Great Schools for All
In Silicon Valley, even high-achieving schools fail Latinos, report says

San Jose Mercury News

"We knew it was bad, but I never though it was this bad," said Roberto Aguirrez, a parent leader with People Acting in Community Together, a group lobbying the Morgan Hill Unified District to approve charter schools and boost opportunities for Latino success. "We have a crisis now."

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Avanzan esfuerzos por impulsar la reforma en San José

Univision

Representantes del mundo religioso y de empresas tecnológicas del Valle del Silicio iniciaron una serie de vigilias al frente de la oficina de la congresista.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Rose Garden: Temple Emanu-El joins in vigil

San Jose Mercury News

The press conference is kicking off 11 days of vigils, taking place May 20 through June 4 from 3 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The prayer vigils in San Jose are just one of many prayer vigils scheduled across the United States.

Healthy Aging
Expanding Senior Transportation

San Jose Mercury News

Expanding Senior Transportation: People Acting in Community Together hosts a meeting in support of expanding transportation options for local seniors. Applications for senior Clipper Cards, for use on multiple Bay Area transit systems, will be available. May 5, 2:30 p.m. Congregation Beth-David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Hundreds of immigrants appeal to Lofgren on reform bill

San Jose Mercury News

Acknowledging the emotional stories of those, especially children, who came up to speak at the church event organized by People Acting in Community Together, or PACT, Lofgren said the average 1,400 deportations that happen each day are a "nightmare and trauma for families across the United States.

Great Schools for All
Mercury News editorial: Report shows how far schools have to go to ensure all kids can reach middle class

San Jose Mercury News

Innovate Public Schools was started by Matt Hammer, the former executive director of PACT, which successfully pushed the Alum Rock district to add charter schools and small autonomous schools, among other strategies, to raise Latino student achievement.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Young people share stories of broken families, challenges of immigration law

The Valley Catholic

PACT has launched a Teddy Bear Campaign in which children donate a stuffed toy to which they attach a note regarding their needs for citizenship for their parents. The toys and notes are being sent to members of Congress.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Familias marcadas por las deportaciones en San José

Univision

Niños que no han visto a sus padres desde que nacieron, jóvenes que temen por el futuro de sus familias... casos conmovedores durante una misa en la iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe para pedir por una reforma.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
San Jose bishop stands with children against parent deportations

The National Catholic Reporter

"There are kids who go to school and can't concentrate because they live in fear," she said during a "Children's Press Conference" held Tuesday to draw public attention to the ongoing distress in immigrant families.

Great Schools for All
Morgan Hill school officials give Latino parents cold shoulder

San Jose Mercury News

Most of the seven Morgan Hill board members have refused to meet with Latino parents working with People Acting in Community Together. PACT, a faith-based community organizing movement, has successfully catalyzed educational and neighborhood improvements in San Jose and elsewhere. But it has run up against a wall in tight-knit Morgan Hill.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Family stories fuel California bus tour for immigration reform

The Valley Catholic

On a bright Sunday afternoon, March 3, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, San Jose, a bus packed with immigrant families started its engines and began to travel thousands of miles across California urging members of Congress to pass immigration reform with a roadmap to citizenship.

Great Schools for All
PACT to hold community action meeting tonight to address "crisis" in schools

Morgan Hill Times

A community action meeting facilitated by PACT, or People Acting in Community Together, will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight at St. Catherine's Catholic Church, located at 17500 Peak Ave. in Morgan Hill. PACT states in a press release that its members are calling on the Morgan Hill Unified School District to "respond to crisis in schools."

Healthy Aging
Forum will deal with how seniors get around after they no longer can drive

San Jose Mercury News

The forum itself is an outgrowth of a public/private partnership that started when Santa Clara County began developing a new senior agenda. That effort trickled down to People Acting in Community Together which, in turn, led to a smaller subset that includes Shir Hadash and Congregation Beth David in Saratoga. San Jose's Alum Rock United Methodist Church, La Trinidad United Methodist Church and Temple Emanu-El are also involved.

Public Transportation
Santa Clara VTA To Offer Reduced Fares For Low-Income Customers

CBS San Francisco

“Low-income people in Santa Clara County pay the largest percentage of their income on transportation compared to any other county in the Bay Area—over 33 percent,” said PACT member Sandy Hietala

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Obama on Board: Citizenship for 11 Million Aspiring Americans

PACT Email

PACT leaders and partner organizations across San José came together at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to witness President Obama’s early support for immigration reform and share their reactions.

