PRESS RESOURCES
WHAT IS UNITED POWER FOR ACTION AND JUSTICE
United Power for Action and Justice is an independent, self-funding organization of churches, synagogues, mosques, civic, neighborhood, health, and ethnic institutions from across Cook County that have joined together across religious, geographic, racial and economic lines to fight for the common good on issues of shared concern.
Founded in 1997, United Power is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), the oldest and largest network of community organizations in the US.
United Power’s membership includes roughly 250 dues-paying congregations, neighborhood organizations, and health institutions from across Cook County. You can find a membership list and more information at www.united-power.org.
United Power's success in organizing thousands across the region and developing new leaders has inspired important new organizing efforts around the region. Lake County United and DuPage United, independent sister organizations to United Power, were founded with United Power support in 2003. In 2005, again with United Power support, PACT (Public Action for Change Today), a new young adults organization, was founded. All four organizations now in the metro Chicago region are taking action on important justice issues, building and supporting vital congregations and other institutions, and training and developing new leaders.
WHAT IS DUPAGE UNITED
DuPage United is a non-partisan "Organization of Organizations." Individuals participate through organizations to which they belong. Current member organizations include congregations, synagogues, mosques, education associations, and civic organizations. Also eligible for membership are business associations, parent-teacher and student organizations, labor unions, health care and educational institutions and other community organizations.
WHAT IS LAKE COUNTY UNITED
Lake County United is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of civil society institutions: Churches, synagogues, mosques, civic and labor groups. Formed in April of 2003 our member organizations commit both dues and leaders (based on their size) to work for a just society through active citizenship. Our membership is growing and is open to all who share our goals.
As a broad based citizens organization we build relationships across Lake County, identify community concerns and needs and work together as a united power for human dignity, social justice and the greater good. In particular we encourage conversation across religious, ethnic, economic, generational, and political lines believing that it is possible to create a shared vision for the county. And we are realists about power: The ability to translate the hopes and interests of our members into action and results.
WHAT IS PUBLIC ACTION FOR CHANGE TODAY
The name represents what we are – an agreement between the South Side, West Side, North Side, and Chicago suburbs to stand together for change.
The mission is to build an independent, diverse, and powerful public organization of young adults in Chicagoland. The organization is non-partisan and inclusive: moderates, conservatives, and liberals from all walks of life. PACT seeks to grow: to maintain and strengthen its base, it must vigilantly recruit, train, and activate new members. In a disparate society, this organization will seek to unite the next generation, practicing democratic action and requiring its members to be a part of something larger than themselves and their communities.
The vision for young adults is of a city defined by accountability, opportunity, and equality, and a generation that is trained, active, and unified