Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
In the past year, JCA succeeded in recruiting and training a cohort of 14 high school youth as part of our Seeds of Justice fellowship. This group expressed a great amount of satisfaction with the training they received although they did not succeed in their work to pass voter pre-registration at the state legislature. JCA did not convene its newest cohort for the Tzedek Institute but will be running this leadership training this coming fall for at least 15 of our members. JCA convened nearly 40 house meetings on economic inequality and many programs that engaged more than 400 of our members, far exceeding our goal of 250 members engaged. These house parties and programs led to 150 people attending our economic justice summit and our members voted to support criminal justice reform. Once this selection was made, more than 30 JCA leaders built a campaign of more than 100 JCA members working with allies to pass sentencing reform at the State Capitol for the first time in many years and defeat a proposal to expand the presence of the Corrections Corporation of America in Minnesota. JCA also moved forward with its work on banking and lending reform, including the presentation of a report by the Humphrey Institute to the St. Paul and Minneapolis City Councils and the development of a set of recommendations and findings that respond to that report to address racial disparities. JCA also continued to work with allies on housing issues and immigrant rights. We also held our first ever gala to celebrate our 20th birthday and raised more money in one year from individuals than ever before.
Current Goals
Our organization's goals for the current year are to launch a new cohort of the Seeds of Justice for high school youth with at least 15 youth. We also intend to launch our newest Tzedek Institute for leadership development and organizing training for at least 15 Jewish adults this fall. We will continue to work on campaigns related to criminal justice reform at the local and state levels of government; our banking and lending reform campaign to reduce racial disparities in homeownership, small business lending and financial accessibility; and preserving affordable housing for low to moderate income people, particularly in the two core cities and Hennepin County. As part of this work, JCA will continue to build alliances with as many organizations as possible, especially with diverse communities across lines of race, class and religion. JCA will also be implementing new approaches to development, including a monthly sustainers program, a legacy program and an expansion in the number of members involved and supporting JCA's work.
Community or Constituency Served
Jewish Community Action serves all members of the Jewish community as well as diverse communities across faith, racial and economic lines as allies who are directly impacted by multiple community issues.
Geographic Area Served
State of Minnesota, although work is concentrated in the Twin Cities Metro area.
