Progress Now Action

Dear Readers:

A recent Denver Post article by Michael Riley published on December 3, 2007 (http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_7619693?source=commented-news) noted that Common Sense Issues, a "qualified nonprofit" associated with veteran Republican operative Patrick Davis, has taken its first shot at Democratic candidates. The Denver Post article points out that with a little more than 11 months to go before the 2008 Election that opponents in the hotly contested Senate campaign are likely to lob a wide array of attacks at each other looking for something that sticks.

Apparently Common Sense Issues first attack (http://www.commonsenseissues.com/) calls into question Congressman Mark Udall's support of the US House Resolution 808 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-808). The ad calls Udall a "Boulder liberal", using the phrase three times in less than 30 seconds, and erroneously gives him credit for the idea of a Department of Peace. The fact however is, as the Denver Post article points out, Udall is distancing himself from the concept and even says he regrets is original support of the bill.

When I finished reading the Post article I'm not sure what upset me the most - the fact that the Republicans preferred campaign strategy STILL continues to be attack ads and misinformation rather intelligent debate on the issues; or, the fact that our Democratic leadership seems to "distance themselves" from anything that requires the courage to stand for their stated values for fear it may make them appear "soft". This is also just another example of why I'm a registered Independent and still in search of true leadership regardless of which Party it comes from. And while the ad takes a jab at Udall, it was the distortion of the proposed US Department of Peace that distressed me the most.

The idea of a US Department of Peace and Nonviolence is not new - nor is it a liberal or conservative concept. While recently introduced as HR 808, the concept itself is as old as the Constitution and was first introduced at the Continental Congress by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately Dr. Rush was unable to convince his fellow statesmen to include the Department of Peace in the Constitution (or Universal Health Care and Equality for ALL men and women either for that matter however that's another story).

The concept of a Department of Peace did not die however; in fact, a form of the US Department of Peace has been reintroduced in some form over 80 times throughout history. The latest attempt has been introduced by Rep. Dennis Kucinich NOT Udall (would have meant he showed leadership) and currently has over 65 co-sponsors and growing support across the Nation. There are also a number of States and Local Governments, and a broad cross section of the community service providers (Police Departments, Women's Shelters, Social Workers, etc.) who have also endorsed the concept.
Contrary to the implication that creating a Department of Peace will somehow diminish our safety as Americans the truth is that the proposed cabinet level department is designed to reduce the level of violence we ALL experience in our lives - whether it's in the bedroom, boardroom, our communities or the world. The ad asks "doesn't he know people are trying to kill us" and I wonder if Common Sense Issues really knows WHO is trying to kill us.

The truth is that we are more likely to be killed at home by someone we know than an illusive international terrorist. The health-related cost of rape, physical assault, stalking and homicide committed by intimate partners in America exceeds $5.8 billion each year. Of that amount, nearly $4.1 billion are for direct medical and mental health care services, and nearly $1.8 billion are for the indirect costs of lost productivity or wages. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States, April 2003.) And this is just the cost of domestic violence, when considering the full range of interpersonal violence a recent World Health Organization report estimated the cost of interpersonal violence in the U.S. (excluding war related costs) at $300 billion a year. [The Economic Dimensions of Interpersonal Violence, World Health Organization, 2004]

The US Department of Peace mobilizes resources, research and proven approaches to prevent domestic and community violence at the root level. Specifically the legislation states that the US Department of Peace and Nonviolence will:

1. Work proactively and interactively with each branch of the Federal Government on all policy matters relating to conditions of peace.

2. Call on the intellectual and spiritual wealth of the people of the United states and seek participation in its administration and in its development of policy from private, public and nongovernmental organizations; and,

3. Monitor and analyze causative principals and make policy recommendation for developing and maintaining peaceful conduct.

4. Develop policies that address domestic violence - spousal, child, elder

5. Create new policies and incorporate existing policies regarding crime, punishment and rehabilitation

6. Develop policies to address violence against animals

7. Analyze existing policies, employ successful, field-tested programs, and develop new approaches for dealing with the implements of violence, including gun-related violence and the overwhelming presence of handguns;

8. Develop new programs that relate to the societal challenges of school violence, gangs, racial or ethnic violence, violence against gays and lesbians, and police-community relations disputes;

9. Make policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding civil rights and labor law;

10. Assist in the establishment and funding of community-based violence prevention programs, including violence prevention counseling and peer mediation in schools;

11. Counsel and advocate on behalf of women victimized by violence;

12. Provide for public education programs and counseling strategies concerning hate crimes;

13. Promote racial, religious and ethnic tolerance;

14. Finance local community initiatives that can draw on neighborhood resources to crate peace projects that facilitate the development of conflict resolution at a national level and thereby inform and inspire national policy; and

15. Provide ethical-based and value-based analyses to the Department of Defense.

When looking at the truth of what the bill would provide, one wonders exactly what activity Common Sense Issues or Udall have a problem with. Even though many of the activities HR 808 proposes are not necessarily new or different - what makes the Department of Peace unique and critical at this time is that it FINALLY brings the type of federal leadership and vision for domestic tranquility that has been the missing in our efforts to reduce violence in our homes, communities and the world for decades.

As a person who has been working in communities at a grassroots level for the past 30 years I can tell you that HR 808 is the type of bill I've been waiting for. And while admittedly it isn't as comprehensive or well defined as I would like, it is the first time in years that I have had a glimmer of hope that as a Nation we are willing to take an honest look at the cost of violence in the world - both in human and economic terms.

