Last updated: 3/8/05
Table of Contents General Resources: Catholic Social Teaching...Think Tanks...Government Websites...Data Banks
Partner Organizations
Sisters of the Good Shepherd
North American Sisters of the Good Shepherd Home page of the North American province of the Congregation of
the Good Shepherd, providing a look at who the Sisters are and what they do in their variety of ministries and initiatives.
Includes detailed information about Good Shepherd agencies through the country, with links to their websites when available.
Handcrafting Justice This project of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd “works in
cooperation with women struggling for economic justice and independence in the developing world.” Their
impressive new website includes an online catalog, a page about their new fair-trade school uniform project, and in-depth
information about the people they partner with around the world.
Coalitions
Coalition on Human Needs A broad coalition of organizations advocating
for public policy that addresses the needs of low income and other vulnerable populations. The website
provides background and updates on the wide variety of human needs issues.
Faith-based Partners
NETWORK NETWORK, “a Catholic Social Justice Lobby,” educates,
lobbies, and organizes to influence federal legislation. Their site offers a variety of resources for understanding
legislation and elections from the perspective of Catholic Social Teaching and enabling anyone to get involved in legislative
advocacy.
US Conference of Catholic Bishops The US bishops’ site provides the text of many of their
documents on social and political issues, such as Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility,
as well as their frequent letters to Congress and other parties regarding specific issues.
Catholic Charities USA Catholic Charities
member agencies provide social services to people in need throughout the US. In addition to information
about the services they provide, their site includes information on their advocacy efforts and social justice education initiatives.
Pax Christi USA Pax Christi, “the national Catholic peace movement,”
advocates against war and for economic and social justice that leads to peace. Their periodic newsletters
are available online, as well as other news and commentary and information about how to get involved.
Bread for the World BFW is a Christian voice for ending hunger, with 50,000 members
nationwide involved in advocacy and a policy institute engaged in research and education. Basic information
on hunger and how to end it are available online, as well as other educational and research resources such as the annual Hunger
Report.
General Resources
Catholic Social Teaching
Office for Social Justice – Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis An excellent resource for Catholic Social Teaching, providing
links to original documents, notable quotations grouped by subject, succinct answers to common questions, teaching resources,
and suggestions for further reading.
Think Tanks
Brookings Institute A think-tank with more than 140 scholars, devoted to research
and public education with an emphasis on economics, foreign policy, governance, and metropolitan policy. Their
website provides access to the full range of their articles and reports.
Urban Institute A policy research and educational organization of over 120
experts examining the social, economic, and governance problems facing the nation. Their research on a
variety of issues and projects is available online.
Center for American Progress: A think tank offering policy proposals, talking points, events, news and columns.
Government Websites
U.S. SenateU.S. House of RepresentativesThomas - Legislative Information on the Internet Comprehensive information on current bills, committee activity, and the full text of the Congressional Record,
reporting everything said and done on the House and Senate floors.
White House
Data Banks
Child Trends Data Bank Continuously updated
data on child health, social development, education, assets/work, demographics, and family and community.
ChildStats.gov Access to federal and state statistics and reports on children
and their families, including international comparisons.
US Census Bureau Population, housing, economic, and geographic data.
Access to Healthcare
Covering the Uninsured
Kaiser Family Foundation The Foundation provides facts and analysis regarding major
health care issues to policy makers and the public. Comprehensive coverage of current situations and policy
proposals are available online.
Families USA Families USA is dedicated to affordable health care for all.
A variety of publications are available online, including tools and other resources geared specifically to advocates.
Mental Healthcare
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law The Bazelon Center advocates for people
with mental disabilities through public policy and precedent-setting litigation. Access to reports, news,
and other resources is provided online.
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill NAMI advocates for people with severe
mental illnesses through public education, support for increased funding for research, and working to achieve equitable services.
Their website provides a range of policy guides and timely news updates for advocates.
Budget Fairness
Budget/Tax Fairness
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities The Center conducts
research and timely analysis to inform the public debate around budget and tax policies, with an emphasis on the impact of
policies on low-income Americans. The resources provided online are abundant and effective.
Economic Policy Institute EPI is an economic think tank with an emphasis on real world
analysis and a concern for the living standards of working people. A large variety of issue guides and
other resources are available online, including their biennial The State of Working America report.
Social Safety Net/ Economic Security
Affordable Housing
National Low-Income Housing Coalition NLIHC organizes,
advocates, and educates for affordable housing. Their site provides frequent updates on political developments
and comprehensive reports concerning housing issues and housing policy.
National Alliance to End Homelessness NAEH is centered
around a 10-year plan to actually end homelessness. The site offers a variety of resources concerning homelessness
and their multi-faceted approach to ending it.
National Coalition for the Homeless NCH works to end homelessness through organizing, advocacy,
education, and technical assistance. The site offers a variety of educational materials, including personal
stories of homelessness.
Welfare/TANF
Welfare Information Network WIN is an information clearinghouse for policy analysis and
research related to welfare and workforce development.
Center for Law and Social Policy CLASP conducts research, technical assistance, and advocacy
on issues related to economic security for low-income families with children. Their frequent publications
on a variety of issues are available online.
MDRC A social policy research organization with extensive research
and policy recommendations available online concerning welfare, work, and other issues affecting children and families.
