Could you spare ONE evening of your time to support human dignity?

Valley Interfaith Project Human Dignity Assembly: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 6:30 PM

St. Francis Xavier Church, Anderson Hall: 4715 N. Central St. Phoenix, 85012

St. Matthew’s is a member of Valley Interfaith Project (VIP). VIP does not endorse any political candidate or party. We are asking community members to sign up by collecting signatures of support for the agenda AND attending the assembly campaign.

To make this campaign work, we ask:

1. Review the FAQs and sign up to indicate your own support for the Human Development Agenda.

2. Help us to gather as many signatures as possible by inviting members of your family, your neighbors, and your friends to sign up. Return signed forms to your local organizer. Voters can also sign on to support the Human Development Agenda online at vipiaf.nationbuilder.com/26_sutc.

3. Put on your calendar the VIP Accountability Assembly, Thursday, October 8, 6:30-8PM, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church (4715 N Central Ave, Phoenix) and plan to attend. Rides will be provided for those who need them.

FAQ:

• What is VIP?

  A: An organization of organizations (congregations, non-profits, community associations, schools) in Maricopa County with the long-term capacity to:

  • ACT EFFECTIVELY on the issues that matter to regular people;

  • TRAIN AND EQUIP local leaders and their institutions to engage in public life;

  • BUILD POWER for ordinary people to participate meaningfully in the decisions that impact their community and lives.

• What is the human development agenda?

  Valley Interfaith Project member institutions have had hundreds of conversations over the past couple of years to discover our collective concerns about our families and community, and from these conversations we have distilled our Human Development Agenda:

  • Ensuring Access to Healthcare – More Arizonans are struggling to pay for health insurance and medical care. Many are now forced to choose between medical care and other necessities.

  • Making Housing More Affordable – Arizona home prices and rents have ballooned and led to a record number of evictions and a growing homelessness crisis.

  • Implementing Humane Immigration Reform – Comprehensive immigration policy addresses securing borders, efficient paths to citizenship, and humane law enforcement. VIP opposes policies that needlessly tear families and communities apart.

  • Increasing Workforce Earning Power – A strong Arizona depends on addressing the affordability crisis and creating a skilled workforce with access to living wage jobs.

  • Increasing Neighborhood Investment and Safety – Investments in neighborhood infrastructure (street lighting, traffic safety, parks, libraries) vary widely by zip code in Maricopa County.

• What will signing up accomplish?

  We are now beginning to build power by identifying fellow citizens who support this agenda and asking them if they will promise to vote. This communicates to candidates the will of their constituencies. Our goal is to sign up 6,000 voters.

• How will the power of this many voters be used?

  We exercise this power in a non-partisan way. We ask all candidates for office to publicly commit to working with us and, if elected, to implement the needed changes. It’s the grass-roots issues that matter, not the party that anyone belongs to. Only the total number of sign ups will be reported to candidates.

  Any sign up information you provide stays with VIP and will not be shared with candidates or officials.

  If we can achieve or come near these goals, the candidates will see the power of a unified constituency, and those who are elected will be more likely to respond when we hold them accountable for their commitment to work with us on our Agenda.

• How do candidates commit publicly?

  On October 8th, we will invite candidates in key races and other public officials to come to an Accountability Assembly and publicly declare their support for our agenda of issues. Our goal is to have 500 participants from VIP member institutions, and their families, neighbors, and friends.

• What happens after the election?

  Soon after the results are declared, a delegation from VIP will meet with the elected Candidates and public officials, remind them of their commitment, and discuss with them what to tackle first.

• What are my next steps?

  • Sign up online at: vipiaf.nationbuilder.com/26_sutc

  • RSVP to the Human Dignity Assembly October 8! (Linked below!)

Questions?

Contact: Larry Dumka

Email: ilarion@hotmail.com