It confuses me that Mark Udall, who presents himself as dedicated to peace and the wellbeing of our Nation, would feel compelled to "distance" himself from this landmark legislation. It concerns me that he "wishes" he would have never lent his name in support of this historic effort to reduce the level of violence in our homes and communities rather than working to amend the bill if he has "problems" with parts of it. And it strengthens my resolve to find true leadership to represent my needs in Washington as it appears it will not be coming from Udall.

Julieann Murphy Cross
Brighton, Colorado

The River of Light Enterprise, a local non-profit organization, invites you to celebrate

Spring in the Rockies
Bi-Annual Plant and Seed Exchange

PROCEEDS BENEFIT FOOD, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE CITIZENS - HOMELESS VETERANS, DISABLED ADULTS, HIGH RISK YOUTH, FRAIL ELDERLY - IN THE METRO AREA

Bring to Exchange with Fellow Gardeners
Seeds - Starts - Shrubs - Bulbs -Tree Saplings - Vegetable seedlings
Indoor and Outdoor Plants Welcome

Bring as many plants as you wish and take home an equal amount from others' donations

If you don't have plants or seeds to share from your yard, we suggest bringing vegetable sprouts

All native plants are Welcome

Please separate and label plants individually, ready to be taken home by fellow gardeners - We suggest placing individual plants in small wax paper cups

Save $ toward your landscaping needs - Add a variety of new and interesting plants to your yard

A $10 per family donation is requested at the gate
Join us for this unique and fun family event

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JULIE AT 303-667-6032

After 30 years of working with the poor and marginalized in our community, I've developed a "love-hate" relationship with the holidays.

I love the holiday season because of the time I have with my children and grandchildren. I love being able to cook and bake and make memories. I love the spirit of compassion that runs through our community - the turkey, toy and coat drives, and the stories of "random acts of kindness" that fill the airways.

I hate the holidays though because the paradox of poverty becomes even more glaring during the commercialism of the holiday season. It is also generally the time people are most in need and the money to run programs are exhausted for the year. If you work in serving the most vulnerable, usually you spend the majority of your holiday season scrambling to raise money, find volunteers, and prepare Christmas for hundreds. The stress of it all makes it tough to keep the "holiday spirit". (This year's event to serve 300 people is well on its way - we could really use your help so give me a call)

Generally, sometime during the holiday season usually around the 20th of December, I have a day where I think - "Forget this, I'm going to work for McDonald's. In fact I'd make more money doing that than this!"

This day is generally is prompted by the struggles of raising money and finding enough to pay the bills associated with serving the most vulnerable among us. I never really mean it - and the mood generally only lasts about 24 hours - but still, its there.

This year the stress has been even greater. In addition to preparing Christmas for 300, I have been struggling for weeks to raise money to help keep Blessing House (a small home serving women who would otherwise be homeless), the Senior High Rise Food Bank (serving 400 people a week) and the Veterans Justice Alliance Project (now working with over 20 homeless and disabled Veterans) all alive. (We have a fundraiser planned so please plan on attending - check our event posting to reserve your seat)

As a result, the dreaded "I quit" day came a little early. This year, less than 24 hours after I had stuffed 20 members of my family to the gills with turkey and all the trimmings and counted all my blessings, I was back on the job and it was my turn to take the calls of our InLife Community Concierge phone line. The first one I got was from a woman who, given the way she barked her opening remarks, was obviously upset and frustrated. "Before we get into everything" she started, "I want to know if you are really going to be able to help me".

"Well," I said slowly, "I'm not exactly sure what you are looking for so I can't promise you I can help - but I will tell you if I can't I'll stay with it and you until we find someone who can." This seemed to defuse her a bit and she proceeded to tell me a story.

She had been standing in line at the pharmacy when a young, well dressed man at the counter in front of her was fumbling for money to pay for a prescription for his children who were in tow. She said she saw him fumbling for change and overheard that he wasn't that short. So she decided she was going to get out of the store quicker if she just paid the little bit that was left so she could get her business done and move on.

"Wow", I said, "that was incredibly generous of you, but I'm not sure..."

"Just wait" she said and then went on with her story. "When I started out of the store, he was standing there and insisted that he take my groceries to the car for me. He said it was the least he could do. On our way to the car I found out that he was a young single father and Veteran of the Marines. I also found out that he was working but because he is paid on commissions and the economy is bad he is really struggling. And as we continued to talk, I realized my husband and I could help him a little, so after we called and checked out his story, we paid his utility bill so he could keep the heat on. Then we called some friends and together we helped get him a car to go back and forth to work because he was spending hours on the bus every morning. Now though he's in danger of being evicted and my husband and I have cancer and can't do any more. I've called over 50 churches, community programs and county social service agencies to get him help and not one of them has done anything! In fact, one church leader even had the audacity to scold him for being in trouble and told him he shouldn't be even asking for help as an ex-Marine! So I want to know what you are going to do?!"

I just sat quietly for a few minutes before I responded. "First what I am going to do is apologize for the difficulty you have had in trying to do the right thing by helping this young man. I can only say that many of the organizations are overwhelmed or simply not trained to really help in your situation. Then I'm going to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time - for putting in the effort - for caring. I was ready to quit today and you just reminded me why I can't and won't. Now I'm going to tell you that the struggles you are having finding him help is the struggles of hundreds of people who call me each month. The truth is our "safety net" is broken and it will take all of us working together to fix it."

