Citizens' Daily Lobby

In the wake of the ACORN scandals, it has been a difficult time for community organizers across the nation to raise funds, take action, and promote social justice.  A new organization, Arkansas Community Organizations, was founded in December, 2009, to address these issues.  This Saturday, the group is holding an open house.

For Immediate Release                                             Contact:  Neil Sealy
Thursday, June 17, 2010                                                         501-346-9617

Arkansas Community Organizations To Hold Open House This Saturday

Little Rock — Arkansas Community Organizations will hold an open house this coming Saturday, June 14 at 2101 S. Main Street in Little Rock from Noon to 3:00 PM.  A program with speakers will begin at 12:30 PM.

Arkansas Community Organizations was established in December 2009 to organize low-income and working Arkansans to win changes that improve the health, income and opportunities for people in the state’s underserved communities and to give ordinary Arkansans a voice in major policy decisions in both government and private business.  The new organization has worked on health care reform, environmental justice, financial reform and neighborhood issues over the last six months.  The organization has also been active in helping people obtain affordable home mortgages and providing financial literacy classes to community residents.

The open house gives the community an opportunity to meet members and leaders of the new organization and to meet the organization’s supporters from other constituencies.

The recent defunding of ACORN by the House and Senate will not have a large direct  financial effect on ACORN in Arkansas.   That’s because the group has not relied on federal funding, subsisting instead on membership dues, local fundraisers, donations, contracts and foundation grants, according to Neil Sealy, Head Organizer for ACORN in Little Rock.    A sister organization, the Arkansas Community Housing Corporation, has in past years contracted with the Department of Housing and Urban Development  for Fair Housing outreach and education.  ACHC has received satisfactory to outstanding ratings for the work, but it currently does not have a contract with HUD.

Widespread distrust of the national ACORN will likely lead to indirect financial problems for local chapters, however.  Potential donors are likely to view the widely-publicized ACORN scandals as being systemic throughout the organization and to divert their philanthropic dollars to groups they view as more trustworthy.    Local media may pick up the national headlines and portray a negative view without fully researching the local chapters.  In tough economic times, non-profits compete aggressively for decreasing private funding, and bad media coverage can certainly handicap an organization.

The fact is, that losing ACORN in Arkansas would mean losing a strong local support system for low- to middle- income communities.  Here in Little Rock, ACORN makes a positive difference by advocating for those in our society who are traditionally underserved.     In the current economic and real-estate crisis, the work ACORN does to keep  families in their own homes helps everyone by preventing foreclosures.   Who will help people like the Delaneys if not ACORN?  They had exhausted all other resources and were literally moving out of their home when ACORN and the Community Housing Corporation stepped in to help them negotiate a mortgage payment they could afford.

ACORN also helps minority and low-income communities make their voices heard politically.  In addition to conducting voter registration, they also host rallies and encourage citizens to contact their Congressional delegation about progressive issues.  It is these activities that most aggrieve conservatives. Whatever the problems with ACORN at the national level, and it is evident that there are some items of concern, it is evident that those who would indirectly suppress the votes and voices of minorities have much to gain by the recent negative publicity and wholesale repudiation of ACORN by both political parties.