By David Gordon, associate editor
Transportation needs, restoring rights for released prisoners and child poverty issues were among the topics spotlighted last week at a public discussion sponsored by JONAH.
Some 20 people took part in the in-person segment of the discussion at Trinity Lutheran Church, with another eight present via the online streaming of the event. Attendees at the church received a two-page summary of recent JONAH activity, which can be found here.
JONAH (Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope) is a faith-based Chippewa Valley nonprofit that draws on interfaith religious values to focus its efforts on social justice issues and their root causes. Its seven current task forces deal with transportation issues, affordable housing, child poverty, criminal justice issues, immigration, the environment and mental health.
Phil Swanhorst, co-chair of JONAH’s Transportation Committee, stressed the need for a public transit system that enables people to get to their jobs and to medical care. Swanhorst, who drove a city bus for 15 years, noted the complexity of the fare structure now compared to the two fare classes that existed when he first began driving a bus here some 20 years ago.
Simplifying the fare structure would help both bus riders and drivers, Swanhorst said. He added that addressing transit needs – which the City Council should be urged to do – is not a panacea but would help some people “get back on their feet.”
Other topics
Kelly Mahoney, co-chair of the Chippewa Valley Justice Action team, advocated for restoring the right to vote after an individual is released from prison. She cited data from Florida where, although the overall recidivism rate was about 33%, it dropped to 11% among ex-prisoners whose civil rights – including the right to vote – were restored as they worked to re-enter society.
Julian Emerson, who has reported extensively on poverty and homelessness, said that the United States has the fourth highest child poverty rate in the world. He added that a study by United Way indicated that Eau Claire County has the second highest rate of child poverty among Wisconsin’s 72 counties.
Emerson said there are many challenges – and much frustration and heartache – in trying to deal with such situations as a family with both parents working and still unable to feed their children properly. He paid tribute to the many people who have had the courage to share “the hard stuff” in their lives to help him and others make the public more aware of the problems that exist.
JONAH organizer Lynn Buske noted that health care concerns connect with many of the areas where JONAH is active and she is surprised no one has come to her to suggest that action is needed on health issues. She urged people with ideas and concerns to discuss them one-on-one with a JONAH board member.
NOTE: The CVPost is among the many places where Julian Emerson’s reporting has appeared. See, for example, his 2019 article on the need for affordable housing in Eau Claire.