Annual Report 2015-2016

OCCV annual report: July 2015-June 2016

Legislative activities

During the 2016 legislative session, the OCCV board endorsed eight bills, and actively advocated  for several of the bills with written testimony and by testifying in person at hearings.  We were particularly active in supporting the following bills:  raising the minimum wage; reinstating a General Assistance program for disabled adults; moving Oregon away from coal to renewable energy by 2030; wage theft prevention.  All the bills we endorsed passed, although some were amended in ways that weakened the provisions.  

Collaborations

OCCV continued to expand opportunities to speak to social justice issues from a faith perspective by being a reliable partner with organizations and coalitions promoting policies consistent with our faith.  We had an active presence on the Jobs with Justice Faith Labor Committee, Wage Theft Coalition, Children First for Oregon, Health Care for All Coalition, and are members of the Human Services Coalition of Oregon.  During the 2016 session, we represented the faith perspective in the advocacy strategies for the Wage Theft Coalition, Raise the Wage, and the General Assistance Coalition.  OCCV members continue to advocate on housing and homelessness issues, both locally and at the state level.

In the spring of 2016, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and OCCV developed a plan to more closely collaborate on faith-based advocacy.  Board member John Calhoun joined the EMO policy committee, and EMO has participated in OCCV board meetings to more closely coordinate our activities.    

Board membership

We are pleased to have welcomed two new board members during this report period, Patty Campbell-Schmitt, and Heidi Cao.  Both of them have brought fresh energy and vision to our work.  We depend on the dedication and wisdom of our board members to carry out our mission, are an activist board, engaged in both the strategic planning and in implementing those strategies to bring the faith perspective to policy deliberations and decisions.

Advocacy meetings

In addition to co-sponsoring the annual Faith Labor breakfast where attendees learn about the nexus between faith and labor issues, OCCV sponsored a Wage Theft forum in January of 2016.  A panel composed of Senator Michael Dembrow, Representative Alyssa Keny-Guyer, and Michael Dale from the Northwest Worker Justice Project, discussed upcoming legislation on wage theft.

Budget and staffing

OCCV continues to thrive on a very small budget, under the watchful eye of treasurer John Calhoun, and thanks to our activist board members, who do the work of the organization.  Over this report period, we’ve maintained a healthy balance each month, with monthly expenditures rarely exceeding income. 

That we are able to accomplish much with little is also due to the work of our office manager, Amanda Larriva.   Amanda has a wide range of skills, is dedicated to her work and to the mission of the organization, and is able to accomplish a multitude of tasks within her 10 hours a week work schedule.

Looking to the future         

In April 2016, we held a strategic planning session, and committed to increasing our social media presence, including updating our website.  The website has been redone, still needs some revisions and should be updated on a regular basis.  Other social media plans have not been consistently implemented, and we need to assess what is realistic and within our capacity to accomplish.  

At that same session, we committed to engaging more effectively with our Faith Leader Advisory Group.  We need to continue those efforts, to be more intentional in finding ways to involve them in our deliberations and actions.  

We also decided to implement an OCCV membership plan, and while that has been completed, we need to stay vigilant in our efforts to engage with those who support us, and to continue to look for ways to maintain a stable financial base.

We would like to increase the size of our board, agreed to the goal of increasing it to seven members.   The Faith Leader Advisory Group  members could be candidates for the board, and again, we need to revisit how to get them more involved.                     

Finally, we need to do assessments at least once a year, of what will best accomplish what we believe is our mission.  We have established credibility within the community of social justice organizations and with policy makers, as we have been consistent and articulate in our advocacy.  We have kept ourselves accountable to the Gospel and our understanding of how Christ calls us to be salt and light, and we have stayed accountable to each other.  As outside circumstances change, as they do, our effectiveness as an organization will depend on our discernment and flexibility in responding to them.

We are engaged in the work that we believe God has called us to do.  As citizens of the Kingdom on this earth, we feel the urgency of action, are focused on issues and strategies.  It is good to remind ourselves whenever we gather, that what we are doing is worship.  It arises from our God-given longing for His righteousness.  So, as we go forward, let us be intentional in acknowledging our complete dependence on the Spirit that longs with us, and who gives us the wisdom and strength to do this work.