GBIO

Mission

The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) is a broad-based organization that works to coalesce, train, and organize the communities of Greater Boston across all religious, racial, ethnic, class, and neighborhood lines for the public good. The primary goal is to develop local leadership and organized power to fight for social justice, to hold both public and private power holders accountable for their public responsibilities, and to initiate actions and programs of our own to solve community and economic problems.

History

GBIO was founded by a group of 45 clergy and community leaders who began meeting in January of 1996. Presently, there are 70 member institutions representing about 50,000 people from Boston and surrounding communities including religious congregations, community development corporations, unions and other civic organizations. These member institutions represent a diverse mix — economically, racially, geographically and otherwise.

Two years ago, Temple Shir Tikvah and ten other congregations in Arlington, Cambridge, Belmont, and Winchester joined GBIO, constituting an expansion of GBIO into the northwest suburbs. In the fall of 2005, after hundreds of one-to-one interviews, house meetings and surveys, these new congregations identified three initial core issues: elder care, after-school care, and health care.

For a full list of the member organizations, past achievements and ongoing initiatives, and more information, visit the GBIO web site.

Current Initiatives

Youth Safety — suicide, drugs, and violence are universal issues that compel us to provide measures to protect our youth.

Health Care — we must make the implementation of the new health care law fair and effective, affordable, with full coverage. GBIO sits at the table with the Connector Board, the state agency charged with implementation.

Elder Care — we have made a commitment to be a “growing old with dignity” congregation. This means:
-Working within our own congregation to prepare for aging
-Developing a GBIO “Elder care bill of rights”
-Working with allies to bring our agenda to our public officials

Finalize Elder Care Bill of Rights

Choose legislative actions on FY ’08 line related to elder care and support for family caregivers

If you are interested in getting involved in any of these initiatives, please contact the Tikkun Olam Committee.


	GBIO Greater Boston Interfaith Organization at Temple Shir Tikvah


Lobbying for Health Reform	Reverend Herman Hamilton, President of GBIO