A FAITH THAT DOES JUSTICE, INC.
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Mission Statement
A Faith That Does Justice is an interfaith organization that challenges people to experience God by living their faith intentionally in service to others. We do this by showing how unjust societal structures marginalize people and by acting to help those in need.
About This Cause
A Faith That Does Justice (AFTDJ) is an interfaith organization that raises consciousness about social issues affecting underserved populations in our community. The organization depends on and welcomes people of all races, religions, cultures, gender identities, and sexual orientations to explore and participate in action-oriented strategies to overcome social, political, and economic barriers that perpetuate inequities in society. AFTDJ is a volunteer led, tax exempt organization under IRS section 501(c)(3). Our programs fall under our two key strategic areas of focus: A. Acting to help those in need with an emphasis on immigrant populations. 1. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). On the educational front, AFTDJ has proudly partnered with Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) since 2019 to provide a specialized ESOL curriculum for newly arrived individuals. Designed to meet the unique needs of recent arrivals, our curriculum equips students with essential English skills to navigate everyday life and pursue meaningful employment. Through pre- and post-testing, JVS monitors each student’s progress, ensuring continuous growth in language proficiency and appropriate class placements. Their comprehensive reports also track student retention and attendance, offering insights into the program's engagement and impact. We provide free virtual and in-person instruction for English language learners in greater Boston. From 2018 through the end of 2024, AFTDJ provided instruction to 857 students. We served 105 students in 2023 and will serve 240 students by the end of 2024. In 2024, AFTDJ expanded its impact by partnering with the Boston Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) to offer in-person ESOL classes to approximately 55 Haitian migrants living in city emergency shelters. Through a recently secured contract, MOIA funding will now enable AFTDJ to provide ESOL education for up to 80 Haitian migrants between November 2024 and June 2025. Our ESOL curriculum, co-developed with JVS, emphasizes practical language skills crucial for real-world integration, daily communication, and job readiness. Key features of our ESOL program include: Essential Survival Skills: Students build foundational English for everyday interactions, such as introducing themselves, asking for directions, understanding forms, and communicating effectively with employers, service providers, and community members. Workplace Preparedness: Courses focus on English for job interviews, resume building, workplace communication, and common professional vocabulary, helping students gain confidence in pursuing job opportunities. Interactive, Accessible Learning: Through role-playing, dialogues, and hands-on exercises, students enhance their comprehension and speaking abilities. Instruction is customized to support diverse learning styles and literacy levels, ensuring accessibility for all students, including those with limited formal education. This collaborative and responsive approach underscores AFTDJ's commitment to fostering language acquisition as a pathway to self-sufficiency, community integration, and personal empowerment for newly arrived individuals. Since 2020 a group of Student Relationship Managers (SRMs) was added to the core volunteer team to serve as mentors for the growing number of ESOL students. SRMs support students in their learning process, help students manage obstacles to learning and class attendance, and improve student retention. Currently, there are four SRMs who have been actively working with the students for about four years. Two are fluent in English and Spanish; one is fluent in English and Portuguese; and one is fluent in all three languages. In addition, AFTDJ is developing a pilot program that will engage adults who "graduate" from the AFTDJ ESOL program to serve as mentors to current ESOL students. We predict that these mentors will relate well to the current students, understand their struggles, provide encouragement, and advise them on the path to success. By helping one another and paying it forward, both students and mentors will benefit from the program. We plan to provide a stipend to the mentors, as these individuals will enhance the quality and depth of our ESOL program. 2. A "Grab & Go" program offers a weekly lunch for individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. In addition, clothing items and footwear are freely available to those we serve. This service provides immediate help to those in need in Boston's Back Bay and Boston Common areas, and we are looking to expand these services to the Mission Hill area of Boston. We also provide free lunches to our students attending our in-person ESOL classes. B. Educating our followers in how unjust systems marginalize people and encouraging individuals to puttheir faith into action to address social injustice. . 1. Presentations, such as Fireside Chats with nationally and globally recognized leaders. AFTDJ has been honored by the support and participation of key leaders in our community and globally. Our Fireside Chats have hosted senior leaders from organizations such as the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, leaders of nationally influential Temples and Mosques, a Nobel Laureate in Medicine, the founder and President of Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, a former Governor, and award-winning journalists such as the Boston Globe Spotlight Team. 2. The Weekly Word: A weekly email that reaches approximately 4,000 followers of AFTDJ and gives voice to faith leaders of different traditions across the country who discuss social justice issues from a faith perspective. 3. Newsletter: Includes a spiritual reflection by qualified theologians on social justice and event news circulated weekly by email to approximately 4,000 AFTDJ followers. 4. Continual learning opportunities: Virtual connection to our subscribers, through “live” and pre-recorded videos on social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X).