Great Schools for All
Santa Clara County school board approves Rocketship school in San Jose's Tamien neighborhood

San Jose Mercury News

The Santa Clara County Board of Education voted early Thursday morning to exempt the 1.4-acre site from zoning rules. That means Rocketship will start working on preparing the parcel for development, said Erik Schoennauer, the school's land-use consultant.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Poll: Californians warming up to immigrant legalization

San Jose Mercury News

Among those celebrating the changing tone was Leticia Alvarez, a San Jose waitress and mother of two who is resting her family's future on Congress granting her a path to citizenship this year. Alvarez said she crossed the border 17 years ago with a dream of making enough money to lift her mother out of poverty and pay for her younger brothers' educations.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Lofgren can point the way on immigration reform

San Jose Mercury News Editorial

Republicans need immigration reform to show that they care about Latino and Asian-American voters. Democrats need it to fulfill their president's campaign promise.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
The 'family values' case for immigration reform

San Jose Mercury News

PICO, a national network of faith-based community organizations, has launched a "Campaign for Citizenship" to pressure Congress to enact reform. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is sponsoring a postcard campaign urging Catholics to contact lawmakers.

Great Schools for All
County board should approve zoning exemption for Rocketship

San Jose Mercury News Editorial

The first big test of the board's commitment comes Wednesday night when it will vote on a zoning exemption allowing Rocketship to build a school near the Tamien light-rail station.

Public Safety | Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Area immigration policy should remain the same

San Jose Mercury News

Erika Andiola's mother was deported, using Secure Communities, because she kept trying to return to the United States to be with her family?

Public Safety | Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Santa Clara County should keep current immigration policy

San Jose Mercury News OpEd

Members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, a PACT (People Acting in Community Together) partner, are reporting drastically different feelings about law enforcement; they feel thankful for the officers they see in their neighborhoods.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Obama's immigration plan: Bay Area advocates offer praise, some concern

San Jose Mercury News

"He said we've already had this debate, we've already had this debate for a long time, and now it's time to move," said the Rev. Jon Pedigo, pastor of San Jose's Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. "I walked away very optimistic. The crowd was absolutely electrified."

Community Organizing
CEO’s Indomitable Spirit Helps in Securing Donation

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

A Silicon Valley tech company CEO heard Guardino speak about the race when he was honored Oct. 16 at the People Acting in Community Together luncheon.

Community Organizing
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) Nov. 17-18

The Valley Catholic

The national grant went to People Acting in Community Together (PACT), $35,000. PACT exemplifies the mission of CCHD to effect long-term institutional change.

Great Schools for All
Alum Rock school board should delay naming new trustee

San Jose Mercury News

Voters in the Alum Rock School District chose a new trustee, Karen Martinez, in this month's election. We're hopeful she can help the district continue the progress it made under former Superintendent Jose Manzo and avoid reverting to the dysfunction that has plagued it for years.

Community Organizing
PACT Giving Valley Community a Voice

San Jose Mercury News

FOR 30 YEARS GROUP HAS PUSHED A HOST OF ISSUES

Community Organizing
PACT has Impact

Carl Guardino's Blog

Healthy Aging
Grandma, please get me out of jail! Silicon Valley elders warned about this scam and other fraud.

Mercury News

Selma Corman knows all about one of the most popular scams designed to rip off older Americans. When a Santa Clara County prosecutor mentioned the notorious "Midnight Call" scheme at a meeting Sunday afternoon, she nodded her head and raised her hand. "I got one of those," she said at Congregation Beth David, a Jewish synagogue in Saratoga. But hardly anyone heard her because many in the crowd of about 100 blurted or mumbled the same thing.

Community Organizing
PACT Update: Farewell & Thanks

PACT EMAIL

PACT has been fortunate to have Matt Hammer as our Executive Director for nearly 13 years. We have celebrated growth and many successes with him. With gratitude for Matt's leadership during this time, we wish him well as he leaves PACT in early November. We look forward to partnering with Matt in the future.

Immigration Reform & Immigrant Integration
Brown Vetoes Limits on Law Enforcement Cooperation with Immigration Authorities

KQED News

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill tonight that would have limited local law enforcement's ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Do the right thing for the least well off

Mercury News

Thank you for the op-ed piece supporting raising San Jose's minimum wage...

