LEAD

Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton

Mission

The mission of Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton (L.E.A.D.) is to build a strong, grassroots community organization, dedicated to empowering and preparing people of faith to work for a greater degree of justice in Montgomery County.

Past Accomplishments

Progress on Last Year’s Commitments
LETTING JUSTICE TAKE THE LEAD ON CRIME & VIOLENCE
At the 2008 Nehemiah Action, LEAD won the commitment of Dayton Police Chief, Richard Biehl, to begin outlining a plan to for implementation of a Community Problem Oriented Policing program to address crime in our neighborhoods by January 1, 2009. The community policing initiative, started seven months ago, has produced a significant drop in reports of crime according to Dayton police data. Armed robberies, auto thefts and burglaries are down by large margins across the board compared to a five-year average, police statistics show. Reports of stolen vehicles have dropped more than 60 percent, residential burglaries dropped 40 percent and armed robberies decreased 45 percent.

LETTING JUSTICE TAKE THE LEAD ON PAYDAY LENDING
Payday lenders promise to offer a service to people struggling to make ends meet by giving them an advance on their paycheck. But often what happens is people get trapped in a never ending cycle of debt.
As part of the State Coalition for Responsible Lending, LEAD pushed for state regulation of the payday lending industry. At the 2008 Nehemiah Action, LEAD won the commitment of our State Senators to support the passage of Senate Bill 545 which would limit the interest that payday lending could charge to 28%, prior to the passage of this legislation Pay-day lenders were permitted to charge up to 391%. On Monday, June 2nd Ohio Governor Ted Strickland signed the legislation, creating the strongest consumer protection bill in the country! LEAD also won in the fall election by succesfully passing Issue 5, ensuring the continuation of SB 545.

Year End Report

Victories from our 2009 Nehemiah Action Assembly

LETTING JUSTICE TAKE THE LEAD ON GREEN JOBS
Montgomery County has lost 41.5% of its manufacturing jobs over the past seven years; the unemployment rate is 0ver 11%. Businesses struggle to survive, and many in the neighborhoods that need them most, fail. On May 4th Nehemiah Action Assembly. we launched a campaign for the creation of an innovative green jobs training corp. and a green business incubator for existing and future business in the new Green economy.

Commissioner Deborah Lieberman has committed to create a comprehensive plan, with time lines and benchmarks, and will be implemented for the county the utilizes Green Jobs and businesses to reimaging the Dayton-area economy . While she is still working on her plan she did address the Board and has highlighted certain new steps such a over $3 Million in Workforce Investment Act Funds that would go towards Green Jobs Training Programs, and a point person to coordinate these initiatives!

LETTING JUSTICE TAKE THE LEAD ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
There are literally THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of people who suffer from Addiction and only a fraction of those are able to get treatment and get better. Montgomery County has no publically funded medical detox program. People in Montgomery County travel to Columbus. The average wait for a woman to get publically funded treatment is 2-3 months in Montgomery County.

On May 4th Nehemiah Action Assembly we asked Commissioner Foley to work and create a comprehensive plan, with time lines and benchmarks, and implemented for the county. The plan will would aimed at filling the holes and gaps (lack of medical detox center, limited capacity of Drug Court, more treatment options aimed at reducing or eliminating waiting periods) in providing quality, effective treatment for the thousands of people suffering from addiction and substance abuse in Montgomery County.

Current Membership

• Bethel Baptist Church
• College Hill Presbyterian Church
• Congregation for Reconciliation UCC
• Dixon United Methodist
• Fairview United Methodist Church
• First Baptist Church Downtown
• Holy Angels Catholic Church
• Holy Trinity Catholic Church
• Holy Family Catholic Church
• Islamic Society of Greater Dayton
• Macedonia Missionary Baptist
• McKinley United Methodist Church
• Muslim Youth of Ohio
• New Vision Church
• St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church
• St. Mary's Catholic Church
• St. Rita's Catholic Church
• University of Dayton Campus Ministry
• United Missionary Baptist Church
• Zion Baptist Church

Benefits to Membership

• Enables clergy, members, and neighbors of congregations to effectively act on their convictions to improve the systems impacting the quality of peoples lives.
• Involvement in winning long-term changes on specific community problems.
• Development of leadership skills.
• Strengthens relationships among congregants and with members of other congregations in the county.
• Enables members to publicly engage decision makers in the community.
• Develops relationships across racial and economic boundaries, by working side-by-side with diverse multi-cultural and interfaith communities throughout the county.

Contact Info

Jon Gromek
Lead Organizer
PO Boz 10772
Dayton, OH 45402
leaddayton@gmail.com
(w) 937-252-2018
(f) 937-252-2219