Arise unveils members’ 2022 roadmap for change

Arise will work hard to advance positive change on the following priorities throughout the Legislature’s 2022 regular session, which will begin Jan. 11:

• Tax reform
• Adequate budgets for human services
• Voting rights
• Criminal justice reform
• Death penalty reform
• Payday and title lending reform
• Public transportation

Save the date: Arise Legislative Day 2022

Make plans now to speak up for a better Alabama by attending Arise’s 2022 Legislative Day on Tuesday, Feb. 15, in Montgomery. This event will be held both in person and virtually. Click here for more.

Funding boosts bring opportunity to invest in Alabama’s future

Alabama’s broken tax system usually starves our state of money to fund basic responsibilities adequately. But 2022 may be different. Record tax revenues and a surge of federal recovery dollars could allow lawmakers to address longstanding state needs and inequities – if they have the political courage.

Arise keeps up advocacy to prevent evictions

Emergency rental assistance programs are falling short in Alabama even as tens of thousands of renters remain at risk of eviction. The Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA) has received more than 70,000 applications for federal rental assistance. But fewer than 4,000 households had been helped as of Oct. 31.

Welcome to Arise, McKenzie!

McKenzie Burton joined Arise as a development associate in October. She has a background in electoral campaigns at many levels, where she worked to develop and implement grassroots field strategies. Before then, she worked in youth ministry and outreach in the Episcopal Church. McKenzie graduated high school in Birmingham and has a dual B.A. from the University of Georgia in history and women’s studies.

We're hiring!

We’re growing again! Alabama Arise is hiring three full-time positions: Development Director, Health Policy Advocate and Southeast Alabama Organizer. Click here for more details and to apply.

• The Development Director will sustain, manage and grow our grants portfolio and manage and grow our individual and group membership program to support our strategic vision. This position will supervise the Development Associate and Office Assistant.
• The Health Policy Advocate will direct Arise’s health advocacy campaigns and community engagement, working to advance consumer-driven health equity and better health outcomes for Arise’s members and constituents
• The Southeast Alabama Organizer will work in the Southeast region of the state to support the mission and vision of Arise by organizing religious and community groups and individuals in support of state and national policies affecting Alabamians marginalized by poverty. 

A year to strengthen our communities

We can’t even begin to summarize all the momentous federal policy advances realized in 2021 in one newsletter. This year brought passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the infrastructure package. It brought expansion of the Child Tax Credit. And we hope it will bring the forthcoming passage of the Build Back Better (BBB) Act. That means 2022 will be a year of working diligently to advocate for fair, equitable implementation of these new investments in Alabama.

Veterans to Ivey: Cover Alabama!

Nearly 150 Alabama veterans wrote to Gov. Kay Ivey and legislators in November urging them to expand Medicaid. Closing the state’s coverage gap would ensure affordable health care for about 5,000 veterans and 8,000 family members. The joint letter is part of Alabama Arise’s Cover Alabama campaign.

Join Alabama Arise today!

This year, Alabama Arise deepened our commitment to ensuring we center those most impacted by poverty as we forge a new path toward a more equitable Alabama. This means we must be intentional about expanding the demographics of our membership base to be more reflective of the populations we serve.