Great Schools for All | Community Organizing
Vote for Proposition 30 for the common good

Mercury News Opinion Letter

Diverse Faith Leaders Urge: Vote for Common Good--Yes on Prop. 30

Great Schools for All
East San Jose Parents Seek Better Middle Schools

CBS 5

East San Jose parents and community leaders gathered Monday night to call for the creation of more and better middle schools in the Alum Rock School District. The meeting was organized by People Acting in Community Together, a community action organization, and was held at the Mayfair Community Center.

Great Schools for All
Grappling with Middle School Crisis: Parents from two districts calling for new charter campuses

Mercury News

With fewer than half of eighth-graders testing proficient in English and math, parents in two East San Jose school districts have declared a middle-school crisis and are pressing for opening new alternative and charter schools.

Great Schools for All
How San Jose Middle Schools Score

Mercury News

Some San Jose parents with middle school students want more charter and alternative schools because they think their current options are not good enough for their kids.

Great Schools for All
PACT & Franklin-McKinley commit to address the middle school crisis!

PACT EMAIL

Over 300 community members gathered to urge Franklin-McKinley officials to adopt proven school models so that all students have access to excellent education and a path to success in high school, college and life.

Great Schools for All
Padres preocupados / Concerned Parent

Telemundo 48

Un grupo de padres se reunió este jueves por la tarde en las afueras de la iglesia Santa María Goretti para llevarle un mensaje al distrito escolar Franklin-McKinley ya que se encuentran preocupados por la educación de sus hijos. Miembros de la organización "People Acting in Communities Together" (PACT) compartieron estadísticas y casos que afectan a nuestras comunidades y su educación.

Community Organizing
PACT announces honorees for its Oct leadership luncheon

San Jose Mercury News

People Acting in Community Together, a multicultural, interfaith organization, has announced its Leadership in Action honorees for this year: Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and Kathleen King, executive director of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation.

Healthy Aging
Elected officials agree to be champions for seniors

PACT Email

Almost 300 concerned community members gathered Monday night at Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos to urge public officials to be champions for the growing number of senior citizens in our community.

Healthy Aging
Santa Clara County and city officials worry about impact of state budget cuts on transportation services for seniors

Mercury News - Silicon Valley Community Newspapers

For the past nine years, Santa Clara County has slashed its funds for senior services in order to balance a budget that has been undermined by recessions and resultant tax losses. That topic was brought up at a recent meeting held by People Acting in Community Together.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Mercury News Editorial: California should pass Homeowners Rights protections

Mercury News Opinion

The California Homeowner Bill of Rights that the Rev. Eduardo Samaniego wrote about in Sunday's paper is coming up for a crucial vote Wednesday in the Senate Banking Committee. [It's] the best hope for the multitude of homeowners still underwater in California. And for their neighbors.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Play Fair

Mercury News Opinion Letter

Play fair. It's what we're taught at a very young age - at home and in school. But not everyone plays fair, and not everyone has regard for their neighbor. Over the last five years of the foreclosure crisis, big banks have repeatedly flaunted their disregard for rules and their neighbors. This month, the California Legislature has the opportunity to stand with homeowners and bring fairness to the foreclosure process. The Homeowner's Bill of Rights.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Mortgage Crisis Inspires Churches to Send Lenten Season Message to Banks

The New York Times

During the recent weeks of Lent, the Rev. Ryan Bell has led his Southern California congregation into the penitential spirit of the season. By the April weekend when Christians mourn Jesus’ crucifixion and celebrate his resurrection, Mr. Bell said, he will have moved the assets to a local bank as a protest against Bank of America’s role in mass foreclosures and to issue a call for its repentance.

Health Care
Good News for the Children's Health Initiative

PACT Email

Let's thank San Jose City Councilmembers for their commitment to the Children's Health Initiative even in time of budget cuts.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Churchmen cross faith lines to chastise banks

The Sydney Morning Herald

The Reverend Robert Rien is angry at America's major banks, so angry he has pulled all his parish's money out of the Bank of America and opened accounts at a small local bank. He has called on his flock to do the same and joined a nationwide interfaith movement dedicated to divesting from the major banks.

Statewide & National Work
White House officials reach out to San Jose's Latino community during all-day summit

PICO National Network

About a dozen White House officials descended on San Jose on Saturday for an all-day summit with members of the region's politically important Latino community -- a gathering in which officials were at times forced to defend the administration's polices on issues ranging from immigration reform to job creation.

Great Schools for All
Rocketship charter's 20-school plan is an exciting opportunity

Mercury News

An army of parents -- many of them affiliated with PACT -- is pushing the expansion to offer more of their children a Rocketship education.

