From the Hope Church Pastors: “We are involved with a new community initiative on issues of social justice, and there is an upcoming community forum to provide information on these efforts. As we are engaged in these efforts, the pastors are in ongoing communication with the Consistory, and we are excited to be at a point now of sharing this initiative more broadly to the congregation and community.”
What follows is the Mission and Vision for this initiative:
Community Action for Reform and Equity (CARE) acts together to build a thriving community grounded in equity and justice for all who live here. As a grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals, we work to expand the power of ordinary people to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives and to hold elected officials and public institutions accountable to the communities they serve. We come together in anti-racist solidarity to address systemic inequalities in policing, housing, education, and economic opportunity.
CARE invites others to join in the following current initiatives:
- Assess current public safety priorities and practices against the intended and unintended results for our community
- Advocate for effective models for citizen-funded public safety that assures the best service to our community:
- Incorporate mental health professionals, social workers, and domestic violence counselors as an essential part of public safety response
- Establish citizen oversight commissions within the structures of local and county government structures to provide direct, ongoing citizen review of and input on public safety policies and practices
- Encourage the establishment of practices in our schools that focus on mediation, restorative practices, and student support and empowerment; faculty and administration training and support; and strengthening our school systems through the assets of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Redirect funding from resource officer programs and pursue additional funding as required.
Additional initiatives will emerge as we are guided by our values and in dialogue and collaboration with our community.
CARE Community Zoom Forum
March 10, 2021 | 7:00 – 8:30PM | Zoom
CARE is holding a community forum and organizing meeting for all members of the Holland community who want to bring accountability to the practices of policing in our community.
The purpose of this meeting is to expand our coalition by providing a space where people who live and work in Holland can identify common problems and begin to build the relationships necessary to solve them.
At the meeting, current members of CARE will offer an introduction to our coalition’s mission to bring community-based accountability to elected officials and local Public Safety institutions and then all participants will be invited to participate in group conversations to share their own stories, perspectives, and experiences. Participants will be invited to engage in future organizing efforts and actions in our community.
For those on Facebook, you can explore more about CARE on this page: https://www.facebook.
And you can register for the March 10 forum through this event page: https://www.facebook.
You can also register for the event directly through this link: March 10 CARE Community Forum Registration