• Racial Justice
  • Housing & Shelter
  • Jobs
  • Health Care
  • Education
  • Food Security
  • Racial injustices impact all barriers to self-sufficiency, so we established a working group that involves all of the Task Forces. It seeks to support legislation and policy actions that reflect the many faith teachings that command we shall not make unjust laws, deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed.
  • The purpose of the Shelter & Housing Task Force is to study the root causes of poverty in Contra Costa  County related to the housing sector, and recommend actions for the Multi-Faith Action Coalition for  advocacy, public policy change, programs, and education.
  • Advocacy to ensure every worker can provide for themselves and their family, and promote and expand pathways to fair and family-friendly employment focused on the safe return/re-entry of those formerly incarcerated, as well as other people facing critical barriers through advocacy.

  • We are a committee of interested people who are committed to furthering the cause of seeing our less fortunate neighbors obtain access and services for both their physical and behavioral health care needs.
  • Our Task Force researches, studies and advocates for policies, practices and legislation that promote opportunity and equity in education, at all levels, for families in poverty in Contra Costa County. We partner with nonprofits, agencies and others in our communities who share our concerns.

  • We have multiple programs that help establish food security to those in our community. From enrolling people that are eligible for CalFresh into the program, to cataloging Contra Costa County organizations who provide food services, and feeding children and families.

Why We Care

California poverty by county - avg of 2015-2017 data PDF

Contra Costa Poverty rate:   14.3% (+/- 1.3)
Number of people in poverty:   161,200 (+/- 14,800)
Child poverty rate:    16.1% (+/- 2.3)
Poverty (CPM) threshold, family of 4 that rents:   $34,034

One in three working Californians has a low-wage job. *

Across Contra Costa County, Black adults were more than 3 times more likely to be arrested than adults from any other racial/ethnic group, and Black youth were more than 7 times more likely to be arrested than youth from any other racial/ethnic group. *

Over a third of children living below the self-sufficiency standard are not ready for school. *

About one in five of all children ages 5 and younger in California live in poverty, and nearly half of California’s children live in households that are at or near the poverty level. *

The majority of households making $25,000 or less spend more than half their income on housing and 64% of them have seniors, children or both. *

Almost 176,000 people are living below self-sufficiency in Contra Costa, which is more than the population of Concord — one of our largest cities.

90% of people who receive welfare are working; if they aren’t working, they are either elderly or severely disabled (Center for Budget & Policy Priorities). ​Any little thing —a child getting sick, a health emergency, a car breaking down—can be catastrophic for these working families, sending them reeling into crisis
*

The California Poverty Measure finds 19.5% (about 7.5 million) people living in poverty.  In our affluent county, 15.5% of residents are unable to cover their basic needs

What We've Done

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition advocates for healthcare for all, including support of Contra Costa Cares for the remaining uninsured in our communities.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition supported Prop 1 & 2 to increase affordable housing in California.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition prevented any cuts to SNAP in the 2018 Federal Farm Bill.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition won approval for SSI recipients to qualify for CalFresh nutrition assistance, beginning in summer 2019.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition worked to increase CalWORKs grants to fight childhood deep poverty by ensuring no family lives below 50% of the poverty line.

Multi-Faith Action Coalition helped with AB 1008 - Ban the Box, which removes barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Multi-Faith Action Coalition has helped implement SB 54 - California Values Act. This prohibits local funds for assisting federal immigration authorities.

Upcoming Events

  • Steering Committee Meeting

    April 26, 2021  7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    See more details

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Voices on Poverty

The latest action of Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition:

Grayson calls for yes on AB 71

Posted Mar 30th, 2021

** Action needed on an important bill to help end homelessness
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends:
Assemblymember Tim Grayson is a member of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee where an important bill will be heard on Monday, April 12th. We hope you will read the following information then contact Assemblymember Grayson and encourage him to vote yes on AB 71.

AB 71 is sponsored by the Bring California Home Coalition, a wide array of homelessness advocates, and affordable housing and homelessness organizations from all over the state, includi[...]

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