After more conversation I asked her to have the young father call me directly. After a few minutes he did and he repeated the story the woman had told me, including the part about being chastised by one church leader he had asked for help. At this, his voice broke ever so slightly and he said that "it's just been real hard". It simply broke my heart. I told him that I could not imagine how difficult it was for him to keep his faith under these circumstances and how proud I was of him for having the courage to ask for help.

Now I wish I could tell you that we've solved his problem and found him help. I can't. The truth is that for most programs that are available his income is $100 too much so he's not eligible or they can't really help until he and his children are literally on the streets. We are still negotiating, advocating and looking for help for him. The sad truth is though just like we watched during Katrina, the social safety net just has too many holes in it - one he had fallen into.

The US system of social assistance known as the "safety net" is comprised of numerous federal departments and agencies, state and local offices, community based secular and faith based organizations and even private businesses. Authorized by different congressional committees spanning over 75 years, these programs were created to meet specific needs of different poor and vulnerable groups. Some, like Medicaid, are entitlement programs that guaranteed benefits to all eligible applicants while others, like child care or housing, operate on discretionary funding that is sufficient for only a fraction of qualifying applicants.

Different sets of rules and regulations govern benefit eligibility across the 80 plus programs creating a "safety net" that is fragmented, difficult and costly to administer and simply to complex for the poor or anyone else to navigate. Compounding the labyrinth of bureaucracy of public funded programs is the maze of local secular and faith-based non-profits that deliver services directly to those in need. Currently there are over 1.9 million nonprofits in America, 15,000+ in Colorado alone.

Yet for all our efforts, both publicly and privately, the U.S. Census Bureau reports there are more than 35.7 million Americans living below the poverty line and the number has increased steadily over the last five years. Clearly - whether you are conservative or liberal - when you look at the evidence you have to see that what we are doing simply isn't working! The question is nobody seems to want to ask though is what will?

Unfortunately, I don't think we are going to find the solutions to some of our most challenging social issues like poverty if we wait for our elected officials to find the answer. I think the solution is in the hands of people like the woman who called me last Friday. Or the over 30 small social entrepreneurs who are bringing people in off the streets to live in small homes they own, or running food banks from their garages, or working 2nd and sometimes 3rd jobs to keep their small neighborhood based nonprofits alive. It is going to take each one of us - reaching out and helping another - to really build the type of world we are all looking for.

Hubert Humphrey once said, "Government will never replace the helping hand of a neighbor". Unless we can all come together as a community and support not only the large organizations who can afford to advertise their programs on television and in large ads in the local newspapers but the small food bank or shelter right in our own neighborhoods - we may loose the only programs that are currently catching those who have already fallen through the cracks.   Read More »

This time of year it always gives me hope when I hear all the "good will" stories of people helping other people. This year's "giving season" was kicked off in a major way by Oprah, who gave the members of her studio audience $1,000 with the condition they must give it away in "random acts of kindness" to one or more strangers. They were to record their experience with a video camera on loan to return their results on tape. People across the Country are "buzzing" about it and here in Colorado and across the country it's been a springboard for "giving back" holiday food, clothing and gift drives.

It reminds me though that Francis Moore Lappe, best selling author and founder of the Small Planet Institute said, "The problem with the phrase 'giving back' is that it denies our true nature. It presumes that we perceive ourselves as standing on the outside of community, feeling obligated to contribute because we are so privileged, instead of feeling connected and deeply entrenched in community as participants."

As I listened this week to the stories of simple acts people did for another or someone did for them that made a huge difference, it warmed my heart. It also made me a little sad because as wonderful as the stories are, I know that to really address some of our most challenging social issues in health care, housing, education and economic security, it will take more than a few random acts - it will take people like:

Chaplain Barbara McArthur with Blessing House Partners in Faith, who provides housing for 40 homeless women while working another job to pay her own bills. They may have to close the doors right after Thanksgiving because she can't continue to carry the costs for the women she's helping while they struggle to find full-time work.

Or the Hernandez family, who runs the Senior High Rise Food Bank and feeds over 400 people each month from their garage, yet are struggling and may have to close just after Christmas because they can't continue to pay for utilities, and gas to pick up food that's been donated on their retirement incomes.

Or the volunteers from the American GI Forum and Veterans for Peace who are personally struggling with their own battles with the Veterans Administration yet have come together to establish the Veterans Justice Alliance to provide support, care and comfort to the 800 homeless and disabled veterans living on the streets in the Denver area each night!

And these are just three of more than thirty social entrepreneurs ROLE is currently working with, each are committing their hands, hearts and souls - and most of their own money - to fill the gaps in our broken social safety net.

These are people who are fully entrenched in community and "walk the talk" each and every day. The River of Light Enterprise, Inc. (ROLE) - the nonprofit organization I am proud to lead - has established the Chamber of Compassion to "serve those who serve" by helping these unsung heroes get the support they need to keep many vital neighborhood-based programs alive.

Right now the people we serve who help so many others are in dire straights themselves and many may have to close their doors if the community doesn't step in and donate the cash they need to keep going. Most people think that those who serve the poor get tax money, foundation grants, or lots of donated money from the general public to support the work they do -- but the truth is…

· The Bush FY 2007 budget cuts 141 domestic programs, led by a $36-billion cut in Medicare spending for the elderly over the next five years and the complete elimination of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program that provides food assistance to low-income seniors, needy pregnant women and children.

