Over 150 clergy and community leaders are confirmed to attend the NJRC Southern Local District Council Prayer Breakfast this Saturday June 27, 2009 from 9 AM - 11 AM. Confirmed attendees include Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney, Senator Dana Redd, Assemblywoman Celeste Riley, Mayor Frank Minor (Logan Township), Mayor Cindy Rau-Hatton (Gloucester Township), Mayor John Washington (Penns Grove), and Donald Norcross (Southern NJ AFL-CIO). Location: St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 176 Stagecoach Road, Sicklerville, NJ 08081. Contact 856-854-2550 or njrc@njregionalequity.org to reserve your spot -- tickets are $20.

On January 25, 2009 over one hundred and seventy five leaders from around the state attended the NJRC State Leadership Assembly. Highlights included the election of Reverend R. Lenton Buffalo (pictured in photo at left), pastor of Union Baptist Church in Elizabeth, as the new President of the Board of Directors of NJRC, and a training by Mike Kruglik, Director of Metro Equity for the Gamaliel Foundation.

There will be a powerful weeklong leadership training opportunity that will take place in the Philadelphia area March 15-20, 2009.

This will be the first weeklong training session after the inauguration of the first community organizer and civil rights lawyer to become President of the United States.

Governor Jon Corzine signing legislation at the Ethel Lawrence Homes in Mt. Laurel abolishing RCAs with Speaker Joe Roberts, Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman, NJRC Statewide Clergy Caucus Chair Rev. R. Lenton Buffalo Jr. of Union Baptist Church and Deacon Dr. Gilbert Smith of Christ Care Unit Missionary Baptist Church and others.

The First Annual NJRC Victory Banquet was held on November 13, 2008 at the Trenton Marriott and raised over $72,000! Over 300 grassroots leaders from around New Jersey attended. NJ Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts spoke at the Victory Banquet and accepted the “Most Powerful Ally of the Year” award.

On December 4, 2008 over 100 NJRC leaders traveled from around New Jersey to Washington, DC to meet with senior obama advisor Valerie Jarrett. Below is an article from the Washington Post discussing the powerful meeting attended by over 2,500 grassroots leaders from around the country.

After a three year campaign spearheaded by NJRC, on July 17, 2008 Governor Jon Corzine signed legislation abolishing regional contribution agreements, or RCAs, and revamping New Jersey''s affordable housing policy. RCAs were the loophole that concentrated poverty and let rich towns pay poor towns to take their low-income housing. Urban policy expert David Rusk called the new housing law "the most significant one in the nation in the last 20 years." Another highlight of the new policy is $160 million in new annual funds for affordable housing.

More than 1,500 people braved wind, rain, and a rare tornado watch to help make the New Jersey Regional Coalition statewide public meeting on November 16, 2006, a HUGE success.

The crowd came together at the majestic St. Nicholas of Tolentine Roman Catholic Church in Atlantic City and WON commitments on Property Tax reform, Fair Housing policies, and Equal Education opportunities from New Jersey's top legislators. Read NJRC Policy Positions 2006 here.

According to an article on the meeting in the Star Ledger: "...the coalition wants to abolish Regional Contribution Agreements, or RCAs, which suburbs use to transfer their housing obligations to cities. "RCAs promote segregation," said Rohn Hein ... speaking before the event. "Rich communities are selling their obligations to poorer communities." ... "Inequalities and injustices are causing thousands of families to flee New Jersey," said the Rev. Charles Stevens of the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing."