Peninsula Interfaith Action

For parishioners of many congregations on the Peninsula, the practice of their faith extends beyond the walls of their house of worship. They believe in seeing faith in action and using the moral guidance of their church or synagogue to question social issues affecting their communities. Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA), a federation of 27 diverse congregations promoting equity, justice, and human dignity, was founded in 1997 to coordinate and strengthen the work of these parishioners. The following year, The San Francisco Foundation awarded PIA its first general operating grant. PIA has since grown to become a powerful voice for more than 18,000 families concerned about housing, healthcare, education, and social justice in their neighborhoods.

A bottom-up, democratic organization, it relies on local organizing committees to decide which issues are most pressing for the community. One early priority that all congregations recognized was the need for more affordable housing, so PIA went to work. Fanning out in multiple neighborhoods, church members canvassed door to door to gather information and check the community's pulse on the issue. During their research they discovered that county supervisors had large regional responsibilities and influence, yet affordable housing was not a high priority. PIA felt the practical solution was to get these supervisors involved. It organized and filled an auditorium with 1,000 members in a meeting with several supervisors. This meeting began the initial steps towards a comprehensive housing trust fund for San Mateo County.

As a former Housing and Urban Development official who had experienced the passion of a PIA meeting, Carol Lamont, the Foundation's program officer for neighborhood and community development, knew that PIA wasn't finished. "As government agencies began to drag their feet, PIA organized another meeting, this time promising to bring 1,500 members to the Fox Theater in Redwood City," related Carol. "With the pressure on, the day before the gathering county supervisors held an emergency meeting, approved creation of a housing trust fund, and allocated $3 million as start-up funding."

PIA channels the deeply felt values of its varied congregations and works to counter both business and political self-interests throughout the community. As Reverend David Mann, PIA's executive director, said, "Our members have the courage and naiveté to ask for more than some might think possible; we are unafraid to have a vision."