· According to the 1998 National Congregations Study, the first comprehensive study of churches and their spending showed that less than 3% of the average congregation's total budget was spent on social services.

· According to the Independent Sector, the share of giving that goes to organizations known for helping the poor, hit a record low in 2004, accounting for less than 10% of the $248 billion donated by Americans and their philanthropic institutions.

Eliminating poverty is not a "random act" - it takes consistency, commitment, and perseverance. And it takes CASH! Cash for things like phones to coordinate donations; for gas and oil to deliver necessities to those in need and for paying utility bills at emergency housing units.

Right now, Blessing House needs $5,000, or all 10 women looking to start a new and prosperous life will be back out on the street right after Thanksgiving!

Unless we can raise $5,000 to help Senior High Rise Food Bank pay their utilities and transportation costs, people will be hungry by Christmas!

And if we don't raise another $5,000 to support the Veterans Justice Alliance through the end of the year, we will be unable to provide on-going care and support to over 20 Veterans who are struggling to keep food on their tables and a roof over their head while they are waiting for their claims to be processed.

These are OUR neighborhood resources that have been selflessly helping quietly while we are living our lives. They start their days feeding people who are hungry, searching for shelter for those who are homeless, and challenging bureaucrats to respond to people who have "fallen through the cracks" of our broken safety net. And they do it with little or no recognition or sufficient support from the community they serve.

Hubert Humphrey once said, "Government will never replace the helping hand of a neighbor". Unless we can all come together as a community and support not only the large organizations who can afford to advertise their programs on television and in large ads in the local newspapers but the small food bank or shelter right in our own neighborhoods - we may loose the only programs that are currently catching those who have already fallen through the cracks.

My prayer is that we all take Oprah's challenge and practice random acts of kindness with more focus. Better yet, I challenge you to consider making "consistent acts of kindness", and perhaps becoming a sponsoring member of the RIVER OF LIGHT ENTERPRISE. Our pledge is to use ALL of the money raised to keep Blessing House, the Senior High Rise Food Bank and the Veterans Justice Projects open and serving the most vulnerable among us. If you'd like to discuss these issues or would like more facts, I welcome your call at 303-667-6032.

Sincerely,

Julieann Murphy-Cross
Pres./CEO River of Light Enterprise
http://www/rivereoflight.org
303-667-6032

I read a short story by Ivan Moreno (Rocky Mountain News, September 27, 2006 - Veterans' plight is focus of rally) on a recent rally to raise awareness to the plight of homeless Veterans in Colorado and had two responses - the first being "duh" - it's only something Veteran Service Advocates have been saying for more than a decade! My second response was "Thank God" that someone is starting to listen!

Unfortunately, your article only touched the tip of the iceberg. Most people are unaware of the true deficit in services that exist for Veterans in our community. The general perception is that the Veterans' Administration is caring for the needs of vulnerable Veterans. Reality, however, is far from the truth. Consider the following:

 Almost one-half of the 2.7 million disabled U.S. Veterans receive $337 or less a month in benefits, which comes from the VA's Veterans Benefits Administration. Less than one-10th of disabled Veterans are rated 100-per-cent disabled. To an outsider, the VA benefit formulas can seem like a riddle. If, for instance, a vet is diagnosed as 70 percent physically disabled and 30 percent disabled as a result of post-traumatic stress, the total disability does not necessarily add up to 100 percent; it could amount to 80 per cent. And that means a monthly check of $1,277; $1,500 for a family of four - poverty level!

 The backlog of unprocessed claims has reached the astronomical count of 489,297, a number which is unfortunately increasing all of time. There are also currently 500,000 Compensation and Pension cases still pending. This means that close to a million Veterans and their families are at risk of financial ruin and homelessness, while the VA processes the paperwork!

 More than 1 million American soldiers serve in Iraq and according to a recent study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that 15 to 17 percent of Iraq vets meet "the screening criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or PTSD." Of those, only 23 to 40 percent are seeking help - in part because so many others fear the stigma of having a mental disorder. Those who do reach out often find long waiting lists for treatment within the Veterans' Service Network and a Civilian Service System that is ill-prepared to meet their needs.

 Over 1.7 million Veterans do not have any health insurance nor do they have access to health care through the Veterans' Administration. Another 3.9 million Veteran households do not have health insurance nor do they have access to Veterans' health care due to ineligibility.

 The Denver 2005 VA CHALENG Report acknowledges Colorado has 3,895 homeless veterans yet there are only 102 beds dedicated to meet their needs. The majority of these are operated by non-Veteran run organizations that may or may not have unique services for Veterans or even have Veterans on staff. In fact, while the growing body of research supports the fact that the most effective services for homeless Veterans are "Vet to Vet" - of the eight organizations listed by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans to be providing services in Colorado, only three are Vet run organizations. .

 According to the Denver Metro Homeless Initiative Point in Time Survey conducted on January 23, 2006, 813 homeless individuals indicated they had served in the US Military yet only 110 (or 1 in 7) were collecting Veterans' Benefits. The true picture of homelessness among Veterans in Colorado cannot fully be known as the only question asked was whether the individual served in the US Military. There was no exploration as to whether Veterans are over represented among the chronically homeless, although given 85% of those identified as chronically homeless are men.

 The FY 2005 CHALENG Report (the VA equivalent to the Point in Time Survey) indicated that long-term permanent housing is among the top three unmet needs and has been consistently over the past five years. As the author of the very first CHALENG Report in 1997 in the Denver-metro area, I can tell you this has been true for the past 10 years!