Health Care
Children's Health Initiative marks 10 years in Santa Clara County

Mercury News

Ten years ago, at least 16 percent of all children in Santa Clara County did not have any health insurance; today that figure is less than 4 percent thanks to the Children's Health Initiative. To save money, keep children in school and provide preventive care, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors along with the South Bay Labor Council and PACT (People Acting in Community Together) pushed to build the CHI, allowing all children from birth through age 18 access to health insurance.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Woman With Breast Cancer Evicted From San Jose Home

CBS 5 San Francisco

A group of people tell about the cruel eviction of an older, sick woman. Clergy and community people gathered around 68 year old Darlene Bowland, a San Jose woman battling cancer who was evicted by Wells Fargo.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Occupy protestors highlights South Bay woman's struggle with foreclosure

KTVU

On national day of action against foreclosures, PACT and Councilman Ash Kalra called for Banks to stop to foreclosures on victims of so-called predatory loans especially when victims did not or could not understand the complex terms.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Cassidy: San Jose foreclosure case is both tragic and complicated

MercuryNews.com

But the truth is that the stories of financial collapse are rarely simple. Local activists, including People Acting in Community Together, have taken Bowland on as a stark example of banks' heartlessness.

CHI Celebrates 10th Anniversary

El - Observador

This year marks the 10th anniversary for Santa Clara County’s Children’s Health Initiative (CHI). The community met to celebrate at the First Unitarian Church in downtown San Jose. The Santa Clara County’s CHI was established to provide access to health insurance to the uninsured children in the county. It includes three health insurance programs: Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids. The initiative is also the nation’s first universal health care program for children.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Faithful take money out of big banks to protest corporate greed

National Catholic Reporter

As part of a growing movement to divest funds from corporate banks involved in home foreclosures, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Jose, California, is closing its $3 million accounts with Bank of America and moving the money to a community credit union.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) collection, Nov 19-20, focuses on fighting poverty, defending human dignity, life

The Valley Catholic

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). For over 40 years, the Campaign has sought to carry out the Gospel mandate to “bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind, and to set the downtrodden free,” by addressing the root causes of poverty in the United States.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Prominent Silicon Valley businessman to divest Bank of America funds

MercuryNews.com

A prominent member of Silicon Valley's exclusive "1 percent" club is pulling his money out of Bank of America and cutting all ties with the bank -- and he hopes others will follow his lead.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
PACT Supporter Mike Fox, Sr. Divests from BofA

PACT Email

“It is going to take wealthy people divesting to send B of A the message that they need to stop foreclosing on our families and stop making money off the backs of our homeowners. It’s going to take all of us to send that message. I will start that here today.”

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Successful South Bay Businessman Joins Bank Transfer Movement

CBS 5

“We have started a big movement that we are just excited to see how others are responding to this,” said the group’s Aurora Solies. “We’re telling the banks that we are fed up with the way they’re treating homeowners.”

Judy Chirco of San Jose, Dan and Charmaine Warmenhoven recognized by PACT with Leadership Action awards

Mercury News

The Wyndham Hotel's banquet room ... was a veritable who's who of San Jose and Santa Clara County politics, business and philanthropists at the Nov. 3 People Acting in Community Together luncheon to honor this year's top community builders Judy Chirco of San Jose and Dan and Charmaine Warmenhoven of Saratoga with Leadership in Action awards.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Divestments surge at big banks

Mercury News

As Occupy Wall Street protests continue, a San Jose grassroots group takes different route. Unhappy customers were striking back at bank bottom lines.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Movement Brewing to Divest Money from Big Banks

New American Media

People Acting in Community Together, an interfaith group has worked on foreclosure prevention locally and is working with community members, including Do and Most Holy Trinity Church to use their sizeable and high visibility divestments to win some gains for community members, including principal reductions and speedier loan modifications for specific congregants.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Local millionaire pulls his money out of BofA

ABC 7 News

Mike Fox Sr. is a prominent San Jose businessman and philanthropist who is pulling his money out of Bank of America. He says the bank can and should do more when it comes to loan modifications and the foreclosure crisis.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
San Jose: Millions Withdrawn from Bank of America and Wells Fargo!

Daily Kos

On Wednesday, PACT and Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church announced that they were withdrawing up to $4 million from their long-time banks and transferring those funds to local credit unions.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Faithful take money out of big banks to protest corporate greed

National Catholic Reporter

As part of a growing movement to divest funds from corporate banks involved in home foreclosures, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Jose, California, is closing its $3 million accounts with Bank of America and moving the money to a community credit union.

