JONAH News

By the JONAH Religious Leaders In these challenging times for our nation, we, the diverse faith communities and advocates of JONAH, join together to affirm our enduring commitment to creating…

By JONAH Communications Keep the Momentum Going: Use the WISDOM Priorities Book to Influence the State Budget JONAH is thrilled to share WISDOM’s Priorities Book for 2025–2027, a critical roadmap…

By Lynn Buske, Film Festival Organizer The theme for this year’s film festival was “Community”. The films were selected by the host locations based on what films were recent, relevant…

By Donna Raleigh This article reflects on the importance of Medicaid to so many of our families and our neighbors. Most of us know seniors, disabled, and children receiving Medicaid…

By Susan Wolfgram, Co-Chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force “Without stable shelter, everything else falls apart.”-Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City Eau Claire…

Assembled by Lynn Buske, Chair of the Mental Health Task Force Many of our task forces have long lists of people who get email updates about the issues and meetings.…

By Michelle Pride *The 27-9-3 rule originated with Vermont lawmakers and has been widely adapted.  Your message uses no more than 27 words. It takes 9 seconds to speak your…

By Jen Barnet, President of JONAH Tyranny thrives on fear, exhaustion, and isolation. It tells us that we are powerless, that our efforts are meaningless, and that the world’s brokenness…

By Joyce Anderson, member of the Immigration Task Force “Fear is, somehow or other, the archenemy itself. It crouches in people’s hearts… But faith and love cast out fear, calling…

By Deb Pattee RUTH aims to be an agent of change, hope, healing, and unity in rural west-central Wisconsin. They are an interfaith partnership working to create strong and just communities.…

By Madison Olson Disclaimer: We strive to connect community voices with legislators whenever possible, as we believe those closest to the issues have the most valuable insights. Senator Jesse James,…

By Jackie Christner Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference at the state level while connecting with fellow activists from JONAH and our coalition partners! Join us on the…

By Lynn Buske, JONAH OrganizerBible readings referenced below: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and John 2:1-11  Sometimes life feels daunting, right? These days the tension in the uncertainty around us is palpable.…

By Lynn Buske and John Wagner, edited by Jeremy Gragert  Huge thanks to John Wagner for all his efforts for JONAH with this issue!  JONAH exists because we live in…

There are currently many conversations happening around immigration in our country, state, and local community. Below is an article recommended by WISDOM written by the American Immigration Council that explains…

Now is the time to pick up your copy for JONAH’s first Book Club meeting in 2025 and start reading! When asked about the book choices and why JONAH has…

By Rita Simon, adapted from a handout used while facilitating grief support groups You’ve made it through the Holidays despite your grief, and it was most likely not easy. Whether…

By Haley Staples Working as JONAH’s Bachelor of Social Work intern has taught me many skills I will be able to use in my future within the social work field.…

Part of working together in the unique way JONAH does means recognizing each of the vital ways that individuals contribute to a larger effort. While our distinctive method of relational…

By Susan Wolfgram, co-chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force In our current environment, working together will be more critical than ever in reducing inequities and insecurities in our community,…

By Haley Staples, JONAH Intern On November 5-9, JONAH partnered with the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, UW-Eau Claire, and local community members to put on an art exhibit that told…

A Prayer of Interfaith Welcome We call you by many names: Allah, Universal Spirit, Holy Spirit, God, Hu, Baha, Timeless Being, Hashem, Gitche Manitou, Great Spirit, Brahman, Akua, Love, Wakantanka,…

Nine area non-profits, which provide essential services in the area, were in danger of losing 50% of their funding through the proposed 2025-26 EC County Budget. Thankfully, in a meeting…

By Lidixe Montoya, Lynn Buske, and Ginny Close JONAH has been a welcoming organization for many years with many kind-hearted members wanting to intentionally be welcoming. What we’ve learned in…

By Mark Rice, WISDOM Transformational Justice Campaign Coordinator  The Transformational Justice Campaign The Transformational Justice Campaign promotes policies that: prevent people from going to prison provide justice within prisons help…

By JonPaul Dragseth, Pastor at Spirit Lutheran Church My first year of seminary, I had the opportunity to spend 3 weeks in the country of Guyana. Guyana is a country…

By Jacky Miller, member of the Immigration Task Force In spite of it being a very hot day, 1500-2000 people attended the 6th Multicultural Festival at Phoenix Park. It was…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…