We are proud to say that GSOP is the largest grassroots community organization in New Hampshire. We are comprised of
32 religious, community, and labor organizations representing 20,000 New Hampshire families.
We work on issues such as affordable housing, jobs, health care, and education to improve the lives of all people.
Granite State Organizing
Project Newsletter
Publisher:
Granite State
Organizing Project Volume No.3
Issue No.3 Date: October 2009
|
GSOP
ANNUAL MEETING
November 8, 2009, at 2:30 p.m.
Nashua Main Street
United Methodist Church
154 Main Street
Nashua, NH
03060
GSOP has had many
wonderful accomplishments this year, but we need member participation and input to keep the organization on track and moving
forward.
Join us for our annual meeting to elect officers*, review 2009’s activities, plan new campaigns, and strategize
together and recommit to our
struggle for economic
and social justice in
New Hampshire.
We will also vote
on a proposed change to our Constitution at this meeting. We would like to elect
officers for two year terms, instead of having to get new officers every year.
*If you would like
to nominate someone for the board, please email Fred Plett at
FRPlett@gmail.com
A GSOP Fable
Once upon a time, on a beautiful
summer day, a church group was having a picnic beside a beautiful New Hampshire
River. As folks began to eat, they suddenly heard a muffled cry and saw a small basket floating down the river. A church member waded in and retrieved the basket.
Amazingly, it contained a small crying baby!
The congregation gathered round and began to attend to the infant, but
they heard other cries and turned to see two more baskets floating toward them! Others
waded in and retrieved these baskets, and sure enough, found two more babies.
Baskets with babies kept coming down the river, and soon the entire gathering
of picnickers was frantically retrieving baskets and attending to the babies.
Quickly, the congregation organized
one committee to pull baskets out of the river and another committee to attend to the needs of the babies.
Someone, perhaps it was the Pastor, had an idea. “Let’s go up the river and see who is throwing these babies into the water!”
The congregation paused – “but we don’t have time”,
they said, “We can’t spare anyone from our labor of saving the babies”.
And, so they toiled away…
CHARITY AND CHANGE
A Gathering of Clergy & Congregational Leaders
October 10, 2009
10:30a.m. ~ 2:00p.m.
Unitarian Universalist
Church
of Concord
274 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH
03301
Join us for brunch and a relaxed
conversation about inspiring congregations and ministries to address root causes of social problems and develop
creative upstream
solutions.
We will share our
goals for our social action ministries; discuss the role of faith based organizing in our communities, strategies for effective
action and share theological reflections on charity and change.
******************************************
IN OUR CHAPTERS
~~~
The Souhegan Valley Chapter is supporting
the Souhegan Valley transportation Collaborative
in celebrating the anniversary of Souhegan
Valley Rides, a wheelchair accessible transportation service that provides rides to
non-emergency medical appointments and four shopping locations in Amherst, Brookline,
Hollis, and Milford.
A celebration will be held, one at Lawrence Barn in Hollis from 1:00 to 3:00pm on October 1and one at SHARE in Milford from 1:00 to 3:00pm on October 8. Riders and community members are invited to attend and give feedback about the service.
Please visit the Souhegan Valley Rides website
at souheganrides.org or contact Kaley Lentini at (603)668-8250 for more information.
In addition, some members of the SOUHEGAN
VALLEY CHAPTER are organizing a local event for 350 Day, an international day of action against climate change.
The event, which will be held from 10:00am
to 1:00pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford on October 24, will include a multi-faith worship service, music,
kids’ activities, speakers, information tables, a community harvest meal, and a march through downtown Milford.
The NASHUA CHAPTER continues to investigate
refugee problems, including the need for more accountability from resettlement agencies and the State about how refugees are
supported and placed in our communities. In addition the Chapter supports the creation of more affordable housing as a way
to end homelessness. Members of Nashua
Main Street United
Methodist Church are excited
to be hosting the GSOP Annual Meeting on November 8.
Next Nashua Chapter Meeting is Monday October
19th at 7 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua.
In the MANCHESTER CHAPTER, the Langdon Mill
Campaign continues. The active phase of the campaign is almost completed.
Thanks to a last minute contribution from Wal-Mart, given through the Heritage
United Way, the Campaign was able to provide all the Langdon Mill tenants with new beds! The Granite State Organizing Project and or campaign co-conveners, the American Friends
Service Committee and the New American Africans are most grateful for the unprecedented cooperation and contributions received
from, religious organizations, labor unions, voluntary agencies, businesses, city departments, elected officials and volunteers
from throughout the greater Manchester area to make this effort
possible.
St. Anselm’s College and other campaign
members have now, thanks to building owner, Dick Anagnost, opened up a community office in the Langdon Mill building. The
office will institute an integrated Pest Management System and offer homework help and other services to tenants.
Now it is time for GSOP to begin advocating
for changes in policies and practices that may contribute to bedbug infestations.
Among other issues is the need for clear guidelines for inspection of second hand furniture, community attention regarding
disposal of infested items and better regulation of pest control companies. Again,
we will be asking for the cooperation of state and city officials to help put in place regulations which will control the
spread of infestations such as this.
Granite State
Organizing Project now has a Facebook page. On GSOP’s Facebook page, you
can:
· Get updates on our actions
· See pictures
· Learn more about the organization
· Connect with other GSOP supporters
· Get links to articles about GSOP
Please visit our page and become
a fan of GSOP.
