Urgent Message from Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice
TomLeslie Dent
Dear Friends and Members of the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice.
The past eighteen months have been one of the greatest periods of challenges for the entire country and yes, for the entire world. Losses to COVID 19 and now this variant referred to as Delta, has exacted a toll on our communities like nothing seen in many years.
The struggles in many other arenas have remained most demanding while further complicating the work we are committed to doing. Whether we are taking on climate justice or violation of nuclear treaties or police brutality or voting rights, the Center has not backed away from the call to action. We have had to find alternative ways of responding to these challenges and that has not been easy. We estimate, for example, that we were closed for at least 256 days over the same period and in that time, we were unable to assemble in person, offer educational and planning programming and even rent out our Peace Hall. This has amounted to significant losses in revenue that cannot be made up and therefore, our inability to collect rent or simply pass the hat during planning or educational meetings has made us financially vulnerable.
Despite the difficulties we have encountered, the Center has not stood by silently while our police murder innocent people or while Los Alamos gears up to begin producing the next generation of nuclear weapons or prisons get populated with more and more immigrants. We are even pushing back against as many as 43 states seeking to suppress Black and Brown votes. Many of our actions have been outdoors, drawing as many as 2000 people to a rally and meetings and educational activities have had to be held on Zoom. We have done a lot during this difficult period, but our funding has suffered.
Now we are asking you to help. The new Delta variant of COVID is once again hampering our ability to assemble safely and responsibly and hall rentals are back on hold.
Memberships have slowed as people are forced to make choices between meeting some very basic expenses and maintaining a financial relationship with the Center.
We continue our fight for you because we must get there together.
Here are ways that you can help:
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All donations, great and small will make a huge difference. $20 or more will help us.
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If you have not renewed your membership and you can, please rush your payment to us as soon as you can.
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If you are not yet a member, this might just be the best time to join the Center.
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Pass this message on to your friends and family and encourage them to join or simply donate.
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Consider a recurring monthly donation if you are able.
Please mail your check to 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque 87106
Or feel free to make your donation via Pay Pal on our website: https://abqpeaceandjustice.org/index.php/donate
As we near our 40th year of service, we owe so much to our volunteers and our members. That will not change. There are, however, many challenges ahead and we have to take them on one by one if we want to ever make our world safe and healthy for everyone. Please help us today!
P.S. All donations are tax deductible! Our FIN is 85-0307612
Jim Harvey, MPH, MSHA, CDAPC