Commission on Peace, Justice and Hunger 2022 Report

In the past the Diocesan Commission on Peace, Justice and Hunger (PJH) used part of its allocation from the Diocesan budget to support members’ trips to the General Convention to help organize and support resolutions in favor of Reparations and Justice for Palestine, among other advocacy for Peace and Justice. But in recent years, as the members have aged, even before Covid-mandated travel restrictions, the entire $4,000 allocation from the Diocesan budget has been used to make $500 minigrants to local organizations who are working for peace in our streets, and to improve food security. These are small organizations to whom that $500 makes a great difference. The Diocesan budget of 2023 reduces the PJH allocation to $1,000. Rather than argue for a reversal of that decision, which surely was made with great difficulty and prayer, and reflects the overall pressure on funding, we will use this one page we are allocated in this report to discuss the programs that PJH has funded and encourage others to donate to these wonderful groups.

PJH has made grants to Vision Quilt in the last several years. Vision Quilt has in the past asked for funding for their project that sponsors art projects in Oakland schools in impacted areas, where the children are encouraged to make banners representing their reactions to the violence around them. A picture of the banners is included. But for the 2022 minigrant, Vision Quilt is sponsoring a talented Black playwright, Jinho “Piper” Ferreira, to help him with expenses in his program to go into jails and work with the inmates, helping them to write and produce their own plays based on their “new script” for their lives post release from jail.

PJH minigrants have also gone to  Adamika Village (based in East Oakland) and Soldiers Against Violence Everywhere (based in West Oakland) are gun violence prevention groups who hold rallies, distribute literature, and help people on the streets see that there is a way other than picking up a gun.

To support those working to alleviate food insecurity, St. Paul’s Pantry, a project of St. Paul’s, Oakland, is also a recipient of PJH minigrants, as is the Gubbio Project, a mission of St. John the Evangelist, which houses the homeless.

PJH applicants this year also include  Serenity House, Owning My Own Truth, and A Dimond In The Ruff who are groups supporting women who have been traumatized by domestic violence and other horrors. Serenity House offers a multi-faceted program including job training. Owning My Own Truth provides trauma-informed counseling. A Dimond in the Ruff is building an East Oakland resource hub for women and children needing help.

The members of the Diocesan Commission on Peace, Justice and Hunger are grateful for the support of the Diocese in helping fund these amazing organizations, and grateful that this support has brought us, the members, closer to the people who are devot8ing their lives to doing this work. They are in our prayers, and we hope in yours as well.

For more information on any of the above projects, please contact Paula Hawthorn, paula.hawthorn@gmail.com