Programs
Alliance for Peace and Justice
The Alliance for Peace and Justice (APJ) is a Pioneer Valley coalition that formed when President Obama called for an escalation of the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan late in 2009. It educates on and campaigns against the environmental, social, political, and economic consequences of these “endless wars.” APJ started the “Bring Our War $ Home” campaign in Western Massachusetts, and other programs include the Brown Bag Lunch Vigil and street theater.
Help Increase the Peace Program
The Help Increase the Peace Program (HIPP) was developed by AFSC in 1991 to address issues of interpersonal violence, prejudice, and injustice. It isopen to all ages with a focus on middle-and high-school age youth. HIPP is in use in more than thirty states and in countries around the world.
Western Massachusetts Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Future
The Western Mass Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Future (NFF) is a coalition working to eliminate nuclear weapons and nuclear energy in the US. It also educates about ways to incorporate safe, affordable alternative energy into individual and institutional energy use.
Preserving our Civil Rights (PCR)
Campaign
The PCR campaign is run by a coalition working to ensure that Northampton and Amherst law enforcement focuses resources on public safety, not on harmful federal programs. It would pass municipal legislation aimed at:
Opting out of harmful programs such as 287(g) and Secure Communities;
Creating more accountability around profiling; and
Protecting 4th Amendment rights against search and seizure, threatened by surveillance in the name of “War on Terror.”
Alternatives to Military Service
Alternatives to Military Service (AMS) works as a countering influence to military recruitment in schools. AMS tables at local high schools to inform on risks and dangers of military service and to provide alternatives, such as resources to find college scholarships, and service programs such as Americorps.
Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude Campaign
www.springfieldnooneleaves.org/
Springfield No One Leaves is a housing justice coalition in Springfield, the city with the highest rate of foreclosures in Massachusetts. No One Leaves mobilizes tenants and former homeowners living in recently or about-to-be foreclosed homes to fight back to protect their communities. The campaign demands that banks accept rent money, stop all no-fault evictions, and sell back homes at real market value or real appraised value. In the wake of the recent tornado in Springfield, No One Leaves has also been advocating for tornado survivors.
Internship Program
During the 2010-2011 academic year, 18 interns, mainly college students, worked on all AFSC programs and projects. Interns gain organizing experience while adding capacity to office programs.
