TUSA

Toledoans United for Social Action

Mission

The mission of TUSA is to enable people of faith to work powerfully and effectively together to redress injustices in Lucas County. Congregations in TUSA work together to build relationships, listen to common concerns, research community problems, and then take action to see that systems in the community are held accountable to principles of justice and fairness.

Past Accomplishments

Education Campaign

• TUSA addressed low reading skills of Toledo Public School students by calling for the district to implement a phonics-based reading program called Direct Instruction (DI). TPS responded by introducing this program as a pilot project in 1995 in the Old West End Academy. This school is now recognized as the best elementary school in the district with every student in third grade passing their state proficiency tests at 100%. More than 90% of its students are reading more than a year above grade level; while other students in Toledo Public Schools with similar demographics (60% of the students qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches) have not improved.

• As of May 2008, TUSA’s research shows that in Toledo Public Schools 25% of the entire student enrollment is in out-of-school suspension. In some schools over 50% of the student enrollment is suspended out of school. Many of these schools also rank the lowest in Academic Achievement. At the May 2008 Direct Action, TUSA asked Superintendent John Foley to implement a research-based program (Safe & Civil Schools) in 10 schools aimed at equipping teachers with better tools to address discipline, reduce suspensions and improve test scores. Superintendant Foley agreed. Now TUSA’s Education Committee is meeting with Mr. Foley throughout the summer to develop a strategy to target the 10 schools.

Neighborhood Reinvestment Campaign
TUSA is determined to reclaim Toledo's neighborhoods from blight, flight, and decay.
• At the May 2004 Nehemiah Public Action meeting, TUSA turned out over 500 people to ask Police Chief Mike Navarre to reinstate TUSA's Hot Spot Card Campaign to fight crime. Navarre met monthly with TUSA representatives to report on his efforts to clean up these hot spots of crime prioritized by TUSA. Chief Navarre forwarded housing complaints to the Neighborhoods Department. More than 300 addresses have been assigned, producing dozens of arrests and cleaning up more than 150 houses. This campaign is helping build accountability and trust between residents in these neighborhoods and law enforcement.

• TUSA’s Housing Committee continues with our work on vacant & abandoned housing. Toledo does not have enough code enforcement inspectors; in 2007 TUSA got a commitment to increase Toledo’s inspectors from less than 10 for a city with at least 200,000 homes to more as funding becomes available. TUSA also worked to pass two amendments to Toledo Municipal Code in June of 2007 to give Toledo power to use civil fines first in housing disputes and to insure land contract homes are habitable. At our 2008 Nehemiah Public Action meeting, Councilman Joe McNamara committed to establish a vacant property registry to better identify problem areas so that the city can be more proactive in stabilizing our older neighborhoods. Lucas County Commissioner Wozniak agreed to work with TUSA to reduce foreclosures through a foreclosure mediation program. Many vacant properties are results of foreclosures.
• In July of 2008 TUSA will hold the first Vacant Property Workshop at the Urban Affairs Center. Our goal is to get city and county officials, as well as public and private sectors of the community working together to implement positive changes to housing policies in Lucas County and Toledo.

Jobs Campaign
In May 2005, 600 TUSA members received an agreement of Lucas County Commissioners Gerken and Skeldon Wozniak that Lucas County would staff and develop a local “First Source” program to integrate economic development and job training. TUSA members pushed for the program after seeing the success of similar programs in Atlanta, Georgia, Washington DC, and Portland, Oregon. Both the citizens & business community benefitted from better public training of displaced workers (which was directed by the needs of specific businesses). Toledo City Council Member Michael Ashford produced a local ordinance which met considerable resistance. TUSA congregations worked with Toledo City Council members to finally pass this binding “First Source Resolution” on October 31, 2006 .Our congregations continue to meet with Lucas County Workforce Agency and Councilman Mark Sobczak to ensure the enforcement and success of the Ordinance.

Year End Report

This year TUSA congregations “Stood Up & Stepped Up” for Justice by addressing serious problems related to discipline problems in the public schools, vacant & abandoned properties, and increasing home foreclosures.

At TUSA’s Nehemiah Action Assembly in May, over 650+ people from across Lucas County came out to do justice. This was an increase of over 300 people from last year.

At the Action, TUSA congregations received commitments from the Superintendent of Toledo Public Schools to implement a research-based discipline program with proven results in 10 schools by the 2008-2009 School year. In addition, the Mayor and a Councilman who is Chair of the Toledo’s Housing Taskforce committed to develop a tracking system for vacant properties. In June 2008 an ordinance was passed requiring instating a vacant property registation.In order to address this problem in a more holistic manner, TUSA also pushed at our Action for the participation of both city and county government in a Vacant Housing Workshop to be held in July. This workshop will focus on developing solutions and identifying points of collaboration between the city & county to address vacant properties.

In August 2007, TUSA welcomed a new Lead Organizer, Adrianne Davis who transferred to Toledo from a sister organization, TEAM, in Tallahassee, FL.

Current Membership

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic
Collingwood Presbyterian
Friendship Baptist
Saint Paul Baptist
Good Shepherd Catholic
United Baptist
St. Pius X Catholic
First Church of God
Messiah Lutheran
SS Peter & Paul Catholic
Immaculate Conception Catholic
Monroe St. UMC
St. Martin de Porres Catholic
Warren AME
Charity Baptist
Saint Paul AME Zion
Third Baptist
Center of Hope
Braden UMC
Bethany Lutheran
Central UMC
Mount Pilgrim

Benefits to Membership

Benefits of Membership include advanced training for layleaders and pastors interested in developing strong justice ministries, and strength that comes from partnering across denominational lines and truly creating a City of God in Toledo.

Contact Info

TUSA staff contact information:

Adrianne Davis
Lead Organizer
tusatoledo@gmail.com
(419) 241-1052

442 Floyd St.
Toledo OH 43620