In November of 2011, over 500 clergy of 25 different faiths including 70 Catholic priests from around the country gathered in New Orleans for a powerful week of training and planning together. Local clergy who attended the event were Rev. John Harris of Greater White Rose COGIC, Rev. Amelia Adams of the Open Door House of Prayer, Rev. Dennis Moore of First Thessalonians Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. Ernest Williams of Evangelist COGIC, and Rev. Barney Lewis of Seniors Want A Tomorrow (SWAT). On the second evening of that gathering, event participants joined with over 2000 people at the New Orleans Lifelines to Healing Campaign Kick-Off Action where leaders called on elected officials for support for this violence prevention program for youth.

 After the event, twelve local clergy of various denominations came together to discuss the rampant violence that has gripped Stockton and to look at possible solutions. The Lifelines to Healing model that was kicked-off in New Orleans became one of the main focuses of the group. In February of 2012, the group went up to Sacramento for some training and to experience a Lifelines to Healing “Night Walk” in the Mack Road corridor. 

 On March 1, 2012, Pastors from eight diverse congregations and their church leaders kicked-off the local “Lifelines to Healing” campaign with outreach to one of the seven high crime areas in the city of Stockton. The Lifelines to Healing campaign builds strong relationships between clergy and repeat offenders to reduce violence, and to extend a message of love and hope.

 The Lifelines to Healing campaign is an evidence-based, data-driven and violence reduction opportunity to address pervasive violence and drug trafficking in neighborhoods. The premise behind this campaign, as shown through evidence-based practices, is that a small number of individuals engage in a large percentage of violence and drug offenses. In Sacramento, where the walks in the Mack area have been taking place for the past three years, the crime rate in that area has dropped by 50%.

 The Lifelines to Healing clergy are using a strategy of focused deterred policing and targeted community engagement every Thursday as they walk the Bianchi/Greensboro neighborhood. Clergy are connecting to this same small number of individuals and are presenting them with a message that they are loved, but their criminal actions are not acceptable in the community. 

 Offenders are then presented with a coordinated and collaborative message delivered at a “call-in” to cease their behavior and accept the “lifeline” made available to them, or they will face the consequences of their actions. The “call-in” is a collaborative effort between the community, local agencies, police, and the probation department. The primary goals of Lifelines are to reduce violence in urban communities and to strengthen the capacity within communities to advocate for key violence prevention/peace creation strategies. 

 Our vision with this outreach extends beyond just stopping violence. It is about paying attention to the larger quality of life issues that affect our communities, especially communities of color.

On June 1, 2011, 200 Stockton leaders traveled down to Modesto to join with over 600 Central Valley leaders in a Prayer Vigil on the State Budget. This event included a wide range of cultures and faith traditions. Among the speakers were the Catholic Diocese of Stockton Bishop Blaire, Rev. Amelia Adams from the Open Door House of Prayer, Rev. John Harris from White Rose COGIC, and senior citizen Gloria Garcia. Part of the evening included a report of some of the devastation that recent state budget cuts have had. The Healthy Families Program was cut by $38.5 million affecting 55,000 children from low income families including 648 from San Joaquin County. The SSI/SSP program was cut by $192 million affecting approximately 8,500 seniors and people with disabilities. The evening ended with a call to sign on to a common faith statement. Staff from 2 of the valley legislative districts attended the event.

On May 19, 2011 close to 100 residents gathered at Central United Methodist Church to learn and talk about the devastating local impacts of state budget cuts.

The state budget is a local budget. Seventy-five cents of every dollar spent in the state’s general fund is for local assistance. Roberta Furger of PICO California gave a power point presentation on the State Budget, where the funds go and the local impact of cuts.