Great Schools for All
Parent trigger law important, but so are organized, informed parents

Mercury News

PACT also developed a campaign to open small schools in Alum Rock to provide an environment where students could have better opportunities to learn and where parents and community mattered. PACT searched out educators to work with, forming design teams comprising principals, teachers and parents.

Great Schools for All
Parents hope Alum Rock will approve middle-school charter in San Jose

Mercury News

On Monday night, Martinez will join an expected overflow crowd, many with experiences and fears similar to Martinez's, as the Alum Rock Union school board decides whether to grant a charter for Alpha Middle School. It's a school that parents dearly hope will not only educate their children, but also engage and nurture them -- and respond to parents. Last year, she and other parents in People Acting in Community Together recruited John Glover, the driving force behind Alpha, to expand his successful charter model to San Jose.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Residents, churches protest banks by withdrawing cash

KGO ABC 7

Several businesses, residents and churches in San Jose are sending a powerful message to a few of the biggest banks in the country: They're withdrawing their money and putting it somewhere else.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
We're moving millions!

PACT Email

San Jose churches, organizations and residents are divesting millions of dollars from big banks due to their unethical policies and practices.

Public Transportation
Transit discounts for the poor urged at gathering of the faithful

Mercury News

Allen is a member of People Acting in Community Together, a coalition of 50 or so religious congregations that invited four political heavyweights in local public transportation to the meeting and put them on the hot seat. Would they commit to reducing fares for the working poor and people on public assistance?

Great Schools for All
School board OKs petition for charter

Mercury News

Organizers ecstatic; plan for new Alpha Middle School to open in 2012

Thank Chief Moore for Responding to the Community

PACT Email

Join PACT faith and grassroots community leaders in thanking San Jose Police Chief Moore, for removing ICE agents from SJPD in response to urging from PACT and other organizations. Let him know we're counting on his leadership to rebuild community trust in the police. Contact Chief Moore: Chief.SJPD@sanjoseca.gov, 408-277-4212

Community Organizing
Civic Citizens

Silicon Valley One - Fall 2008

“Civic Citizens - impassioned people change their communities, and community involvement changes people. Call it the hopeful cycle of public progress.”

San Jose cops sever ties with feds

Mercury News

Driven by a dramatic drop in gang killings coupled with community fears that law-abiding undocumented residents would be deported, San Jose police on Wednesday ended their brief alliance with federal immigration agents.

Santa Clara Valley's oldest Jewish temple turning 150

Mercury News

Temple Emanu-El of San Jose celebrates its 150th anniversary Friday, giving it the honor as the oldest Jewish congregation in Santa Clara Valley, and among the oldest Reform congregations on the West Coast.

Community respond to ICE officers

El Observador

On July 8, over 100 members from People Acting in Community Together (PACT) gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to pray for the City of San Jose as it faces budget cuts, a rise in murder rates, a reduction of police officers, and a rising distrust of the city’s police department.

Clergy and immigrants hold prayer vigil at City Hall in wake of San Jose gang violence

MercuryNews.com

Moore is wrestling with a related pair of policing problems: a spike in gang violence that is generating one of the highest homicide rates in years and a chronic lack of trust in the police among many in the Latino communities.

PACT Calls for Action: Build Community-Police Relationships to Protect Public Safety

PACT Email

Last Wednesday, 250 people joined PACT to urge city and county officials to build trust between the community and police to protect public safety for all.

Great Schools for All
1,200 PACT parents demand change -- a huge milestone for Great Schools campaign

pact email

More than 1200 people crammed into St. John Vianney Church to demand that public school officials replicate proven, high-performing public schools for low-income children, even when that requires closing the lowest-performing schools to make room for new ones. It was totally inspiring.

Police cuts inevitable despite soaring murder rate

ABC7 NEWS

In the midst of what San Jose residents are saying is a soaring murder rate, police officers have until 9:00 a.m. Tuesday to decide whether or not they will take a 10 percent cut and lose at least 100 of their officers. The idea of fewer cops on the streets has residents worried.

San Jose homicide rate is highest since 1980s

SFGate

Community leaders in the San Francisco Bay area's largest city have called for police reforms, as the homicide rate is on track to be the highest since the 1980s.

Preocupación por la ola de violencia en San José

El Observador

El pasado 8 de junio la organización PACT (siglas en inglés) convocó a las autoridades y a la comunidad para hablar sobre el tema de seguridad y la ola de homicidios que se ha incrementado en la ciudad de San José.