Children’s Issues
Building Blocks for Youth This initiative’s goals are to reduce the overrepresentation
and disparate treatment of youth of color in the juvenile justice system and promote fair and effective juvenile justice policies.
The site provides resources regarding a variety of juvenile justice issues, as well as state-by-state information.
Child Welfare League of America The objective of CWLA, with it’s more than 1,100 member
child-serving agencies nationwide, is “Making Children a National Priority” through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
The site provides detailed information for advocacy on a wide variety of issues.
Annie E. Casey Foundation The Foundation works to foster public policies and other reforms
that meet the needs of disadvantaged children and their families. A wealth of resources are available on
the web-site, including the KIDS COUNT Data Book with state-by-state profiles.
National Center for Children in Poverty The NCCP is a policy research organization at Columbia University
known for policy analysis and academic research aimed at promoting understanding of family economic security and its effect
on children. Their analysis is made available on the web site in the form of both detailed reports and
helpful fact sheets.
Children’s Defense Fund With the mission to “Leave No Child Behind,” CDF
advocates for America’s children and educates the nation about the needs of children. Their site
provides striking facts and abundant, up-to-date information about a variety of issues affecting children.
Job Training/Education
Workforce Alliance TWA advocates for “federal policies that invest in the
skills of America’s workers.” Their website provides analysis of current and proposed federal
policies related to job training and education, with an Advocacy Clearinghouse for the state/local level in the works.
National Employment Law Project NELP advocates on behalf of low-wage workers, the unemployed,
and others that face barriers to employment and government systems of support. Access to their various
publications is available online.
See also: Women Work! and Wider Opportunities for Women
Women's Issues/ Human Security
General
Center for Women Policy Research CWPS works to stimulate
and engage important debates from a feminist and multiethnic perspective through policy research and advocacy.
Their site provides free access to many of their publications on subjects such as domestic violence, but some are available
in print only.
Institute for Women’s Policy Research IWPR is a policy research organization focused on issues of
critical importance to women and their families. Most of their wealth of reports are available online,
including their comprehensive “Women’s Economic Status in the States” report.
Women Work! Women Work! is dedicated to empowering women to achieve economic
self-sufficiency through education and training programs. Their website provides timely advocacy information
for related legislative issues such as funding for job training and child care.
Wider Opportunities for Women WOW works for economic independence and equality of opportunity
for women by providing job training and technical assistance. Information about their programs and advocacy
is available online.
Human Trafficking
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Office of the US Department of State responsible for human
trafficking issues. The website provides information about human trafficking, including the comprehensive
Trafficking in Persons Report.
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women CATW works internationally against the sexual exploitation
of women, through research, education, advocacy, and supporting alternatives for women who have been exploited.
Their website provides a library of resources and a country-by-country factbook.
Immigration
General
National Council of La Raza NCLA is an organization working to “improve life opportunities
for Hispanic Americans” through policy analysis and advocacy, public information, and other projects. Their
website provides research articles and fact sheets concerning immigration and other issues.
National Immigration Law Center NILC is dedicated to promoting the rights of low-income immigrants
through policy analysis, litigation, and other activities. They share their expertise in immigration law
and access to social services on their website, providing research articles and community education materials
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Global Justice/Peace Peace Initiatives
Center for Defense Information CDI monitors defense spending and works for strengthening security
by taking a more comprehensive approach: increasing international cooperation, reforming the military establishment, and lessening
reliance on unilateral power and nuclear weapons. They provide high-quality analysis on a wide range of military issues.
Department of Peace Campaign Rep. Dennis Kucinich has introduced a bill for creating a Department
of Peace, which would use 2% of the current military budget to pro-actively promote peace both internationally, through
peaceful conflict resolution and addressing the root sources of conflict, and domestically, addressing issues such
as domestic violence and child abuse. The web site provides full details, answers to common criticisms, and advocacy
guidance.
SOA Watch SOA Watch seeks to close the US Army School of the Americas (SOA), which has a
scandalous record of graduating Latin American soldiers who go on to become torturers and terrorists. The SOA was
recently renamed, but the training of known human rights abusers continues. More information is available online.
See also: Pax Christi USA
Economic Justice/Fair
Trade InterAction The largest coalition of US-based development and humanitarian
organizations, InterAction coordinates its members to influence policy and debate on issues related to global poverty.
They provide introductory guides and up-to-date information on policy developments related to humanitarian and development
assistance.
US Millenium Development Goals Campaign The US agreed in 2000 to the UN Millenium Development Goals for the
year 2015, including getting all kids in school, halting the spread of major disease, and significantly reducing
hunger. The Campaign website provides further details, including ideas for how you can demand that our government do
its part to ensure that people in developing nations can develop the tools they need to become self-sufficient in
the future.
Jubilee USA NetworkThe Jubilee Network calls for debt cancellation for countries whose
international debt is illegitimate or an obstacle in meeting the basic needs of their people. Their website
provides an introduction to the debt crisis and other resources.
50 Years is Enough The U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice, founded on the
50th anniversary of the founding of the World Bank and IMF, is committed to transforming these institutions to
make them more accountable and responsive to the needs of the poor. Fact sheets, articles, and news updates
are available online.
See also: Handcrafting Justice
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