Grants awarded to social justice groups

By ERIC LINDBERG — June 16, 2009

More than $300,000 in grants has been doled out to local social justice groups and community organizers in an effort by the McCune Foundation to support organizations that give voice to residents concerned about farmworker rights, mental health, juvenile justice and other critical social issues.

Funds will cover operating expenses, salaries and other program expenses for a variety of grassroots groups in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties..

“During these challenging times, it is even more critical for those who are economically and politically disenfranchised to have a voice in shaping public policies that affect them,” Sara Miller McCune, founder and president of the foundation, said in a prepared statement.

Organizations seeking a grant may send a letter to the foundation by its next deadline, July 10; details are available at www.mccunefoundation.org. The following groups received grant funding from the McCune Foundation last month.

Alliance for Justice — $15,000 to support advocacy training, technical assistance and other resources for organizations in both counties.

Centro de Unidad Popular Benito Juarez — $50,000 during two years for a program designed to assist the local Mixteco population, including support of a central office in Santa Maria where families can receive help from indigenous leaders, translators and organizers to improve healthcare and services for farmworkers.

Families ACT! — $10,000 toward a community organizing campaign to bring together local residents seeking changes in the mental health and criminal justice systems to improve the treatment of those suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.

Future Leaders of America — $60,000 during two years to cover operating expenses and the “Youth of California Making Change Program,” which seeks to encourage 100 youth activists to become involved in their community.

Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project — $10,000 for board and staff training on supporting community organizing among indigenous farmworkers in Ventura County.

Pacific Pride Foundation — $12,500 for a project to promote local activism in support of equal marriage and civil rights for the gay community at the local, state and national level.

Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition — $20,000 toward a program to engage bike commuters, including those at the nonprofit bike shop Bici Centro, in various cycling issues and outreach efforts.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura — $19,537 for “Yes in Our Backyard,” a program seeking to build a coalition of faith leaders, the homeless community and Ventura residents to decriminalize homelessness and find solutions for the homeless population.

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Any Thoughts? : 6/16/2009

When I hear the term "social justice" or "economic justice" to me it means somebody has done something wrong and needs to be punished. I wonder just who that would be?

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Just one : 6/16/2009

It sounds to me as though wealthy American citizens must be punished for not being poor like some other people are. Isn't that the goal of social justice groups? Of course then if there weren't wealthy people, there wouldn't be grants to help the poor such as is demonstrated here, now would there be? Oh yes I forgot, the other way is to elect social and economic justice advocates like Uribe and Pritchett to tax the %$@ out of us for more welfare programs and handouts to non-profits (stealth welfare).

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Struggling : 6/16/2009

How about just once, a handout for the struggling middle class that is struggling to stay in the "middle" in order to support the lower classes? The lower class benefits from the government, the philanthropists, the non-profits, for doing nothing, But if you play by the rules, pay your bills etc, you will not get a dime of help as you struggle to just make ends meet and pay taxes. Soon there will only be the wealthy and the poor, by design. Its time to choose sides, if you only had a choice.

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