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Interfaith coalition to rally for Human Services Levy

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By Meredith Moss, Staff Writer Updated 12:18 PM Thursday, October 7, 2010

DAYTON — Lift Greater Dayton, a new regional advocacy coalition of 30 community organizations, will be launched in the Miami Valley on Sunday, Oct. 10.

Participants are primarily faith-based groups including churches, synagogues, and mosques; schools, unions and business associations are also involved. At Sunday’s kickoff event, slated for 3 p.m. at Temple Israel on Riverside Drive, hundreds are expected to rally for Issue 9, the Human Services Levy.

The new nonprofit group got its start as “Vote Dayton” in 2006 and 2008, and is part of the Ohio Industrial Areas Foundation and an affiliate of the national Industrial Areas Foundation. According to IAF, Vote Dayton, along with affiliates in Columbus and Lorain, completed the largest, nonprofit, nonpartisan independent voter registration in the state in the 2008 elections, registering more than 800 voters.

Rabbi David Sofian, one of the founding members, said its roots date back to the philosophy of controversial Chicago community grass roots organizer and writer Saul Alinsky.

“His idea was to have people meet each other, listen to one another and then let the agenda arise from the conversations,” explained Sofian, who said 1,000 such face-to-face meetings have been taking place throughout the Miami Valley over the past year in churches, mosques, synagogues, schools and community centers.

Out of those conversations grew an agenda and priorities that will focus on jobs, education and training, and youth.

The group plans to announce support for the creation of a weatherization program that would train and employ individuals while helping homeowners cut energy costs. It also supports redevelopment of the Moraine truck plant in lieu of selling the property for salvage purposes, and further exploration of opportunities for job creation in areas such as urban agriculture and help for small businesses, said community organizer the Rev. Darryl Fairchild.

While religious organizations are not permitted to endorse candidates in an election, they may advocate for issues.

Fairchild said the group will also display thousands of voter pledge cards collected by members who have worked to register voters for the upcoming November elections.

How to go

What: Public meeting for Lift Greater Dayton, a new interfaith advocacy organization

When: 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Drive, Dayton

Why: To advocate for the Human Services Levy and report on the new organization’s agenda

Info: Contact Darryl Fairchild, (937) 239-0688

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