2011 – “Uniting for the Common Good”

Thank you to all who supported Faith Action Network at our first major fundraising event, Uniting for the Common Good, on December 3, 2011. We were encouraged by the enthusiastic response of attendees to our program, as well as by the financial generosity of friends and sponsors! Together, we netted $40,000 to help advance our mission as a faith-inspired statewide partnership striving for a just, compassionate, and sustainable world through community building, education, and courageous public action.

FAN was pleased to present awards linked to the new mission statement at the December dinner:

The Compassion Award was given to the Rev. Dr. Marie Fortune for her history of compassionate action on behalf of victims of domestic, clergy, and sexual violence and child abuse, and her vision for how the religious community can provide spiritual, intellectual, and practical resources to victims of abuse. Rev. Dr. Fortune founded the Center for the Prevention of Sexual in Domestic Violence, now the FaithTrust Institute — a multi-faith training and education organization with global reach.

The Connecting Communities Award (individual) was given to Ms. Janice Tufte for tackling poverty head-on through direct service, for prolific civic engagement as a person of faith, and for inspiring countless others to lives of service and advocacy. Ms. Tufte has founded six successful projects in the last six years including Emergency Muslim Resource Guides for the needy, the Warm for Winter project, the Islamic Civic Engagement Project, Sunday Coupon Drive, Ramadan Northwest Harvest Drive, and Greening Ramadan. She is a well-known advocate for the homeless.

The Connecting Communities Award (organization) was given to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) for promoting wider understanding of Islam, creating opportunities for religious dialogue, battling civil rights violations and injustices based upon religion, and engaging American Muslims in advocacy for the common good.

Washington State’s Occupy Movement was recognized for Courageous Public Action for peacefully demanding economic and social equality for the 99%, for calling for an end to greed and corruption of all kinds.

We enjoyed the music of the Mazeltones, and were inspired by Rick Steves’ presentation linking travel and social justice.

We invite you to continue strengthening the impact of FAN’s work for the common good by communicating our on-going work and priorities to your faith communities, colleagues, friends, and family; by participating in the many opportunities we and our partners present for education, advocacy, and action; and through your financial gifts.

View pictures from the event.