A MESSAGE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP
In 2014, CAC embarked upon an ambitious goal to make an important contribution to long-term systemic change through faith-based community organizing and leadership development. Four years later, CAC found itself organizing low-income residents against their notoriously negligent millionaire landlord and winning.
In 2017, CAC engaged in its largest organizing campaign to date. Emmanuel Ku, owner of the 150-unit Clay Arsenal Renaissance Apartments (CARA), was getting millions in HUD subsidies, but mice plagued the apartments in addition to a cauldron of over 2000 officially identified health and safety violations. With CAC’s help and backed by clergy support, the resident leaders made ripples that elicited action from Hartford’s Mayor Luke Bronin, Congressman Larson, and HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson.
2017 was a year of increase for CAC. Enrollment for Adventures in the City Freedom School increased to 100 students; the Greater Hartford Sponsoring Committee grew to include over 50 faith institutions of various religions and denominations; and we hired three new staff: Tieasha Gayle, Community Organizer, Rev. Isaac Lawson, Communications Associate, and Anastasia Damyan, 2018 Freedom School Project Director.
It is not easy steering an organization into a new direction after 160+ years of operation; however, our decision to move more fully from charity to justice has already proven fruitful. I invite you to view the video below to get a better sense of the spirit of this amazing work.
With gratitude in our hearts and a fire for justice in our souls, we are excited to move forward in deepening our commitment to broad-based, multi-faith organizing.
Cori Mackey
Executive Director
Rev. Mark Diters
Board President
2017 STORIES OF SUCCESS
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
Energized by the Milner and MLK school campaign wins, CAC entered its third year of community organizing highly anticipating what would be next. None of us imagined that it would be supporting low-income residents take on a millionaire slumlord owning more than 25% of Hartford’s low-income housing.
FAITH BASED ORGANIZING
The Greater Hartford Sponsoring Committee began in 2015 when a group of imams, rabbis, priests, and ministers gathered to imagine what life in greater Hartford could be like if our religious institutions actually possessed the moral force to make it a more just and equitable place.
YOUTH ORGANIZING
For a second year CAC partnered with the Children’s Defense Fund to offer its Adventures in the City Freedom School (AICFS). The program served 100 little scholars (a 25 percent increase from 2016) at Thirman Milner Elementary School located in one of Hartford’s poorest neighborhoods.
2017 HIGHLIGHTS
2017 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
| ASSETS | |
|---|---|
| Current Assets | |
| Cash | 177,642 |
| Accounts receivable | 65,627 |
| Mortgages and loans receivable, current | 7,407 |
| Development costs / properties for resale | 25,060 |
| Other current sales | 15,511 |
| TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | 291,247 |
| Non-current Assets | |
| Fixed assets, net | 126,132 |
| Land leases | 4,377,863 |
| Mortgages and loans receivable, long-term | 113,986 |
| Investments | 6,515,002 |
| TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS | 11,132,983 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $11,424,230 |
| LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS | |
|---|---|
| Current Liabilities | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 13,960 |
| Line of credit | |
| Land leases | |
| TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | 13,960 |
| Net Assets | |
| Unrestricted | (438,782) |
| Temporarily restricted | 3,536,727 |
| Permanently restricted | 8,312,325 |
| TOTAL NET ASSETS | 11,410,270 |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS | $11,424,230 |
2017 Revenue
2017 Expense by Program