Over the August recess, Pact and PICO together with other national religious groups and denominations, including Faith in Public Life, Sojourners, and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, launched “40 Days for Health Reform,” a massive campaign that:

On September 16, PICO (including PACT), Community Catalyst and other organizations are holding a national lobby day on health care affordability on Capitol Hill, with over 100 people expected to visit 80+ offices to ensure that reform legislation includes a strong Affordability Standard that makes insurance affordable for moderate- and middle-income families.

To build support for this visit, tens of thousands of people of faith will be calling their Members of Congress on Tuesday, September 15 to tell them that religious voters support health care reform that makes insurance affordable for families.  Tell your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow congregations members to make the call. The toll free call-in number is 866-279-5474.

For more information about PICO’s health care campaign, visit www.coverallfamilies.org

PACT and St. Joseph’s Medical Center co-hosted a public Town Hall gathering on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. The event was held at Central United Methodist Church and focused on the growing crisis of access to affordable healthcare coverage. Bob Benedetti of the University of the Pacific was the MC and several local area Clergy added prayers of petition. The event ended with everyone singing, “This Land is Our Land.” To see the media coverage click here.

On May 9-10, 2009 more than 50 Hmong leaders representing a dozen organizations across the United States came together for a two day national conference in Stockton. The group sought to strategize and seek best practical solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Thailand and Laos while urging the United States government to take immediate action by intervening in the situation.

The event was organized by the Hmong Leadership Network Local Organizing Committee of PACT Stockton and co-sponsored by PICO California. The 2 day conference was very strategically planned with intensive listening, training, exploring and learning from each organization’s mission statements and work related to the humanitarian crisis.

Professor Gene E. Bigler from UOP, a former Director of Foreign Affairs in South America with the Department of State in the Bush Administration, talked about his experiences and how the Hmong could best pursue solutions.

As a result of the conference, there was a steering committee established with the support of all the organizations and attendees present, specifically to work and address the humanitarian crisis.

For more information and questions, please contact: Tsia Xiong, Regional Community Organizer.

The Hmong Leadership Network is holding a 2 day conference for organizations that work with international issues pertaining to the Hmong refugees at Phetchabun, Thailand and Laos.

The Hmong Leadership Network and other community organizations across America are concerned about the well-being of families abroad in Thailand who are being mistreated by the Thai and Lao governments while seeking refuge in the Phetchabun Province. Without intervention by the United States they may be forced to return to Laos.

The 2 Day National Conference will focus on strategies, plans of actions, and steps to secure intervention by the United States as a possible solution to end the injustice and mistreatment of Hmong families abroad while engaging other countries for support and creating opportunities for further discussion to end the humanitarian crisis in Laos and Phetchabun, Thailand. Special guests with expertise in foreign affairs and public policy analysis including our local Congressional Representatives are invited to help us strategize.

For more information contact Tsia Xiong at (209) 261-2358.