This week, CUFA is taking action to ensure everyone has housing and utilities, and we are looking ahead to the future: how do we build an economy where everyone can THRIVE? 

Here are the top 3 actions you can take this week:

1. Want to work to ensure everyone has housing? Join our Housing Action Team (virtually) Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 6:30-7:30 PM. RSVP here for instructions to join.
   
   
2. We are heading to Columbus Sept. 26 for a #NoShutoffs Car Rally action! Register here to join the CUFA Caravan to the rally and share the event with friends and family. 
   
   
3. Get hip to the National THRIVE Agenda, a bold economic renewal plan that puts millions of people back to work building a just, healthy, and equitable society. Then, call your Congressional Representative and ask them to support it.

What's Happening This Week

CUFA Housing Action Team Thursday, September 15 from 6:30-7:30 PM. 

Everyone needs a stable home to live in. We support moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures at the federal, state and local levels. We need assistance to help renters pay back rent and requirements for lenders to work with all homeowners to avoid foreclosure.  

Join us for a discussion on our next steps to achieve these goals. 

What: Housing Action Team
When: Tuesday, September 15 from 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: RSVP here for instructions to join. 

The National THRIVE Agenda

We must build a new economy to address the inequality and racism the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare. On September 10, People's Action and several allied groups released a national agenda with eight key pillars: 

1. Creating millions of good, safe jobs with access to unions.
2. Building the power of workers to fight inequality.
3. Investing in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
4. Strengthening and healing the nation-to-nation relationship with sovereign Native Nations.
5. Combating environmental injustice and ensuring healthy lives for all.
6. Averting climate and environmental catastrophe.
7. Ensuring fairness for workers and communities affected by economic transitions.
8. Reinvesting in public institutions that enable workers and communities to thrive.

Read more on each of the pillars here and take action to ask your Representative to support it.

From Green Umbrella: Sustainable, Affordable Housing & Faith Communities Go Green

Green Umbrella committees are hosting two upcoming meetings you may be interested in joining. 

What: Faith Communities Go Green Impact Team meeting 
When: Monday, September 14th at 5:00 PM 
Where: Zoom, requires registration here.

If you attend a church and your congregation wants to explore "going green," Green Umbrella is hosting Faith Communities Go Green Monday, Sept. 14 at 5:00PM. The meeting is virtual, and you must register in advance. 

What: Green Justice: Addressing Climate Impacts and Affordable Housing
When: Thursday, September 17th at 12:30 PM 
Where: Zoom, requires registration here.

Join the City of Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability, the University of Cincinnati, Groundwork Ohio River Valley and Green Umbrella for Green Justice: Addressing Climate Impacts and Affordable Housing on Thursday, September 17 at 12:30 pm. The webinar will highlight Dr. Amanda Webb's and David Moore's report, "Understanding Cincinnati's multifamily housing stock: An analysis to improve access to energy efficiency for low-income households" as well as the work of OES, Groundwork and Green Umbrella to address the climate resiliency of Cincinnati's affordable housing stock and climate vulnerable neighborhoods. Be sure to register by September 15 to reserve your spot!

Here's what you need to know to make a plan to VOTE this November

Register, check or update your registration here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/register/

The registration deadline is October 5, 2020 to vote in the November 3, 2020 General Election.

If you are already registered and do not need to make update, make your plan to vote. Here are your options for voting in Hamilton County: https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/voting-options/

An action from the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition to ensure everyone can vote easily: We need you to write to House Speaker Cupp, Senate President Obhoff and Secretary LaRose and tell them to support prepaid return postage and expanded access to drop boxes.

Ohio Voter Rights Coalition says, "Prepaid postage will encourage more voters to take advantage of voting by mail -- a safe and secure alternative to voting in-person. It will save voters a trip to the post office, making voting easier, safer, and more convenient.

And ballot drop boxes are a streamlined, safe option for voters who receive their vote-by-mail ballots too late to return them by mail -- a big concern in light of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s recent attacks on the U.S. Postal Service."

The Census is still happening! Make sure you are counted!

The 2020 Census is happening now, but last week's news that the Census would be ending its count one month early is alarming for many reasons. 

National Public Radio reports, "These last-minute changes to the constitutionally mandated count of every person living in the U.S. threaten the accuracy of population numbers used to determine the distribution of political representation and federal funding for the next decade."

"With roughly 4 out of 10 households nationwide yet to be counted, and already delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, the bureau now has less than two months left to try to reach people of color, immigrants, renters, rural residents and other members of historically undercounted groups who are not likely to fill out a census form on their own."

You can respond online, by phone, or by mail. You may not be able to count on a visit to your door to be counted in the 2020 Census. 

Click here to fill out your Census online.

Call the Census Bureau at: 844-330-2020

Send in your Census form by mail using the self-addressed envelope provided with your form. You would have received the form in the mail. 

From the Census Bureau's FAQ: "The Census Bureau is required by law to protect your information. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify you or your household."

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