V.O.I.C.E. of Northern Virginia
A New Dominion for Justice and Political Participation
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement
an Industrial Areas Foundation Affiliate
VOICE Solidarity Action with Immigrants
Solidarity Action with Youth, Sunday, 25 April, 2010
Testimonies :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96z-Fvvfz6I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am743TdFQ3Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW9RvjcSuaE
Mt Vernon Gazette, 29 April 2010, http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=340200&paper=69&cat=104
Anti-Usury Action & Move the Money Campaign
We had an amazing day on Capitol Hill on April 14th with our Metro Industrial Areas Foundation sister organizations from around the country to stand up against usury. We had great success and announced that the state of Massachusetts, a large union—CSEA--NY, and the Lutheran Missouri Synod will move more than $300 million out of banks that charge usurious interest rates. We also called on our U.S. Senators to protect American consumers from usurious lending by supporting the Interest Rate Reduction Act, which, if passed, would cap interest rates on all consumer loans at 15 percent, the same cap that Congress imposed on credit union loans in 1980.
Over 350 Metro IAF leaders from MA, IL, NC, NJ, NY, DC, VA, CT, WI, MD attended the action. Please view the April 14th action video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIk-OLiVq1c
VA Dental Safety Net preserved!
VOICE helped preserve the VA dental safety net, insuring that thousands of low-income children and adults in the Commonwealth will have access to critical dental care services. Specifically, the VA General Assembly adopted 90% of the VOICE-supported VA Senate Budget for the new biennial FY 2011-2013 including (summary from the VA Health Care Foundation):
- Restores funding to free health clinics, community health centers and the Virginia Health Care Foundation
- FAMIS Eligibility Changes (VA Health Insurance for low-income children and mothers)
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- Maintains FAMIS and FAMIS Moms eligibility at 200% FPL in FY11
- Reduces eligibility to 175% FPL in FY12
- Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental services
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- Cut 3% in FY11
- Cut 4% in FY12
VOICE continues to push for Federal and state action on the Virginia Health Care Foundation’s $5 million application to provide emergency dental care financed with Federal "Temporary Assistance for Needy Families" TANF Emergency Funds as well as to secure additional investments from the TANF Emergency Fund to address local needs arising from the economic downturn, including dental care, in each VOICE jurisdiction.
The Arlington Connection Newspaper, 11 March 2010, VOICE rallies in Richmond to protect dental care in state budget
An Overview of VOICE
Cliquea aquí para la traducción en español: pagina Principal
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) of Northern Virginia is a broad-based, multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-issue, multi-county, strictly non-partisan citizens' power organization dedicated to making change on social justice issues (affordable housing, healthcare, immigration) affecting the lives of low- and middle-income residents in four Northern Virginia jurisdictions: Prince William, Fairfax, and Arlington counties as well as the City of Alexandria. Our membership includes more than 47 houses of worship and 125,000 members across the region.
----------- July 2009 meeting with Governor Kaine ----------
On Monday evening, 20 July 2009, over 1,140 VOICE leaders attended an Action with Governor Tim Kaine in Alexandria to discuss dental care for low-income adults in Virginia; and delays in processing applications for citizenship, permanent residency, and asylum by US Immigration & Citizenship Services.
Click on this link to see testimony on the need for dental care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFeuujreDVQ
Click on this link to see Governor Kaine's response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO9S5dj_2dQ
Photos from the Action
Click on Governor Kaine Action for more details.
Television, radio, and print news on the VOICE Action with Gov Kaine:
NBC 4 Television News Clip -- Click on the third video here VOICE Videos
WAMU Radio 88.5 audio Clip:
WAMU Radio 88.5 in print: http://wamu.org/news/09/07/21.php
Mount Vernon Gazette and Alexandria Gazette Packet: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=331069&paper=69&cat=104
The Washington Hispanic: http://washingtonhispanic.com/html/metro.html#4
El Pregonero: http://www.elpreg.org/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=20&ArticleID=3240&TM=53132.26
Falls Church News Press: http://www.fcnp.com/around-fc/4783-community-news-a-notes.html VIRGINIA GOVERNOR TIM KAINE took the stage to participate in a meeting with hundreds of religious leaders from all over Virginia at T.C. Williams High School Monday night to hear concerns about the lack of dental care for the poorest of Virginia’s residents and the persistent federal delays in processing naturalization applications of Northern Virginia residents. The meeting was organized under the auspices of Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), and a representative from the office of U.S. Senator Jim Webb was also present. (Photo: News-Press)
Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Kaine-confronted-with-budget-woes_-health-care-hopes-at-rally-8004049-51352462.html, 7/22/09
The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/us/05religion.html?_r=1
---------- VOICE Founding Action Oct 2008 -------
On 5 October 2008 over 2,400 VOICE leaders and 27 elected officials attended the VOICE Founding Action.
To see a video of the VOICE Founding Action click on the following link: VOICE of NoVa Founding Action 5 Oct 08
Below are photos from the July 2008 Action at Bethlehem Baptist Church and the VOICE Founding Action at First Mt Zion Baptist Church in October 2008!
SAVE THE DATES!
We're all invited to a WIN Action in DC
Monday, 26 July, 7:30 - 9:30pm, musical prelude begins at 7pm -- please arrive 7pm sharp, Asbury United Methodist Church, 11th and K Sts NW, parking Old Convention Center lot, metro accessible from Metro Center metro stop
ACTION PURPOSE: Hold DC Mayoral & DC Council Candidates Accountable to implementing
WIN’s Vote Neighborhoods First 2010 Elections Agenda: adequate funding for affordable housing, youth
recreation, and the Neighborhood Investment Fund as well as end usury & to commit to implement
WIN’s action plan to put DC residents to work in the green economy weatherizing and retrofitting
commercial buildings, residential buildings, and single family homes.
discussion/decisionand be prepared to take a quota for turnout.
Three-Day LeadershipTraining for Baltimore/DC/VA Area
Thursday, 21 October, 5 pm to Saturday, 23 October, 12 noon
Anti-Usury Campaign
Metro IAF launched a campaign on Wednesday, 22 July, with multiple actions in DC, London, NYC, Chicago, Boston, and NC to reinstate usury laws to cap lending interest rates at 10%. "The fundamental right of people to be protected from exploitation if and when they seek credit must be reasserted," Metro IAF states on the website
IAF del área metropolitana emprendió unacampaña el miércoles 22 de julio con múltiples actividades en D.C., Londres, NuevaYork, Chicago, Boston y Carolina del Norte para restaurar las leyes contra lausura para limitar en un 10% las tasas de interés en los préstamos. Metro IAF afirma en su sitio Web, “Debereafirmarse el derecho fundamental de las personas de estar protegidas contrala explotación al solicitar un préstamo.”