Metro IAF

Metro Industrail Areas Foundation (Metro IAF)
551 Vandalia Ave
3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11239
Website: www.Metro-IAF-NY.org

From a flyer issued by Metro IAF:

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WHAT IS THE METRO INDUSTRIAL AREAS FOUNDATION?

Metro IAF is the nation's first and largest coalition of multi-faith organizations. They have seven decades of experience winning tough battles across the nation.

IAF's 55 organizations have a deep grassroots presence in the political and financial power centers across the United States and Europe. In New York and New Jersey, our organizations include:

• East Brooklyn Congregations
• Manhattan Together
• South Bronx Churches
• Empowered Queens United in Action and Leadership
• Long Island Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods
• Westchester United
• New Jersey Together

Each individual organization is independent and non-partisan, and led by a strategy team of religious, lay, and community leaders. The local organizations, as well as Metro IAF, are funded by dues paid by member institutions (churches, temples, mosques, unions, business groups, schools, senior centers, etc.) and grants from foundations. IAF groups do not seek or accept government funding for their core operating budgets.

WHAT ARE SOME OF METRO IAF'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS?

Nehemiah Housing. Metro IAF successfully build more than 3,000 Nehemiah homes in East Brooklyn and another 1,000 Nehemiah homes in the South Bronx. Together with their partners, they have built or rehabilitated more than 1,000 affordable apartments. There are currently more than 1,300 homes and apartments under construction.

Living Wage. Metro IAF initiated the living wage movement and passed the first living wage ordinances in Baltimore in 1994 and in New York in 1996. Living wage requirements have now been passed in over 200 municipalities across the nation and created wealth for millions of working families.

New Small Schools and Construction. Metro IAF partnered with the NYC Department of Education to start four small quality public high schools and two charter schools, and create $300 million in school construction.

Environmental Clean Up. Leaders in new Jersey launched and won two lawsuits that called for the Honeywell and PPG Corporations to spend almost $1 billion to remove toxic chromate waste from sites in Jersey City site. Some of the clean-up has been finished and new affordable homes have been built.

Immigrant Issues. Metro IAF successfully organized to overhaul bilingual education in New York City in 2003, and passed the Dream Act in Maryland in 2012, which provided in-state tuition to immigrant students.

OTHER ISSUES

Each Metro IAF organization is engaged on a wide range of issues. These issues respond to different local concerns and priorities.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Metro IAF's most important accomplishment has been the development of thousands of leaders who were and are the driving force behind all the aforementioned campaigns and victories.

Metro IAF sponsors two one-day and two five-day training sessions each year. They host leadership trainings for individual member institutions as requested.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.Metro-IAF-NY.org

Read Going Public by Michael Gecan, an in-depth look at community organizing with Metro IAF.

Request a meeting with an organizer.