Contrary to the perceptions that our nation's Veterans are well-supported, the fact is that many go without the services they require and are eligible to receive. Neither the VA, State, or County Departments of Veteran Affairs, or community-based and faith-based service providers are adequately resourced to respond to these veterans' health, housing and supportive services needs.

For example, the VA reports that its homeless treatment and community-based assistance network serves 100,000 Veterans annually. With an estimated 500,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness at some time during a year and the VA reaching only 20 percent of those in need, 400,000 Veterans remain without services from the department responsible for supporting them. Likewise, other federal, state, and local public agencies--notably housing and health departments--are not adequately responding to the housing, health care and supportive services needs of Veterans. Indeed, it appears that Veterans fail to register as a target group for these agencies.

It is disconcerting and difficult to reconcile the Nation's call to "support our troops" with the systematic denial of benefits to Veterans and their families created by administrative barriers. These barriers are failing to fully fund the programs or even honoring the most basic assurances of Veterans preferences in hiring and contracting work.

Even more disconcerting is the given the number of Veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War who are still fighting for recognition and benefits they earned. We are willing - as a Nation - to subject another generation of soldiers to the same fate. Already community-based organizations from across the Nation are seeing returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans in their shelters, soup kitchens and food banks.

After spending months in a war zone, many of the 170,000 soldiers who've returned home are struggling with their transition to back-to-civilian life. They are dealing with everything from coping with a maze of red tape and contradictory messages on healthcare to finding affordable housing and jobs with adequate incomes to accessing disability payments.

One of the biggest problems, according to advocates and a report by the Government Accountability Office, is a lack of resources to deal with battle fatigue, or posttraumatic stress disorder, as it's now called. Another is providing support for Reserve and National Guard troops, who make up 45 percent of the troops in Iraq.

"The bottom line is that the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] wasn't prepared for the 33,000 troops that have come back and gone to the VA needing care," says Paul Rieckhoff of Operation Truth, a nonprofit advocacy group for Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. "They're definitely not ready for the flood that's going to come back next year."

Operation Truth and the Circle of Friends for American Veterans mentioned in your article are National efforts to bring justice to our Veterans. Locally, the River of Light Enterprise, Inc, Veterans Justice Alliance Project has joined in partnership with the American GI Forum, Veterans for Peace and Veterans Faith Based Village to raise the level of awareness and justice for Colorado Veterans.

The project will kick-off on October 4th from 7-9 pm with a lecture and book signing by local author John DeVore at the Tennyson Gallery in northwest Denver (44th & Tennyson). John, a combat Vietnam Veteran, will share his story from a soldier of war to a warrior of peace, in his lecture the "Myth and Reality of War". While the event is free, proceeds from the sale of John's book "Sitting in the Flames: Unleashing Fearlessness to Serve Others", will support services to homeless and incarcerated Veterans living in the Denver-metro area.

We encourage Veterans who are seeking their own journey back to a sense of peace as well as people who really want to both understand how to support Veterans in their lives to attend. To quote one Veteran I met recently: "If people really supported our troops they'd do more than throw a parade…they'd make sure Veterans received the benefits they were promised!"

The "Eye of God"

I received the picture below in an e-mail recently. (Click here to view the picture)

The photo records a "one of a kind" event that occurs once every 3000 years or so. The phenomenon in the amazing image below is the Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula about 650 light-years from Earth.
   Read More »

Denver, Colorado - September, 1 2006 - The River of Light Enterprise, Veterans Justice Alliance Project, with the gracious support of local Gallery Director Trina Hoefling and her staff, will be hosting local author John DeVore. The free event will be held Wednesday, October 4th from 7:00 to 9:30 at the Tennyson Street Gallery at 44th and Tennyson.

John DeVore, a decorated Viet Nam combat Veteran, will introduce his recently released work "Sitting in the Flames: Uncovering Fearlessness to Help Others" and will speak to the journey combat Veterans and the Nation must take to heal the wounds of war.

For 40 years, John Edwin DeVore carried the weight of war before finally removing the burden and looking closely at what it signified. "Sitting in the Flames" is a fascinating and thought provoking study of human character blinded by corporate greed, by the passion to consume, by the myth of armed conflict and by cultural conditioning that fosters what one believes, as opposed to how one behaves. DeVore has written a critically important and timely perspective of war, and he offers a very compelling and priceless message.

As reviewed by New York Times best selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh, "In clear, heartfelt prose, DeVore describes a brave and unflinching confrontation with his past, made necessary in order for him to have a more meaningful future. War, he realized, isn't just one man's experience-it's the sum total experience of an entire country. To stop wars, he argues, we must understand them and why we seem to need them. Beautifully told, DeVore's book is an important and unforgettable addition to the literature of Vietnam..."

The event is the first in a series of events that will be held throughout the fall to bring public attention to the critical gaps in services to vulnerable Veterans living in the Denver-metro area. Currently research indicates that nearly 35% of all homeless people in America are Veterans of US Military Services yet nearly 1 million Veterans across the Country are awaiting the benefits that will keep them out of poverty because the Veterans Administration hasn't finished processing their claims!

