Faiths band together to improve community

ARISE (A Regional Initiative Supporting Empowerment) is a grassroots movement begun in 1997 in Schenectady that now encompasses the entire Capital District.

According to ARISE executive vice-president Deb Baumes, churches of various denominations originally banded together to fight Schenectady's economic depression and housing issues. Mrs. Baumes, who attends State St. Presbyterian Church in Schenectady, said that the group worked with the city council and other authorities "to make the everyday person's voice heard. It's a group of people coming together to draw strength from each other to revitalize the voice of the community."

Expansion

ARISE promotes political awareness and looks at the problems that need to be addressed in the four counties it now covers: Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady. The group represents a total of 12,000 voters.

One focus of ARISE so far has been training members to speak to their elected officials about their concerns and specific changes that need to be made in their counties.

"It's amazing how uncomfortable people are with talking to people," said Mrs. Baumes. "We've taught people how to do a one-on-one [conversation] with people in authority."

Voice of thousands

Mrs. Baumes named several specific changes ARISE hoped political leaders in the Capital District would enact as a result:

* creating a regional gang prevention program;

* giving more funding to after-school programs to keep children off the streets; the vice-president noted that ARISE has already earmarked several successful efforts that could use more staff, like the Schenectady County Social Services Department;

* expanding youth centers; and

* changing the hours of the Schenectady Social Services Department.

Regarding the latter, Mrs. Baumes explained that mothers working minimum-wage jobs are still eligible for aid like food stamps, but they have to take time off from work to reapply for aid several times a year, endangering their jobs.

"The least we can do is facilitate better hours" for them to apply for aid, she said.

Connections

"I'm excited about what has already come out" of ARISE's work, she said. "It's a process that's going to take years, but we're taking back our streets, taking back our cities. We really look at this as an ongoing project."

(Contact ARISE at Box 6718, Albany, NY 12206; email [email protected]; or call the Rev. Sam Trumbore at 463-7135.)

(11-15-01) [[In-content Ad]]