The Leaven Community Land and Housing Coalition has officially launched!
Six faith communities are participating in a six-month cohort to learn from one another, strategize and act to build affordable housing on land they own. Teams and members from Ainsworth UCC, Salt & Light Lutheran/Leaven Community, St. John's Wesleyan, Moreland Presbyterian, West Portland, UMC, Cascade Presbytery New Ministries Team and Portsmouth Union came and grounded themselves in their spiritual traditions, deepen relationships through 1 to 1 conversations, and began learning about and experiencing the creative, people-power-building process of the organizing cycle. During February they (including Leaven Community and neighbors) will begin organizing their congregations/communities for a listening campaign around housing and intersecting pressures.
The coalition also received Presbyterian and United Methodist grants totaling $85,000 for the first year of organizing. These funds will create capacity for staff positions, including a community housing developer, and other areas of the work.
The cohort meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Feel free to contact Melissa:pastormoreed@gmail.com or LaVeta: lavetagj@gmail.com