The River of Light Enterprise, Veterans Justice Alliance Project was established to raise funds and support "vet to vet" programs to address the long-term care needs of disabled Veterans. The River of Light Enterprise is working closely with Veterans for Peace, the American GI Forum, Veterans Faith Based Village and other Veterans Service Organizations to increase services to Veterans and their families throughout the Denver-metro area.   Read More »

I've been a fundraiser since the day I could reach the doorbell. It started with selling Girl Scout cookies door to door so I could earn my way to camp each summer. By the time I graduated from High School I was a pro - cookies for camp, candy bars for band, magazines for sports, and flower sales for prom. Then just when I thought my fundraising days were over my "professional" life took over. Just like high school football is nothing like the "Pro's" - the "professional fundraising biz" is a whole different game than selling a few trinkets. Over the last 29 years I have raised millions of dollars for charities throughout the Country through benefits, grants and government contracts and I can tell you it takes a lot more than a good cause to raise real money these days.

Today in my role as President of the River of Light Enterprise, one of my charges is to support our Partner Members (an emerging network of community and faith based entities) gain the resources they need to operate their programs. Needless to say - fundraising still takes up a good portion of my day! Yet in today's environment it's not just that "getting money" is tough - it's what the money could cost you that is the real threat to the Independent Sector (nonprofits).

Money's Tight

In the fall of 2005, while the Country watched the unfolding horror of the Hurricane Katrina States on the evening news, the US Census Bureau quietly released its annual report entitled "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States." Not surprisingly, the report revealed that poverty increased last year. There were 37 million (12.7 percent) people living in poverty, an increase of 1.1 million people since 2003. This was the fourth consecutive year in which poverty has increased. Since President Bush took office, 5.4 million more people, including 1.4 million children, have found themselves living in poverty. Link

Yet as the US Census was reporting that more people needed help, America's legislative bodies were at the same time passing a budget resolution that will slash nearly $35 billion dollars from programs like Medicaid, Food Stamps, Head Start, Housing, and even Veterans Benefits. http://www.ombwatch.org. Unfortunately, those Americans who find themselves "cut-off" from public programs will most likely seek services from community and faith-based organizations only to find what the "trickle down" economic theory really means.

Given it is estimated that the majority of non-health related charitable programs report 20% or more of their budgets are derived from government funds, and the figure for direct human service providers closer to 33%, without some "hardcore fundraising" a lot of programs serving America's most vulnerable will be radically reduced if not closed altogether Link

When money is tight, very few nonprofit Board's charged with ensuring their nonprofit has the resources to serve people will risk a major portion of the resources they have left by taking a strong vocal voice against an Administration that has demonstrated itself to be swiftly vindictive when opposed. http://www.theocracywatch.org

Golden Handcuffs

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition 2000 defines "golden handcuffs" as "a lucrative incentive to an executive intended to discourage resignation or ensure long-term cooperation after departure." The phrase however has been used to describe a variety of situations where the "cost of comfort or benefit" is paid through the loss of freedom and control over one's own life. It's a phrase that could be used in conjunction with women who are economically bound in abusive relationships, or a small company that must constantly appease their largest customer, or in this case to describe the situation many community and faith based organizations are increasingly finding themselves in with funding sources - whether they are public, private or corporate in nature.

The Independent Sector has historically provided the voice for the forgotten and abused in our communities. And throughout this history, there has been a continuing tension between advocacy and service. Often a "movement" is born out of a passion to "right a wrong" through a change in laws and/or a redirection of resources to solve a specific social need. And the expected outcome of these Movements, have most often been an outpouring of public resources to establish programs to make amends.

Over the last 30 years I have had the privilege and opportunity to have been involved either directly in the legislative action or by operating services that were a result of the Women's Movement, the Peace Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the United Farm Worker Movement, the Labor Movement, the Homeless Movement, the American Indian Movement, the Immigration Amnesty Movement, and the Veterans Movement. I would stand shouting on the steps of the capital to gain attention to an abuse of the "system" in the morning and sit submissively in the offices of public funding bureaucrats in the afternoon trying to eek out a few more dollars in the latest service contract to keep my little agency alive.

When I was in college, I remember some professor saying that Saul Alinsky - the noted "father of community organizing" - was quoted as saying "the quickest way to kill a movement is to throw money at it". At the time, I remember thinking "yea, easy for you to say, I've got 150 people waiting at the office looking for food, I'll take a little less Movement and a lot more money right now myself." But age brings wisdom and I hate to admit it - but Saul was right!

In retrospect, the more successful the "movement" (no matter which one it was) has become at raising the level of public funding for programs, the less time we spend on the steps of capitals and the more time we spend in the offices of a myriad of bureaucrats. Our time now is spent almost exclusively on appeasing "our biggest funder" to retain the limited dollars we've gained as opposed to standing on the "steps" calling for the civil and basic human rights of our constituents - regardless of "which movement" we are.

Our argument is generally "better to keep what we have and serve than risk being without funds or services". Or "we can't push to hard - or they'll cut our funding and then what?" We've determined we needed to be more "business-like" - more like them - and now the "golden handcuffs" account for increasing portions of our budgets and we've almost forgotten who we really work for - the community!

Getting Real

Robert Egger, founder of the DC Central Kitchen one of the most successful 21st Century nonprofits in the Country, is noted as saying "Whether it's employing felons, paying a living wage, being eco-friendly or giving ownership to staff, if we can show that it's possible to do the above and STILL make a profit, then we will be leading by example which is the best form of advocacy. More importantly, we'll be demonstrating that, in the future, philanthropy will be linked with how you spend your money everyday, not how much you give away at the end of the year."

