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NOVEMBER 6: INTRODUCTORY MEETING
Help us to expand our numbers. Share your belief in the importance of the Social Justice Fund with people in your community. Invite them to join you at an introductory meeting on Thursday, November 6 at the Ventura County Community Foundation, 1317 Del Norte Road, Camarillo from 5 to 6:30 pm. Or consider hosting a house party in your home.
GRANTEE RECEPTION & CELEBRATION
CHANGED to Thursday,
NOVEMBER 20
Plan to celebrate our work with activists, donors, volunteers and other supporters of progressive social change at this important event. Bring friends and colleagues.
5:30-7:30pm, Unitarian-Universalist Church of Ventura |
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ANNOUNCEMENTS ELECTION OF 2009 Steering Committee
In October members of the Giving Circle will elect next year's Steering Committee. Stephanie Angelini, Steering Committee chair, will email members a description of the responsibilities involved and invite them to make nominations. Members may nominate themselves. The Steering Committee will compile the slate and e-mail it to all members, who will vote at our final meeting on October 9th. Those unable to attend can e-mail their choices.
October 1: VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE
socialjusticefundvc.org Spread the excitement. Our new website will be up and running soon. Send an email to family and friends with a link to the site to share the details. Then invite them to come to the informational meeting on November 6. (See above.)
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Dear Tricia
Welcome to the fall e-newsletter
of the Social Justice Fund for Ventura
County.
Fall is a busy time for the Social
Justice Fund and its members. The
grantmaking cycle is about to conclude. We
received 20 proposals requesting $164,000 (for our $50,000 grants budget) from diverse groups doing valuable social justice work
throughout the county, and have narrowed it down to those which best fit the
criteria in our Request for Proposals.
The finalists will soon be decided and then ratified by the board of
the Community Foundation. Everyone is
invited to attend the annual celebration of the grant recipients on November 20th. (see sidebar) Come, be inspired!
Our annual fall membership drive
also just got started, and with it the endowment campaign that will help us
sustain this essential work into the future.
As you may recall, for every $2 we raise, the Irvine
Foundation is matching that with $1 toward our grantmaking. It is clear from our experience this cycle that the need is great and it is important to expand our community of donors. We hope you choose to continue to support and
be a part of this movement to make Ventura County more democratic and equitable.
You can help our community grow by forwarding this newsletter to like-minded
friends and family members. And as you'll
read, there will soon be multiple other ways to involve interested new
supporters.
If you have questions or ideas,
please contact Tricia Keen, Administrative Coordinator, at socialjusticefund@vccf.org. We'd be happy to hear from you.
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Growing and Expanding with
givezooks! |
The James Irvine Foundation's support for SJF over the next three years makes this the perfect time for us to expand our community. There are so many ways in which you can help us do this, we are almost certain you will find one right for you. Talking with friends about SJF over lunch, or mailing a note and brochure to someone you have just met might suit you fine. On the other hand you might like to send an email to a group of individuals who share your commitment to social justice. 
The Internet is an amazing tool for networking and fundraising. In the last 5 years online donations have increased three-fold. Even direct mail appeals often yield online contributions. People like giving online because it's fast and easy. Increasingly, donors tend to give where they live and to contribute to causes with a personal connection. With our focus on improving local communities and connecting donors directly with community organizers and activists, SJF is a natural for Internet fundraising.
And so we are partnering with givezooks!, Inc. a Santa Barbara start-up that provides an online platform for corporate giving, personal fundraising, and online outreach for nonprofits like us. Our work with them will help them refine their programs. Stay tuned for some of the many creative ways givezooks! will help us grow.
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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
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We are looking for hosts for house parties to introduce their friends and neighbors to the Social Justice Fund, to make them aware of the unique nature of the Fund and its activities. Gatherings of any size are welcome. Hosts can put together an event on their own or collaborate with others. We've prepared packet of simple step-by-step instructions to help make the planning, hosting and follow-up easy.
We are also seeking photographers/videographers  and reporters/storytellers who are interested in getting to know our grantees and documenting their work. We need your help to put the faces and stories of the community leaders we fund front-and-center in our publicity. We are looking for teams of day and nighttime volunteers in various regions of Ventura County willing from time to time to cover meetings, demonstrations, appointments with officials and other activities.
In addition, there are always short-term or one-time tasks to be done, like taking minutes at a Giving Circle meeting or assisting with a mailing. If you would like to support SJF in that way, it would be a great service.
If any of these opportunities interest you, please contact Tricia Keen at socialjusticefund@vccf.org, or 805.766.2420. Tell us about yourself, your skills and when you are available. We look forward to hearing from you.
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. - Edward E. Hale
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"CHANGE NOT CHARITY"
Become part of the change and join the Social Justice Fund today!
To join or learn more, contact Tricia Keen
email: socialjusticefund@vccf.org cell: 805.766.2420
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