[Episcopal City Mission] Episcopal City Mission (ECM), a faith-based ministry which promotes social and economic justice working through congregations, community-based organizations and people within the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, presented their Burgess Urban Fund grants to 20 grassroots community organizations working to reach those affected by social injustice.

The Burgess Urban Fund (BUF) was established in 1976 to improve the lives of the urban poor and oppressed. Grants are intended to reach community-based organizations that have the power and capacity to reach into many neighborhoods. Over 37 years, it has awarded over $6.8 million in grants; this year grants ranged from $10,000 to $20,000.

“The Burgess Urban Fund recognizes that community organizing is an important process that develops power and capacity in solidarity with those in need. Strong organizing requires grantees to engage members of the community to identify shared concerns and create goals for social change; develop new leaders, especially among those affected by social inequality; undertake projects with concrete goals for the core constituency; articulate both the immediate and root causes of the problem through social change, and collaborate with other organizations, regional and statewide,” said Dr. Ruy Costa, Executive Director, Episcopal City Mission.  The fund focuses on six key areas: faith-based organizing, immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, affordable housing, poverty-related organizing and youth organizing.

Katie Campbell Simons, ECM’s Associate Director Community Partnerships & Public Policy, said, “It is evident that there is an overwhelming need for organizing and advocacy to right the injustices of many. This year again, we received a record high of 60 applications with a large number from the workers’ and immigrants’ rights sectors.”

This year’s Burgess Urban Fund grantees are:

• Boston Youth Organizing Project Network
• Boston Workers Alliance
• Brazilian Immigrant Center
• Brazilian Women’s Group
• Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores
• Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts
• Dominican Development Center
• Dorchester Bay Youth Force
• Essex County Community Organization
• Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending
• Massachusetts Community Action
• MetroWest Worker Center
• The Neighborhood Developers
• Neighbors United for a Better East Boston
• ¿Oiste?
• Student Immigrant Movement
• United Neighbors of Fitchburg
• Worcester Homeless Action Committee
• YWCA of Great Lawrence: Women’s Health Advocacy Initiative
• Youth on Board

Lewis Finfer, Director, Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) said, “We will use the Burgess Fund grant towards our organizing and education for passage of the referendum to raise the minimum wage and enable all to have sick days at work. This will mean some $1 billion in wage increases for the lowest paid workers and some 1 million people benefiting from the wage increase and sick days.”

Grace Ross, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending said, “We can now prove that many thousands of MA foreclosures were illegal and 10s of thousands more homeowners have mortgages that are not actually owned by the banks and Trusts that claim them. The BUF grant will mean that we can begin to reach out and organize these many thousands and bring home justice and millions to MA households especially in the African American and Latino communities!”

The Rev. Noah Evans, ECM Board Chair, closed the awards presentation by thanking the grantees for their quest to improve the lives of those in the Commonwealth affected by social injustice.

ABOUT EPISCOPAL CITY MISSION

Incorporated in 1844, ECM seeks to mobilize Episcopal parishes, individuals and resources in partnership with other community organizations for social structural change in Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the urban poor. ECM does this through support for community organizing, mission-related investments in affordable housing, parish-based community economic development, and public policy advocacy. The Burgess Urban Fund was established as a tribute to The Rt. Rev. John Melville Burgess, former Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts; he wanted a collection of money given to community-based organizations that empowered the poor. ECM’s mission is to work for the economic wellbeing of the underserved as an expression of God’s grace.