Egger has just written Begging for Change (with Howard Yoon) (Harper Business, 240 pages), which delivers this basic message: Non-profits must stop chasing money and start focusing on the true work at hand and is deeply critical of those in the non-profit sector who are more interested in the status quo than in "tearing down walls, break(ing) routines and look(ing) for more efficient ways of running service organizations." But "tearing down walls" is not easy work and the first step - like they say in 12-step programs - is to admit we are powerless over "self serving" funding we've become "addicted" to! Continuing in that theme, I propose a NPO 12-Step Program for "breaking the golden handcuffs" -

Step 1 We admitted our silence has been purchased with "self-serving funding" that has weakened our ability to realize justice, equality, and opportunity for all Americans

Step 2 We have come to believe that breaking the "golden handcuffs" of public and self-serving philanthropic funding sources can restore our independence and return us to our place as the "authentic" voice for the most vulnerable in our Nation

Step 3 We have made a conscious pledge to "stop chasing" the money and focus our attention on strategies that addresses the core systemic barriers to meeting the vital mission we were established to address

Step 4 We have made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our programs, policies and budgets to find areas of inefficiency, ineffectiveness and compromise that prevent us from realizing our vital missions

Step 5 We pledged to our Boards, Staff, Volunteers, Consumers and Communities that we will work to "be the change" by standing as an authentic, independent and accountable advocate for those we serve

Step 6 We are entirely ready to take affirmative steps to eliminate our dependence on "self-serving" funding sources that diminish our capacity to speak for the voiceless or protect the most vulnerable among us

Step 7 We humbly ask the community and those we serve to support us in this effort and will prove ourselves worthy of this support by operating with the highest level of integrity to assure the public trust

Step 8 We have established and will adhere to a clear statement of ethics and developed policies to ensure our fundraising never compromises our ability to stand as an independent, authentic voice for those we serve

Step 9 We have taken active steps to create programs that promotes personal responsibility, shared accountability and self-determination by offering opportunities to serve, build wealth, and work cooperatively for a better community without sacrificing our collective future

Step 10 We will serve as stewards of the community and assure the public of the integrity of our efforts through transparent management and accountability

Step 11 Seek to improve our conscious contract with those who entrust us with the resources to use them as they were intended as efficiently and effectively as possible

Step 12 Having regained our Independent Voice as the result of these steps we tried to carry this message to other like-minded organizations to practice

As a "recovering public fund junkie" I can tell you - hitting the "delete" button on the continuous flow of public RFP's that hit my e-mail daily is not an easy thing. I am operating a fledging nonprofit and its not that I don't know "how" to play the game and pick up a few government grants but that the cost of that money in an era when those I've pledged to devote my life in service to need a independent voice more than ever. And it's true we all are still pulling dollars out of our pockets each month to pay the bills instead of collecting paychecks - but our hands are clean and "business" is picking up. And each time someone tells me the solution to all our problems is to go get a "government grant" I just smile and tell them "No thanks - I'm in recovery so can you just write me a check?"   Read More »

According to the National Priorities Project (http://www.costofwar.com) Taxpayers in Colorado will pay $5.0 billion for the cost of war in Iraq. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

* 911,052 People Receiving Health Care or
* 96,067 Elementary School Teachers or
* 716,231 Head Start Places for Children or
* 2,223,172 Children Receiving Health Care or
* 25,316 Affordable Housing Units or
* 732 New Elementary Schools or
* 1,238,473 Scholarships for University Students or
* 99,247 Music and Arts Teachers or
* 102,116 Public Safety Officers or
* 11,769,883 Homes with Renewable Electricity or
* 72,516 Port Container Inspectors

The optimum word is could have - instead, the Administration continues to cut the budgets of those programs that serve the most vulnerable among us.

In a review of the FY 2007 Proposed Federal Budget, the Center for American Progress (Link found that the President proposes to reduce Medicare funding by $36 billion through provider payment cuts and through increasing premium payments for some higher-income Medicare beneficiaries. The budget also calls for further reductions in Medicaid funding.

And when the funds are cut, its the local based secular nonprofit and faith based communities that step up and shoulder the burden of caring for the most vulnerable among us.

Reading the reviews and financial analysis of the Federal budget is one thing - seeing the impact its has on community based programs and those they serve in person however will fuel your activism with honest emotion and first hand experience. I just learned of an upcoming opportunity to see a wide array of programs that are supported by funding that is threatened is an upcoming week-long focus on Community Development in Adams County.

A Forum and Resource Fair will be held Monday April 17th from 5:30 - 8:30 pm at the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Training Center, 1500 E. 128th Ave, Thornton, CO 80241. Four of the main service agencies in Adams County will also be hosting open houses to showcase their programs throughout the rest of the week.

For more informaiton call the Adams County Office of Community And Economic Opportunity at 303-453-8500.

Trust me - once you've seen these valiant agencies at work your political activism will gain power and this is a good chance to "fuel up"!

Do you remember that 1993 movie called "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray - the one where he wakes up on the worst day of his life over and over and over again? As I was watching the National news today, I suddenly had the sense that I was somehow trapped in that same movie with Murray - a giant cosmic time loop of sorts.

As I watched the news video of the 50,000 people marching to demand Immigration Reform I was transported back to 1976. It now has been almost thirty years since I entered VISTA and began my "professional career" as a Social Entrepreneur and Activist. My first "gig" was with an agency that had been spawned from the organizing work of Cesar Chavez called the Colorado Migrant Council and served undocumented immigrants working the crops in southeastern Colorado primarily because no one else would.

