Valley Interfaith Project

“Part III (summary of mission): VIP is a non-profit Arizona Corporation whose mission is to promote the social welfare and well-being of Arizonans by developing coordinated and unified efforts among organizations committed to formulating and implementing solutions to community problems. Part III Line 28 Statement of Program Accomplishments: VIP promotes cooperation and interchange among organizations which strive for justice and public accountability in areas such as housing, education, employment, community development and healthcare. Recent Highlights 2019-2020:Education Finance: VIP organized civic academies to teach the persisting deficit in education funding and the historical context for the slow recovery of the state budget. Leaders learned to engage with governing board members, superintendents and legislators. Leaders developed strategies for local bond and override elections to create local constituencies for public education. Immigration: VIP conducted fact-finding meetings with Arizona officials to contribute to the understanding of the asylum crisis at the Arizona border. VIP held civic academies with local congregations on the experience of asylum seekers and the root causes of migration. These sessions prepared congregational leaders to volunteer with relief efforts and to advocate with public officials for humane treatment of asylum seekers.VIP held house meetings with immigrant families who are members of VIP churches. These conversations facilitated critical conversations with law enforcement officials, and led to VIP leader outreach to federal officials on safety net issues affecting immigrant families. Healthcare: VIP conducted research actions to understand the emerging COVID-19 pandemic and the public health responses which would best protect the public. VIP leaders learned about contact tracing, testing and public policy mitigation strategies, preparing VIP leaders to engage with public officials on the many state and local public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.Economics and Safety Net: In the first half of 2020, VIP met with public officials and other experts to learn about the public policy strategies for supporting workers and families and preventing widespread economic collapse as the economy virtually halted in the beginning stages of the pandemic. The information gathered prepared VIP leaders to educate individuals, families, as well as their religious institutions on available relief efforts.Prison and Justice Reform: A growing number of VIP leaders came together to learn about the range of justice and sentencing reform legislation that would create a more just incarceration system in Arizona. With the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, a new concern for the safety of prisoners and those being released from prison. VIP leaders and clergy met with families of those incarcerated. This gave VIP clergy an understanding of the crisis that they brought to meetings with state officials on the need for masks and universal testing across the Arizona prison system. Civic Academies: VIP leaders conducted civic academies in member institutions, teaching about the states broken budget and the cyclical economy and their impacts on education, health care, immigration, workforce training, community safety/relationship with law enforcement, and reform of the states incarceration system.Workforce Training/Arizona Career Pathways: VIP leaders conducted a campaign of outreach sessions at VIP member institutions to explain workforce and training issues to families in need of sustainable, family wage jobs. These sessions explored the changing labor market and the need to attain two-year associate degrees and certificates, to qualify for mid-range jobs with a career path and benefits. This work enabled VIP leaders to expand workforce opportunities for low-income families to enter into effective work training.”

“Description AmountTelephone 1,080Travel & training 6,954Insurance 2,312Miscellaneous 7,276Office supplies & expenses 2,598Depreciation 365Dues & subscriptions 1,496”

“Description AmountUnderstatement of due from affiliat 40,000Prior period adjustment, due to additional accruals discovered during independent financial statement review subsequent to the filing of the 6/30/19 990.”

“Category Beginning of Year End of YearEquipment, net 1,105 741Due from affiliated orgs 3,867 31,393Other receivables 5,808 2,843Funds held by affiliated orgs 15,000 15,000Prepaid expenses 7,345 3,458”

“Category Beginning of Year End of YearAccounts payable and accruals 4,634 6,236Note payable - affiliated org 7,000 0”