This year has been an especially eventful one for CHANGE.  Just to remind you, CHANGE is a multi-racial, multi-faith and non-partisan organization made up mostly of area congregations in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.  We work together to mobilize on issues of common concern in our community.   St. Clement’s has been a dues-paying member for two years.   

This year, CHANGE was successful in getting legislation passed in Raleigh to create a non-partisan school board election for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County.  This was a two-year effort and culminated in several trips to Raleigh to meet with legislators.  CHANGE was also instrumental in getting a federal grant for the county to address lead contamination in old houses.  The Education Action Team for Griffith Academy continues its work to elicit commitment for specific actions from the School Superintendent.

New plans for the coming months and years include:

·        An action team to resurrect and reform VOAD (Volunteers Organizing for A Disaster) in the wake of the response to the most recent apartment fires in town.

·        An action team to improve minority contracting within City/County Government and the school system.

·        An action team to work with the NC Commissioner of Banks on an initiative aimed at prevention of home foreclosures.

·        Planning for an action to organize parents to improve education.

·        A partnership with First Baptist Church (Fifth Street) to conduct community meetings for planning of  a Community Center for Arts and Education  in downtown Winston-Salem.

·        Work on the development of an agenda for education reform.

Walt Joyce has just been voted to a seat on the Strategy Team of CHANGE, which acts as the Board of Directors of the organization.