Great Schools for All
Replicating exceptional schools

El Observador

Over 1,200 parents, teachers, and community members attended an action meeting with elected officials regarding failing schools, primarily in East San Jose.

San Jose Communities Concerned Over Surprising Homicide Rate Jump

CBS San Francisco

San Jose’s rising homicide rate was a subject of great concern at a community meeting this week, as the city is on track to have the most killings since the 1980s.

Residents Gather to Address San Jose Homicide Rate, Police Layoffs

KQED Radio

Host Cy Musiker talks with Jill Malone, a leader with People Acting in Community Together (PACT), the group that called tonight's meeting.

School officials to open more charter schools in San Jose

Mercury News

As more than 1,200 parents, children and residents packed an East San Jose church Tuesday night, school officials promised to welcome more charter schools. But they stopped short of pledging to close low-performing schools.

With San Jose homicide rate on track for 20-year high, community demands reforms

San Jose Mercury News

Hundreds of religious leaders and community members joined PACT, People Acting in Community Together, to call on police and city leaders at a packed meeting in a South San Jose church to save police officer jobs and enact reforms in the wake of the city's rising homicide rate.

Great Schools for All
Opinion: Schools -- district, private, charter -- must work together for Gates grant

Mercury News

If we can agree to work together, putting accusatory language and ego behind, we can reap many benefits that will serve the educational needs of San Jose's children. One of these benefits is financial, and it's a big one: The Gates Foundation is offering grants to districts and charter consortiums that agree to work together to provide excellent education in either district or charter schools.

What Affects One, Affects Us All

PACT EMAIL

This week PACT held a Community Action Meeting, "What Affects One, Affects Us All", with nearly 200 concerned community members at the First Unitarian Church in downtown San Jose. This was the 3rd in a series of PACT Actions on public safety and law enforcement & immigrant community relations.

Rebuilding Police-Community Relations

El Observador

People Acting in Community Together (PACT) faith and community members held a meeting to call on city and county officials to take action to rebuild trust in local law enforcement by rooting out bias-based policing and stopping the collateral consequences caused by severe charges for minor offenses. Over 250 people attended the hour long meeting at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose.

San Jose Assistant Police Chief Urges Sensitivity Training

KQED Radio

San Jose's assistant chief of police has committed to rooting out racial bias in the department. Assistant Chief Diane Urban said as much during a community meeting last night called by the interfaith group PACT. Urban said she would require multicultural awareness training for officers to examine their own biases.

San Jose community meeting on policing set for Monday

Mercury News

PACT -- People Acting in Community Together -- will host a community meeting its leaders say is geared at rebuilding trust between residents and police. Acting Assistant Police Chief Diane Urban, city Councilman Sam Liccardo and Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen will attend the meeting.

Preserving funding for Children’s Health Initiative

El Observador

People Acting in Community Together (PACT) faith leaders, parents and Anderson Elementary children delivered a powerful message to the city council and mayor to continue supporting the Children’s Health Initiative.

Mayor Reed Commits: New Police Chief must Deal with Racial Profiling

PACT Email

Last Thursday night Mayor Reed met with PACT and more than 800 community members concerned about community safety, lack of trust in the police and the hiring of the Chief of Police.

San Jose: Community group calls meeting on homicides, search for new top cop

Mercury News

A San Jose community group, increasingly concerned over the city's recent spate of homicides and closely monitoring the city's impending choice of a new police chief, is holding a community meeting on the topics this week. PACT has been at the forefront of a host of community groups advocating for a better relationship with the police department.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
PACT leaders call for accountability from banks on foreclosures; object to bonuses

The Valley Catholic

PACT faith and community leaders called on Bank of America and other big national banks to stop practices that are devastating families, communities and the economy while bank executives were to receive huge holiday bonuses.

Great Schools for All
Bullying often takes place on-line these days, so parents need to get tech-smart

Mercury News, Campbell Reporter

Recently... a community meeting (was) organized by People Acting in Community Together (PACT), the Amanda Network, Cambrian Park United Methodist Church and First Congregational Church of San Jose to discuss cyberbullying at middle and high school campuses particularly in the Union, Campbell Union and Cambrian school districts. More than 200 parents, children and community leaders attended the event, including superintendent Rhonda Farber from the Campbell Union High School District, Janice Hector, a school board member from the Union School District, and Don Rocha, a school board member from the Cambrian School District, recently elected to represent District 9 on the San Jose City Council.

