February 20, 2010 Meeting Summary

DGAAN: DuPage Glocal AIDS Action Network

Robert Makowski Room, Wheaton Franciscan Campus

 

  1. Co-chairs S. Glenna Czachor, OSF; Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC), Wheaton Franciscans and Dr. Sandra Joireman, Ph.D., Dept. of Politics and International Relations, Wheaton College. 10 DGAAN members attended.

 

  1.    - S. Glenna led the group in a reflection in honor of the World

   Day of Social Justice;

- Sandra provided a brief overview of DGAAN, and presented the newly   

   published 2009 DGAAN report.  Members can access a .pdf file of the report  

   on the website, or contact Suzie Broomes for printed copies.

 

  1. Maura Daley, Great Lakes Region Field Director at the ONE  Campaign

Maura presented a brief introduction and history of the ONE Campaign, and some highlights of the 2010 Obama Administration Budget, which includes a mere 1 ½ % for foreign assistance, less than .5% of which is slated for fighting poverty.  Noting that the period between February and May is the key time for political advocacy, she shared information about three new ONE initiatives:

§         ONE Campus Challenge: A collaborative effort for college students across the country to learn about global poverty and preventable disease, and to achieve change on behalf of the world's poorest people through advocacy, action and awareness-raising.

§         Women ONE2ONE: a campaign to recruit more than one million women in the fight against poverty and preventable disease; to connect and take action online through innovative means and create new tools to engage others and tell stories of the results we see when we invest in women

    • ONE Sabbath: an interfaith campaign providing information and tools for churches and houses of worship to respond through advocacy to such global challenges as AIDS, malaria, lack of clean water and children out of school.

Maura was interested in how she can support DGAAN and be involved in our activities.  In particular, she’s interested in meeting S. Florence Muia and exploring ways ONE might collaborate with Upendo Village.  S. Theresa Langfield and S. Glenna Czachor will continue to connect with Maura about this exciting opportunity.

 

  1. Pete Subkoviak, Policy Associate for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC)

Pete presented an informative, yet sobering look at the IL Budget Crisis.  HIV/AIDS healthcare and prevention programs in Illinois are some of the best in the United States.  However, all the existing programs are in jeopardy, and some have already had to shut down, due to cuts in the IL State budget.   One key issue is the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The number of people relying on ADAP is on the rise, due to an increase in unemployment and health insurance loss, expanded efforts to diagnose HIV/AIDS, and the increased lifespan due to the success of HIV/AIDS medications; while at the same time, IL has experienced a $7million reduction in ADAP funding.

 

The AFC is supporting the initiatives of The Responsible Budget Coalition, which brings together many diverse organizations that represent and serve millions of Illinois residents. They are committed to building the support needed to solve Illinois’ budget crisis, prevent harmful cuts to essential public services, save jobs, eliminate the state’s long-term structural deficit, and make taxes more fair.

 

The AFC is sponsoring the HIV/AIDS Lobby Days in Springfield, IL March 16-17.  Pete is willing to return to DGAAN to provide follow-up information on the IL budget crisis as well as new initiatives as they arise.

 

  1. DGAAN Members shared their personal actions as they relate to HIV/AIDS:

 

Ron Durbin, St. Joan of Arc

-  Preparing for the S.T.E.P. event at St. Joan of Arc in Lisle, on May 16

-  St. Joan of Arc will be featuring ”Catholics Confronting Global Poverty” in conjunction with the S.T.E.P program

-  Noted that the Diocese of Joliet will be hosting a Prayer Day event on May 1, at which various workshops will be presented, including one on Immigration.

-  Wrote Senator Durbin asking for support of Senate Resolution 404-Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

-  Preparing to host an “Offering of Letters” at St. Joan of Arc


Kristin Hartsaw, DuPage County Health Department

-  Attended the Illinois House Appropriations Committee Special Hearing in January. Purpose of the hearing was to discuss funding need for ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program), HIV Prevention and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. Various service providers’ clients and Illinois Dept. of Public Health officials provided testimony.

-  Spoke briefly with Rep. Patti Bellock about the adjustments made in the DuPage Community Health Department due to the IL budget crisis, and the need for continued funding for HIV prevention programs.

 

Sandra Joireman, Dept. of Politics and International Relations at Wheaton College

-    Working with Bread for the World to plan a consultation on evangelicals regarding Foreign Assistance

-    Wrote an article for Mother Earth Sister Peace on hunger in the US

-    Worked with Bread on grassroots organizing changes

-    Planning strategies for 2010 DGAAN Meetings and worked with S. Glenna to prepare the 2009 Annual Report.

-    Organized lecture and dinner for Wheaton College which included Roger Thurow

-    Joined the Women for Women initiative for ONE Campaign

-    Wrote an article on Foreign Aid that appeared in the Christian Century

-    Wrote an article on Darfur Genocide for Ethno Politics

 

S. Theresa Langfield, Wheaton Franciscans and Upendo Village

-  Wrote Letters and made calls to legislators on current issues

-  Handled mailings for Upendo Village, scheduling meetings for S. Florence Muia’s US visit from May 12- June 30; networking in four States.

-  Reading a book called Half of the Sky

-  Received a letter of support from Bishop Imesh, who joined our ministry team in Naviasha.

-  Hosted various craft sales that benefit all families and clients of Upendo Village

-  Launched a Capital Fund Drive for a new Administration Building at Upendo Village

 

Abby Anderson & Jason Brown, Wheaton College, SGAC

-  Preparing for the visit of Princess Zulu who will be coming to the campus on April 17

-  Held a campus-wide survey on awareness and printed the results in the school newspaper

-  Preparing for Testing and Response with Mosaic: Wheaton College Students will be tested for HIV and will be asked to write about their experiences

 

Mary Ellen Durbin, People Resource Center

-  Planning and preparation for Dinner & Dialogue on March 8, “Franciscan Perspective on Climate Change”

-  Met with Ben Lowe, a member of the Wheaton College Alumni community living with the poor in Wheaton

-  Met with Judy Biggert regarding: several housing issues, including increasing the priority for housing counseling at the federal level

 

S. Catherine Albers, Wheaton Franciscan Sisters

-  Attended lecture by Roger Thurow co-author of Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty

-  Continue to be a support to our J&P coordinator (S. Glenna)

S. Glenna Czachor, Wheaton Franciscan Sisters

-  Sorted through DGAAN 2009 reports to compile the 2009 DGAAN Annual Report.

-  Wrote Letters and made calls to legislators on current issues

-  Joined the Women for Women International Campaign, and began correspondence with my sponsoree, Lou Agumut Mabor who lives in Sudan.

-  Reading, Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty, by Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman.

-  Compiled information on local and national housing statistics at the request of Franciscans International to contribute to their report to the UN.

-  Edited the Wheaton Franciscan JPIC journal, Mother Earth, Sister Peace, for publication in March.

 

 

The next meeting was schedule for April 17, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

at the Wheaton Franciscan Campus.