Accomplishments: Faith and Democracy
2009 Worked to pass campaign finance reform legislation that restricts funds flowing into elections, mandates strong enforcement and disclosure, and limits the amounts party leaders can contribute to primary races. As a steering committee member of CHANGE Illinois, PCG was at the forefront of this successful and groundbreaking endeavor.
2008 Launched the Academy for the Common Good which trains pupils to become advocates and leaders in educating and organizing other people of faith. Four Academy offerings have been held in the metropolitan area, with other sessions scheduled for presentation in local churches in 2010.
2008 Hosted “Why Faith Matters…And How!” with speaker David Wilhelm, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and a member of the PCG Board. Held just before the November general election, the program focused on the role of religion in U.S. presidential elections.
Accomplishments: Faith and Economic Justice
2009 Advocated successfully for improvements to the TANF program by increasing eligibility from 33% to 50% of the federal poverty level and providing crisis assistance for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
2008 Led the successful effort to obtain a 9% grant increase, for families enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) in collaboration with the Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. This was the first grant increase since 2002.
Accomplishments: Faith and Public Education
2009 Organized the Faith-in-Action for Education Funding Reform Lobby Day, in collaboration with the Community Renewal Society,bringing 100 individuals to Springfield and collecting over 700 signatures from people of faith in 95 of the state’s 118 legislative districts in order to advocate for tax reform that would generate more revenue for public education and reduce funding disparities across the state.
Accomplishments: Faith and Health Care
2008 Helped pass an ordinance establishing an independent governance board for the Cook County Bureau of Health Care Services in response to the threatened collapse of the public health care system in low-income communities
Accomplishments: Faith and Criminal Justice
2009 Aided in the expansion of the “Certificates of Relief from Disability” and “Certificates of Good Conduct” programs to include ex-offenders by removing restrictions that barred their ability to seek employment. The bill also mandated that the Department of Finance and Professional Regulation issue pre-training advisory opinions for ex-offenders seeking training and employment in jobs that require professional licenses.
2009 Hosted the “New Directions for Drug Policy in Illinois,” bringing together drug policy leaders and legislators from New York, California, Illinois and Canada. Over 130 people were in attendance, including city, county, and state officials, resulting in a significant legislative movement on the county level to decriminalize low levels of marijuana.
Accomplishments: Faith and Environment
2009 Participated in the Environmental Lobby Day in Springfield with other members of ICAN, bringing several Academy graduates to advocate on behalf of Clean Cars legislation. PCG also aided in the passage of Federal Climate Change Legislation by convincing key Illinois Representatives to vote in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act.
2008 Assisted in the creation of the Illinois Climate Action Network (ICAN), a collection of environmental, business, science and faith-based organizations dedicated to reducing global warming pollution in Illinois. PCG created environment materials for use in churches and began actively advocating for legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide.
Accomplishments: Global Issues
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