Happy Birthday to PEPP!

Last weekend I celebrated the 20th Birthday of the People Escaping Poverty Project with a folk fair in the park! There was music, free food and tie-dying, although I was one of the face painters who spent a day at a table adorning all kinds of children in colorful hearts, rainbows, the occasional peace sign and the frighteningly complicated tie-dyed “Hello.”

I know I’ve mentioned PEPP before on this blog with a casual – I’ll have to explain more about that later. PEPP for instance is the group that offered the free community organizer training I attended every Saturday in April. PEPP is a community nonprofit organization in Moorhead and I am on their board. To be on the board of a nonprofit is usually a big deal. As Duke who’s worked at PEPP for some number of years pointed out to me, I’m technically his boss. It’s a great experience getting to see the inner-workings of a nonprofit, and PEPP’s board is really involved so I also get experience doing fund raising and loading chairs on and off trucks for events like PEPP Fest.

I should say that PEPP is not part of my job with Americorps. It’s just something else I’m involved with in the community. And how I got to be involved was the last person who had my job with Americorps was involved, so when I came into town they called and asked if I would be interested – and what am I not interested in?

Her Story of PEPP

PEPP was founded in 1986 by a small group of women who received financial assistance organized, fighting a 30 percent cut in Minnesota’s Aid to Dependant Families with Children program. These women started a grassroots movement in the Moorhead community fighting the welfare cuts. The group organized and collaborated with others groups and individuals throughout the community, and ultimately defeated the cuts.

PEPP’s work is focused on developing a shift in power, resulting in real and immediate changes in people’s lives by impacting the issues at the policy level, rather than the individual being assisted by direct service. PEPP’s goals are to be a powerful organization led by people with low income and to develop alliances and partners to working together as a collaborative community force to creating positive changes in Fargo Moorhead and regional areas.

PEPP’s Vision is committed to building community, empowering people, and uniting for power justice and equality.

PEPP’s Mission is to strategically challenge the power dynamics of systems and institutions, by organizing powerful people and resources through intentional relationships.

The best thing about the important work PEPP is doing in this community is that you can be a part of it!

I am counting on my friends to sponsor me in the Headwaters Walk for Justice on September 17th in Minneapolis. Headwaters raises and distributes money among nonprofits like PEPP that are dedicated to social justice. For every dollar the PEPP team raises we keep 70%! The rest goes to Headwaters so they can continue giving organizations like PEPP grants like the $10,000 we just received to start a Tenants Action Network in Moorhead.

Just go to www.walkforjustice.org and click on sponsor a walker, then type in my name! It’s that easy! Help me reach my goal or raising $300 for this worthwhile organization!

And if you have any questions about PEPP please email me or check out our webpage at www.pepp.org