Interfaith Movement Promoting Action
by Congregations Together (IMPACT)

Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together (IMPACT )
IMPACT is a grass roots organization created to secure a greater degree of justice and fairness in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

IMPACT is a non-partisan, faith-based organization of congregations promoting justice by demanding that systems be responsible for the consequences of their actions or policies. IMPACT promotes justice actions in our community in response to our faith commitments. There are many scriptural references to God's call for justice; three important ones are Micah 6: 6-8; Matthew 23: 23-24; and Nehemiah 5: 1-13. IMPACT has been working in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area for about two years.

IMPACT NEHEMIAH ASSEMBLY will be held at U Hall on Monday, March 22, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.: Can you think of 3 people who are not members of Wesley Mem but care about the life of the Charlottes-ville area community?  If so, please plan to come—and bring your friends—to the Nehemiah Action meeting, the largest and arguably most important IMPACT gathering of the year.  Wesley Memorial has been active in IMPACT since its inception in 2006.  This year, we would like to have 40-60 people at the Assembly—members and friends of Wesley Mem, and any friends/neighbors you’d like to bring.  Look for the Wesley Memorial sign in U Hall (they’ll tell you where we are at the Registration Desk, and ushers will be available at the entrances), as we’ll all sit together.

 The IMPACT organization, which stands for Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together, is comprised of 33 diverse congregations in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.   IMPACT congregations range in size from 20 to 5,000 people and include predominantly black and predominantly white congregations as well as Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, Jewish and Muslim congregations.  IMPACT is a grassroots organization created to secure a greater degree of justice and fairness in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. We are a non-profit 501C.3 and are politically non-partisan.

Justice vs. Charity:  IMPACT is not a direct service organization, meaning that it doesn’t provide services such as food or shelter to people who need charity.  Rather, IMPACT is focused on addressing the root causes, and the systemic reasons that lead people to need charity.  For example, we have focused on access to public transportation, so that people without cars have a way to get to jobs, addressed the lack of affordable housing and gaps in healthcare.  This year’s Assembly will focus on interpretive services and early childhood education.