In a large scale effort to help California IAF leaders address the state's economy and challenges facing state and local officials, over 400 Bay Area IAF leaders convened in an October conference, joined by economists, thinkers, demographers, and other state power players. Leaders told stories illustrating how the downturn has hurt families and communities, reflected on their faith traditions and strategized around local opportunities. The conference helped energize regional strategies around immigration and identify training opportunities on housing and education.

"I'm excited. I'm very excited, about the whole thing," says the customer service rep. "I want a career, not just a job."

"The prayer service, sponsored by The Metropolitan Organization ...is part of the Houston Area Interfaith Campaign for Humane Immigration Reform, which has reach thousands of Houstonians with its trainings in over the past two years....The service was followed by a series of workshops on human trafficking, work and wages, and pending federal legislation and policy."

[Photo Credit: Johnny Hanson/ Houston Chronicle]

Houston Clergy, Politicians Gather for Immigration Prayer Service, Houston Chronicle

"VIDA's career pathways model is comprehensive and ambitious, beginning with our College Prep Academy." -- Myra Garcia, Executive Director of VIDA

"The Rev. Julie Roberts-Fronk, pastor at First Christian Church and a leader with One LA, said there are no proposed plans that would ensure careful oversight by outside agencies of the project. In the past, city residents opposed other waste facility proposals, Roberts-Fronk said.

'It was a bad idea then,' she said.

'It's a bad idea now!' ...the audience responded."

"In the past year, the North Bay Sponsoring Committee, made up of nine religious congregations in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, has worked with law enforcement to craft a more discretionary policy." -- Press Democrat

A gathering of more than 300 people - from many faiths - marked the Sept. 11 anniversary with memories, discussion and a commitment to build better community. Says Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Congregation Beth Israel, "People came up to me to share how...they had never met anybody 'like that' before and yet they found that sense of commonality...of decency...of support."

"The local arm of West Texas Organizing Strategy, an interdenominational coalition of churches, has been the single biggest community organizing force behind the revitalization efforts."

Over the last year, Austin Interfaith leaders publicly pressured the City Council to increase funding for successful programs including job training project Capital IDEA. They eventually held face-to-face meetings with public officials in efforts to get it back to current funding levels of $1 Million, but only after clearing City-imposed legal hurdles.

On the morning of October 6th, Austin City Council passed the Public Health and Human Service budget and two other items that moved additional funding to Capital Idea, keeping the program at 2011 level funding, $1.08 million, for FY 2012. Leaders also leveraged money from the Travis County Commissioners Court which voted not only for the continuation of level funding ($700,000) for Capital Idea, but an additional $97,000 to supplement cuts from the state.