Community Organizing
Civic gifts of 2010: History and the here and now

San Jose Mercury News

New presents under the tree are always fun. But sometimes the best gift of the season is awakening to the realization that something truly valuable in our lives has perhaps been taken for granted....PACT, People Acting in Community Together, (which) is grounded firmly in the here and now. It just celebrated its 25th year of empowering people and neighborhoods to stand up for what's right.

Iowa Threatens Criminal Charges Related to Foreclosures

Reuters

Among the homeowners who met Miller in the basement of a Des Moines church was Gina Gates of San Jose, California, who said it was the first time she felt she was being heard.

San Jose to stop 30-day car impounds for unlicensed drivers

The Mercury News

"Families were getting pulled over for a broken headlight and having to walk three miles home with their kids," said Maritza Maldonado, a veteran leader of PACT in San Jose. "Now, they won't have to do that. And we can use this change to build a better relationship with our police officers, which we all want."

PACT takes action to protect students from bullying!

PACT email

This week PACT launched an anti-bullying campaign with 250 concerned community members and school and city officials at Cambrian Park United Methodist Church.

San Jose: Nearly 250 attend meeting to address bullying in schools

Bay City News Service

The meeting, held at the Cambrian Park United Methodist Church by People Acting in Community Together, or PACT, was held to bring awareness to the issue and call on school officials to respond to what they claim is an epidemic in San Jose schools and communities.

Group wants to see more done about bullying

ABC/KGO South Bay News

One by one, San Jose area students stood up and shared their stories. Bullying is a nationwide epidemic where one in seven high scholars considers suicide as an escape from bullying. More than 200 people attended the event.

San Jose Group Addresses Bullying in Community

KTVU.com

At the meeting, national statistics were cited indicating that every day 160,000 students miss school because of fear of being bullied. Some victims of bullying came forward with their stories.

Community demands response to bullying in south bay schools

El Observador

“I can’t wait anymore. Something needs to change immediately,” said Garnica.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
PACT works to stop preventable foreclosures; City of San José deprives BofA of millions

The Valley Catholic

For the past two years, PACT grassroots leaders from Most Holy Trinity and with the PICO National Network, have worked in coalition with other national community organizations and unions to put pressure on the federal government to hold big banks accountable.

PACT Launches Public Safety Campaign “Safe Streets for All Families” November 10

PACT email

Christ the King leaders shared research about various community-policing models they have learned about from other cities, which helped create mutually respectful relationships between law enforcement and the community they serve and reduced crime at the same time.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Faith-Based groups ask Administration for more aggressive response to home foreclosure crisis

Catholic News Service

Forty representatives of a nationwide coalition of faith-based community organizations asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Nov. 3 to step up efforts to end the home foreclosure crisis.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
San Jose Diverts nearly $1Billion from BofA, joins PACT's bank accountability campaign

PACT email

This week Most Holy Trinity PACT leaders and San José City Councilmembers announced that the City has diverted nearly $1 Billion from Bank of America based on the bank’s poor record of modifying loans to stop preventable foreclosures.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Big banks under fire in San Jose

KRON

PACT hailed the City's social responsibility investment policy to get banks to mitigate foreclosures.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Catholic Church Takes Fight Against Foreclosures to Bank of America

KTVU

PACT and San Jose City Councilmembers announced that the City has diverted nearly $1Billion from Bank of America due to its poor record on loan modifications to stop preventable foreclosures.

Community Organizing
San Jose's PACT celebrates 25 years of community activism

The Mercury News

People Acting in Community Together is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a luncheon Oct. 14 at the Wyndham Hotel, 1350 N. First St., San Jose.

Protecting Community Safety & Civil Rights: County opts out of S-Comm

PACT Email, KTVU 2, KGO 7

PACT chaired a press conference with coalition partners to announce the unanimous vote by Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors to opt-out of a controversial federal immigration program, S-Comm.

Jobless rates inch up in the Bay Area

ABC7

Trinity Cathedral along with San Jose City Council member Ash Kalra hosted a jobs panel discussion on Friday, Aug. 20, 2010.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Banks must start reducing principal for underwater borrowers

Mercury News

The hearing, convened by the Treasury Department and the community advocacy group PACT, was a heartbreaking reminder of the obvious: The Obama administration's 16-month-old loan modification program is failing.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Federal program aimed at financially troubled homeowners is failing, San Jose residents say

Mercury News

According to the PICO network, fewer than 10 percent of the 3 million to 4 million homeowners the program promised to help have received permanent loan modifications. As a result, many are still waiting for responses from the banks or have lost their homes.

