child Poverty is finally in the forefront of the news and legislation. For so long the conversation has been around the economy and the workforce with very little…
By Sue Waits As co-organizer for the JONAH Environmental Task Force I am excited to hear about all the local and state initiatives to address Climate Change. But I am…
By Katelyn Wonderlin When I first moved to Wisconsin I had no idea what I was getting myself into. To start with, I was certainly unprepared for the winter. You…
This was originally a sermon given at First Presbyterian Church on January 31, 2021 by Lynn Buske. I am a Community Organizer for JONAH – an interfaith organization that does…
Building authentic relationships is the cornerstone of JONAH's organizing work and we believe it is the key to the beloved community for all. We worked with Micah and Genevieve of…
By Sara Larsen - Volunteer JONAH provided multiple opportunities for individuals (with the option to be paid) in the community to get involved in building relationships through sharing education on…
Below, three members of a grant project within JONAH, which they affectionally call LIFT, talk about their meaningful experiences and successes working towards reducing barriers people with conviction histories face…
By Robbie Joern (JONAH Board Member - Spirit Lutheran) I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have been worried about our beloved democracy staying intact. But I…
By Lynn Buske I grew up in a Lutheran church. Faith was part of our daily life it seemed, for which I am grateful not only because of the faith…
By Jacky Miller and Sandy Ayres The Immigration Task Force worked with local partners back in late spring to develop a Neighbor to Neighbor Immigration Fund for donations to assist immigrants that are…
By Judi Moseley - Co-Chair NIMBY is an acronym that stands for Not In My Backyard. It is a response that we see frequently when affordable housing proposals are made…
JONAH has released our report of the analyzed results of the survey we put out earlier this year hearing from area residents on how COVID-19 has impacted their lives. The…
2020 is a big election year for all of us, and Wisconsin is a key state on a national level. Voting is important because it is part of our civic…
By Nycki Wallsch and Kelly Mahoney Chippewa Valley Expo is excited to announce the new campaign called Free, which was created to specifically help women who have been impacted by…