I spent my days back then providing food and shelter to farm workers who worked in the fields picking lettuce, beans and potatoes (back braking work) from sun-up to sun-down. I came to appreciate and admire the dedication and commitment they had to building a better life for their children often spending over 60 hours in the field and committing their nights and weekends studying English, learning to read and gaining the skills they needed to fully participate in the community.

Back then, as a service provider, we had to "make sure everyone we served was a citizen" before we were allowed to help them. It didn't matter whether they were hungry and hadn't eaten for days - we were instructed to ask everyone "if they were a citizen" before we opened our cupboards to feed them. Worse, we were specifically instructed NOT to serve anyone who wasn't a "citizen" no matter how hungry they were.

And - this is where the reference to Ground Hog Day comes in - today, 30 years later on what is now known as Cesar Chavez Day, the opening story on National news is about the need for Immigration Reform and the threat that those who serve illegal immigrants might face criminal charges if they offer care!

I had to look at the calendar --- it was such a "flashback" like experience I had to take a deep breath and close my eyes just to center myself. When I closed my eyes, this little "power point" like presentation started running in my head and went something like this….

Then….United Farm Workers improving the lives and conditions of farm workers….today…major threats to civil liberties for all Americans, not just undocumented workers

Then...women gaining more equality…today we still have more women living in and/or at risk of poverty than every before and our right to choose in matters pertaining to our OWN bodies genuinely threatened.

Then...opened up the doors to government through Sunshine laws to restore faith in the democratic process…today there are threats to the integrity of our voting process, wide scale abuse, mismanagement and even criminal investigations in all areas of our government.

I opened my eyes, my head still reeling, and wondered aloud, "Am I stuck in a time loop? Was the last 30 years of progress just a dream?" Or - to paraphrase an old Kenny Rogers song - "did we get tired or did we just get lazy - forgetting every form of refuge has its price?"

The price of "refuge" the current Administration continues to try to sell us --- is just way to high! The Administration is trying to sell us a "refuge of economic health" by giving the wealthiest of our Country tax breaks that will result in the downsizing or closing of some of our most vital publicly funded programs and services for the least among us even while:

 Two-thirds of Americans will use at least one means-tested welfare program at some time between ages 22 and 65 - including temporary assistance to needy families, aid to the needy dependent, and food stamps, social security and Medicare.

 Over 1.7 million Veterans do not have any health insurance nor do they have access to health care through the Veterans Administration due to ineligibility.

 3 in 10 men and 1 in 4 women leave the workforce due to a long lasting or life threatening illness or disability prior to retirement age and nearly 55% of all disabled households live in poverty.

 Nearly a third of all those over the age of 65 dervive at least 90 percent of their total income from Social Security with an average benefit of $10,740 annually and leaving about 10 percent of the elderly living below the official poverty level.

Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Nothing matters more than the assurance of a just, peaceful, sustainable world for all and its time to recognize our interdependence with all life throughout the earth.
Together we can achieve this by:

 Committing our time, life choices and financial resources to the values of diversity, tolerance and justice

 Promoting policies that encourage individual growth and collective action to build close-knit, compassionate and caring communities

 Holding our economic, political, social, educational, and religious institutions accountable for the consequences of their actions by demanding transparency, accountability and stewardship for the common good ans a sustainable future

 Individually and collectively consider the consequences of our decisions so that potential harm is anticipated, prevented or at least mitigated to the greatest extent possible.

We must start from where we are, we must do what we can individually and support each other's efforts collectively so that we can become a model of a world that is just, peaceful and sustainable for all life.

By each of us doing our part, we can prevent this Administration's attempt to make us re-fight the last 30 years worth of social justice battles in this Country. We can and must stand up and say enough!

We can and must restore America's greatness by reactivating the collective spirit that won the battles for sustainable energy, just and equitable distribution of resources, just and peaceful resolution of conflict and disputes, meaningful work balanced by purposeful prosperity, and the assurance of the most basic needs for food, housing, primary education and access to health care for all members of the community is the norm as opposed to the exception.

It won't happen without you though! You can and must find an group to become involved in that can best use your passion, time, talent and resources to achieve our collective vision. There are plenty of outlets on the Progress Now Website and there are over 10,000 nonprofits in the Denver-metro area alone who are always looking for willing, dedicated volunteers with heart. Find an outlet for your passion and stand up today because remember: "You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the win/loss record of the referee" (John Holcomb)   Read More »

Many veterans claim the military had reported them to credit bureaus and turned accounts over to collection agencies. Severely wounded and disabled soldiers pay had been suspended or severely garnished to pay "overpayments" from Army clerical errors leaving them and their families in financial ruin. According to a study commissioned by the First Infantry Division it is estimated that eight out of 10 of its wounded soldiers from Iraq have gone through the same or a similar ordeal.

News stories are finally talking about the difficulties many returning Iraqi veterans are having in accessing benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA). Check out the following ABC Nightline on January 31, 2006 (Link.

As I watched this heartbreaking and enraging report my first thought was that it's immoral that the only place our current Administration seems to "put Veterans first" is on the answering machine at the VA Hospital! My next thought was that as horrific as the additional emotional and financial wounds that these brave soldiers have endured at the hands of our Government - that someone should warn them the emotional and financial torture is just beginning.   Read More »