Community Organizing
Opinion: Faith leaders must unite against Bay Area hate crimes

The Mercury News

As individuals and with our congregations, we are responding to this most recent hate crime with our renewed commitment to building a community where all are welcome and no one has to live in fear. We will work together as one body to help our own communities overcome prejudice.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
U.S. Treasury Hearings

National People's Action

The U.S. Treasury Department is responsible for implementing President Obama’s Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) that promised to help 3-4 million homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Push to Regulate E-Waste in Silicon Valley

The Bay Citizen

The United States has allowed its current practice of electronic waste disposal to continue unabated for years, but community groups in the Silicon Valley are trying to do something about it.

San Jose mulls e-waste rule

The Mercury News

Councilman Ash Kalra asked that the city consider the idea, citing concerns that "e-waste" — which contains toxic materials including mercury — is often shipped to developing countries with weak environmental and safety standards.

PACT will urge city of San Jose to urge e-Steward certified recyclers

Community Newspapers-The Rose Garden Resident

Developing countries where e-waste is shipped often show extremely high levels of lead and toxic chemicals in the soil, air and water, creating hazards for the people, many of them children, who sift through the debris looking for metals they can sell.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
BofA bars its own customers from closing their accounts

PICO National Network

PACT has joined with PICO congregations across the country in a national Bank Accountability campaign to stop preventable foreclosures and keep families in their homes.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Holding Banks Responsible by Community Organizing

New America Media

"Our idea is that the congregations and large institutions -- unions, schools, universities, pension funds, local and state governments - should start moving their deposits and investments out of banks that are not working to keep families in their homes."

Start-Up Education

San Jose Inside

By Joseph DiSalvo The goals of the trip were twofold: to inspire the delegation with information about small charter high schools achieving extraordinary results and to see if there is interest by these charter schools/organizations in coming north to Silicon Valley to set up their successful “shop”.

Time for immigration reform is now

The Mercury News

As people of faith, we are keeping our eyes on the prize, just as we did as leaders of the civil rights movement and other historic struggles for justice that helped perfect the promise of America. When the marching and praying end this weekend in Washington, our representatives in Congress will know we don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Immigrants to Obama: It's Time

The Nation

But it's this grassroots organizing--and there has been a lot of it in recent months--that holds the key to the passage of comprehensive immigration reform.

Prayer vigil highlights human issues in comprehensive immigration reform

The Valley Catholic

“We Are One Family Under God” set the theme for the Feb. 26 prayer vigil on immigration reform at St. Julie Church, San Jose, sponsored by a coalition of church and community groups, especially PACT (People Acting in Community Together).

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
A Deal With Bank of America Is in Their Prayers

The New York Times

Bank of America is facing the power of prayer over foreclosures.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Faith Leaders To Move Their Money Out Of Bank Of America Unless Demands Are Met

The Huffington Post

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Putting their faith into the foreclosure fight

The Boston Globe

Religious groups lobby government, lenders

Great Schools for All
Spreading Message

San Jose Mercury News

A year after a San Jose teen's suicide attempt left her in a vegetative state, her family tries to raise awareness on the evils of cyberbullying.

Bank Accountability to Stop Preventable Foreclosures
Bank Does Not Live Up to Motto

El Observador, By Osvaldo Castillo

'All I Could Do Was Watch My Mom Cry'

San Jose Mercury News

PACT Grassroots Leaders transforming education in San José!

PACT email

Last Friday PACT took another huge step forward in transforming education in San José so that all kids have access to a path to college.

Community hopes to end negative cycle

San José Mercury News

Life has not been easy for Priscilla Camacho, who is from East San Jose. She joined a gang at the age of 14, sold drugs to pay bills and became addicted to crystal methamphetamine.

San José dropouts cost community millions

San José Mercury News

Kids dropping out of San Jose schools in just one year may go on to commit 534 violent crimes a year and suffer $200 million in lost wages over their lifetimes, in addition to costing the community millions in health care costs and lost productivity, according to a new study released Thursday.

Great Schools for All
A Turning Point: Solutions to the Dropout Crisis!

PACT Email

Monday night was an amazing night - a powerful turning point - for the 700+ parents, students and community members who gathered to urge their elected officials to take action to end the chronic school failure and dropout crisis in East San Jose by investing in high-performing schools!

Small Schools' Promise

San Jose Mercury News

SILICON VALLEY CENTER WILL PROVIDE CRUCIAL EARLY COACHING