Our parish is beginning a new relationship with a local advocacy group in Montgomery County. Action in Montgomery – AIM – was founded in 1998 by our own Father Ralph in cooperation with clergy from other faiths.
From its inception AIM has been a non-partisan, multi-faith, multi-racial organization dedicated to working together to get funding from Montgomery County and the State that benefit all – not just the affluent - in the community. In becoming a partner with AIM St. Francis joins other Catholic parishes – St. Martin’s, St. Rose of Lima, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Andrew’s, St. Camillus – as well as a plethora of other religious congregations in Montgomery County.
AIM’s victories in the course of the last 19 years include All-Day Kindergartens in all MCPS schools – something we now take for granted, taxi reform for Senior Citizens, and passage of the MD DREAM ACT. More recent successes include funding for after school programs for children at Title I schools, increased funding for affordable housing, and the opening of neighborhood recreation centers in Historic African American communities. As a result of AIM advocacy, the management of a low income apartment complex in Silver Spring agreed to pay for mold mitigation and to replace the windows in 1000 apartments.
At my request Marie Barry, Rosemary Hudecheck and Marianne Moore will be the parish’s liaisons with AIM. To this end they have met together, with AIM leaders and have attended a county wide ‘action’ that brought 608 citizens together with county officials.
As a grass roots organization, AIM’s agenda is set by the people of county. This is accomplished through Listening Sessions that take place from March – September in living rooms, schools, churches, and already scheduled meetings. At listening sessions AIM asks questions such as ‘what is it that keeps you up at night?’ or ‘what is it that worries you about our county’ or ‘what is your hope for the residents of Montgomery County’. The concerns raised at the hundreds of Listening Sessions will become the 2018 agenda AIM presents to the new County Executive and Council to be elected this coming November. St. Francis’ AIM committee will be inviting you to such listening sessions in late March – early May.