First Church is a member of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization. GBIO is a collaboration of about 80 institutions across the metropolitan and surrounding area that includes churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, unions, and social services agencies. Representing about 55,000 constituents, GBIO organizes and advocates on social issues. For years, GBIO has been particularly active in the areas of housing and education. It has most notably pressured city and state government officials to dedicate funds and land for affordable housing in greater Boston.

First Church became a voting and dues-paying member of GBIO in the '02-'03 church year. Our decision to join GBIO was an acknowledgement that no church is an island-we are not a religious community alone and we are not the only ones struggling to put our faith into action in the wider world. As a member of GBIO, we have cast our lot with other faith communities to work for a better life for all of us.

One of GBIO's newer initiatives includes improving certain rights and benefits for immigrants. Another is the "organized money campaign," which will collect information about the monetary clout of GBIO member organizations and individual members. The purpose in gathering this information is to give GBIO the power to talk with banks and insurance agencies about policies and practices that negatively impact GBIO members and their communities. More on this to come.

A third recent initiatives is joining with nursing home employees, particularly Certified Nursing Assistants, to advocate for better working conditions. As 80% of this workforce is originally from Haiti, the difficult conditions they must work under have become a civil rights issue. Improving staffing and wages in our nursing homes will also improve care for elders who live there and who are too often neglected. As a part of this campaign, First Church hosted a group of nursing home workers during our recent Martin Luther King Sunday church service. Further actions and advocacy are to come.

First Church GBIO Delegates:
The delegates from First Church to GBIO are Earl Egdall, Marshall Hawkins and Peggy Hopper. Please direct any questions or comments on GBIO to them.