Our Lafy of Sorrows is a member of Jersey City Together
New Jersey Together is a growing broad-based, multi-faith coalition in northern New Jersey. We challenge ordinary people in our region to identify problems facing their neighborhoods and city, connect individuals and organizations to multiply their power, and mobilize people to bring about creative and effective change.

New Jersey Together is a 501c3 non-profit affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), the nation's first and largest network of multi-faith comm

Frank McMillan, Lead Organizer

Frank has been organizing professionally for the last ten years in New Jersey, Virginia, and Northern Ireland. To contact him, email [email protected].

​Boris Franklin, Associate Organizer

​Boris began organizing with New Jersey Together in 2019. You can reach him at [email protected].

The IAF partners with religious congregations and civic organizations at the local level to build broad-based organizing projects; we have seven decades of experience winning tough campaigns for change including passing the nation's first living wage law in Baltimore, securing more than $1 billion of Chromium cleanup in Jersey City, and building 6,000 affordable, owner-occupied Nehemiah homes across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

 
Jersey City Together (JCT)                                                                                                             OLS Chapter Update                                                                                                           November 2019
 
Listening Sessions on Education                                                                                                   As we have done in the past on public safety, the JCT OLS Chapter will engage in                         listening sessions with parishioners interested in providing JCT with their                                         view of what is happening and where we need to go regarding our local public schools and for the entire Jersey City Public School system. 
Here are just a few concerns that JCT has discovered. Budget cuts for this year have had a considerable impact on staffing. Drinking water for students, an issue that has existed for years has not been addressed in an appropriate manner.
Additionally, the overall funding system in place for public education is simply broken and must be fixed.
 
Most sessions will take place at fellowship during the month of November, beginning on November 10. We will gather in small groups where each individual will have the opportunity to provide her or his own perspective. Other listening sessions may take place at other times if parishioners wish to do so. Please speak with Ellen Nash, John Taylor or Bill Lillis if you have questions. Listening sessions will be taking place throughout the city with other JCT Chapters. These sessions will be helpful as JCT sets its goals and priorities to address the important educational needs of our children in 2020.
 
If you have any questions, please contact the following at fellowship or when you are free.
Bill Lillis                                                                                    
Ellen Nash                                                                                  
John Taylor 
 
The Housing Crisis in Jersey City
 
The Action Team on Housing has been very engaged on a variety of issues in Jersey City. More than 40,000 families in Jersey City are experiencing housing stress, meaning that they are utilizing a considerable amount of their family income on housing. As a result, families are forced to cut back on other basic needs. We also know that as rents continue to rise in Jersey City, more and more families have been forced to leave the city. After intensive efforts undertaken by JCT, several, but by no means all landlords, in violation of setting exorbitant rent increases or failing to provide basic services to tenants are being held accountable. New procedures are in place to address these important concerns. Significant fines have been levied, rent reductions have been issued, and tenants are now receiving better support as they proceed in litigation with landlords in court proceedings. JCT views the recent vote on November 5^th by Jersey City residents to put regulations and restrictions on Airbnb  rentals as a positive step forward, as the regulations will reduce the number of rental units that are being taken out of the housing market.  A new redevelopment plan for Holland Gardens, a public housing unit in downtown Jersey City, now puts 192 families/individuals at risk. They are in need of our support to ensure they will receive appropriate consideration and will be allowed to return to renovated apartments when the redevelopment is complete. JCT is hosting a public action specifically on the housing crisis.
 
OLS Mission Statement:
“The Lord Loves His City and So Do We.”
 
We at OLS are committed to having at least 15 people to attend, but we are hoping for 25. If you need a ride, please let us know. Sign-up sheets for the event will be provided at the back of church and during fellowship. Some of us may meet for dinner before the event.
 
Public Safety and Criminal Justice
 
We at OLS would like to host a chapter meeting on public safety where we address the issues of gun violence, community policing, public safety and hear the concerns of you the parishioners. Before the year comes to an end, we would like to engage in strengthening our relationships with our south district police captain and our officers on patrol. We also need to learn what we can do better on our part to address this issue.
 
One strategy that is receiving greater attention on the local, state and national level is holding gun manufacturers to greater accountability for allowing easy access their products with criminal activity taking place as a result. We in New Jersey have some of the strictest gun regulations in the country. Unfortunately, many of the guns that are being used in criminal activity are being purchased in other states and being transported into our community for sale. Therefore, additional efforts need to be made to pressure these states to address these concerns. As a result of efforts of Do Not Stand Idly By and JCT, Jersey City residents and citizens of New Jersey have access to where these guns are coming from and their manufacturers.
 
Please let us know if you would be interested in attending a chapter meeting that takes place either on Thursday evening, November 13^th or if you would like to meet after a listening session on a Sunday. Contact Bill or John on this particular issue. Bill and John will keep the parish community up to date on our plans.
 
A new initiative undertaken by JCT concerns the criminal justice system in Jersey City.  Based on the research we have done, approximately 50,000 people in Jersey City have spent time incarcerated at some point. This impacts our entire community. We need to work with our civic leaders to better support our reentry programs so that these individuals who wish to find work and housing in our community. Additionally, we need to identify and support effective local efforts that will help to prevent our youth from joining gangs or engaging in criminal activity.