YOUR HARD WORK PAID OFF!

Submitted by Selena Xie on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 11:35am

Thank you Austin Texas Impact network for contacting your city council members and asking them to protect Austinites from predatory lending. Last night, Austin city council voted on a zoning ordinance brought forward by Councilmember Spelman that would prevent payday lenders from clustering in vulnerable communities. By a unanimous vote for the zoning ordinance, Austin city council took a huge leap in protecting Austinites from predatory lending. Hard work from Texas Impact members, others in the faith and advocate community, and forward-thinking city council members made this ordinance a reality.

THANK YOU!

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ACTION ALERT: WRITE TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO STOP PREDATORY LENDING

Submitted by Selena Xie on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 3:26pm

Austin City Council needs to hear from you! While Texas Impact has been working hard to combat payday lending abuse on the state level, local governments are also working hard. Last summer, Austin carried an ordinance to regulate payday lending.  On Thursday April 26th, Councilman Spelman will bring forward a zoning ordinance that prevents payday lenders from clustering. To read the ordinance click here. Please call your city council members here or email them here.

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Texas Impact Wins Religion Communicators Council Award of Excellence

Submitted by cara on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 11:36am

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) has recognized Texas Impact's publication Taste and See: A Justice Framework for Faith and Food with a DeRose-Hinkhouse Award of Excellence. The DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards are given annually to active members of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) who demonstrate excellence in religious communications and public relations.

Taste and See: A Justice Framework for Faith and Food explores understandings about food as expressed in different religious traditions. It aims to inspire reflection on the centrality of food and faith in our lives, and some questions about our food systems, practices, and priorities. Texas Impact staff members Amanda Yaira Robinson and Bee Moorhead were both recognized for their work on this publication.

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See For Yourself

The Texas Ethics Commission website is a great tool for tracking campaign finance information for Texas legislators.

Texans can see where lawmakers are getting their campaign money, who their biggest contributors are, and how legislators are spending that money. With just a few clicks, you can find campaign contributions of your current legislators, as well as for candidates for state representative, state senator, or any other statewide office.

All you need is an Internet connection and the name of the official you’d like to research.

This site walks you through the three simple steps that will show you how to do your own investigation. After you do research, you can take action by using the information to become a more educated voter, sharing your findings with the editor of your local paper and describe your results, or by writing a letter, making a call or sending an email to Texas law makers.

Thanks for working to make Texas government more transparent!

Click here to begin: Part 2 - Our Interactive Online Guide

Click here for a printable PDF version of this guide:  See For Yourself Guide For Print and Download

Click here for a video walkthrough: See For Yourself Video Tutorial

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April is Minority Cancer Awareness Month

Submitted by Andrea Earl on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 2:44pm

April is now Minority Cancer Awareness Month in Texas!

According to the American Cancer Society, minority populations suffer the highest cancer death rate and the shortest survival time throughout the country.

So, how can your faith community fight minority cancer? You can help by downloading or ordering Faith and Wellness bulletin inserts and including information in your congregation's newsletter. Download newsletter text.

Bulletin inserts are FREE and available in Spanish or English! Texas Impact will ship your desired amount at no cost--just  click here to fill out your order form.  You can also view and download the insert by clicking here.

Thanks to House Bill 114, authored by Representative Ruth Jones McClendon, this month will regularly be observed as Minority Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose of the bill is to increase recognition for minority cancer education, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.    Rep. McClendon hopes the bill will elevate cancer awareness among the general public and minority population.

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Texas Impact Submits Supreme Court Brief on Affordable Care Act

Submitted by Bee on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 2:38pm

For Immediate Release  February 17, 2012

For more information contact Bee Moorhead:   512-636-3135 (mobile) or bee@texasimpact.org

Austin, TX - Texas Impact has joined more than sixty national, state and local organizations in filing an amicus (friend of the court) brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Medicaid expansions in the Affordable Care Act. The brief argues that these expansions more completely address the original intent of Medicaid - to fulfill the moral imperative to assist those who are poor and sick. 

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