Friday, April 23, 2010
A faith-based group that does community organizing in the Mahoning Valley should be congratulated for its work, said the president of the community-organizing foundation that trained President Barack Obama in the craft.
Dr. Ann E. Smith, president of the Chicago-based Gamaliel Foundation, was the keynote speaker Thursday at the eighth annual banquet for the Alliance for Congregation Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods. The banquet, which is ACTION’s only fundraiser, was at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Social Hall.
That work deserving of congratulations includes “working together to get a new community college in place,” “working to get a grocery store in Warren” and seeing an eyesore, the former Linton Funeral Home, torn down and a memorial to the Linton family’s legacy planned in its place, Smith said before the banquet.
“ACTION is one of 60 affiliates that the Gamaliel Foundation has in 20 states, South Africa and Great Britain,” she said.
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