Gov. Baker, Mayor Walsh, A.G. Healey and House Speaker DeLeo to meet with 1500 GBIO Faith Leaders

BOSTON - May 11, 2015 - PRLog -- Governor Baker, Mayor Walsh, Attorney General Healey and House Speaker DeLeo, as well as health care industry CEO’s, agree to meet TOGETHER with Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) Clergy and lay leaders as they seek agreement on common goals toward a NEW VISION for Massachusetts.

     According to Rev. Ray Hammond, Pastor of Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain and a co-chair of the event, “This event will be an unparalleled opportunity for elected and corporate officials from across a wide spectrum, Democrat and Republican, city and state, corporate and government, to collaborate with the community to solve critical problems.”

Public Schools:  WILL MAYOR WALSH AND OTHER ALLIES WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT ROXBURY CHILDREN WILL THRIVE IN A NEW $72M DEARBORN STEM ACADEMY?

Gun Safety:  WILL GOVERNOR BAKER fully implement the new MA GUN SAFETY law and WORK WITH GBIO AND LOCAL MAYORS TO hold gun MANUFACTURERS MORE ACCOUNTABLE?

Criminal Justice:  WILL SPEAKER DELEO SUPPORT CRINMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS RELATED TO PRE-TRIAL BAIL, DRIVER’S LICENSE REVOCATION and MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR DRUG OFFENSES?

Affordable Housing, Gentrification and Homelessness:  DOES MAYOR WALSH’S HOUSING PLAN DELIVER ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUSTAINING NEIGHBORHOODS?

    “In a time of national political gridlock and social upheaval, through GBIO’s work Massachusetts can once again demonstrate a different model:  collaboration across differences, seeking common ground and making a real difference in ordinary people’s lives”, says Burns Stanfield, Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in South Boston and President of GBIO.

Media Contact (pre-event):

Chuck Koplik (c) 617-571-8602, cmkoplik@alum.mit.edu;

Larry Gordon (c) 617-699-2324, lmgordon@earthlink.net

Media Liaisons (at event):

Patricia Hurley 617-872-9831 phurley@trinitychurchboston.org

Barbara Berke (c) 617-877-5376, bberke@gmail.com

EVENT FORMAT:

GBIO will be assembling its key leaders from churches, synagogues and mosques. These leaders have hosted hundreds of house meetings, from which a NEW VISION is emerging.  The issues that emerged at these house meetings were discussed and prioritized at two Delegates Assemblies earlier this year.  Elected officials will be recognized for past work with GBIO but the event will focus on their responses to the emerging challenges and opportunities.  Elected officials will respond to targeted questions and each will also be given an opportunity for closing comments on the topics addressed.

ABOUT GBIO:

The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) is a broad-based organization of churches, synagogues, mosques, and community organizations that works across religious, racial, ethnic, class, and neighborhood lines for the public good. Our primary goal is to develop local leadership and organized power to fight for social justice.  GBIO’s President is Burns Stanfield of Fourth Presbyterian in South Boston.  Larry Gordon is GBIO’s Lead Organizer.  GBIO’s offices are in Upham’s Corner.

GBIO’s accomplishments include:

·          Affordable Housing Trust Fund: A year of organizing and legislative advocacy led to the creation of the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  To date, 158.3 million dollars have been invested by this fund toward the creation of 9,962 units of affordable housing across the state.

·          Civil Rights for Nursing Home Workers:  In 2003, GBIO’s Haitian congregations organized to improve conditions for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who worked in situations that were unacceptable for them and patients.  Our organizing led to then-Attorney General Reilly issuing an unprecedented Advisory to the Nursing Home industry clarifying the civil rights of nursing home workers.

·          Health Reform: In 2005, GBIO joined with the ACT! Coalition to expand access to quality affordable healthcare in the Commonwealth.  GBIO leaders collected over 55,000 petition signatures in support of comprehensive health reform. Nearly ½ million people now have health insurance because of this law, which became the model for the now federal Affordable Care Act.

·          Affordable Health Care:  In 2006, GBIO engaged 636 people to determine how much they could afford to pay for health insurance. GBIO succeeded in influencing the authority to create high quality and affordable plans for low and moderate income individuals and families.

·          Dearborn Middle School Renovation and Academic Turnaround:  In 2011, GBIO secured a commitment from the Boston Superintendent of Schools, the Mayor of Boston and the State Treasurer to turn the failing Dearborn Middle School in Roxbury into a state-of-the-art STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) school.  This commitment includes a commitment of city dollars connected to a $72M state bond to pay for the school’s re-construction.

·          Heath Care Cost Containment:  In 2012, GBIO pressed for the nation’s first Health Care Cost Containment bill, requiring both medical providers and insurance companies to keep the growth of medical costs down to the growth of the overall economy for the next 5 years, and to 0.5% below the growth of the overall economy thereafter.  The Attorney General appointed a co-chair of GBIO’s health care action team to the 11-person Health Policy Commission, created by the statute to implement the legislation.

PHOTOS WELCOME.  Please check in at Press area at church entrance.