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What We Do:

Statement of Solidarity

For a Spanish translation of the Statement of Solidarity, click here.

Statement of Solidarity by the Religious Community Around Employment of People with Disabilities

Twenty years ago, with bipartisan support in Congress and broad endorsements from the civil rights, faith and labor communities, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), calling for the “shameful wall of exclusion” to come tumbling down.  Today, our country is much more accessible and welcoming of people with a wide variety of disabilities and chronic health conditions than it was in 1990.

Nonetheless, based on all of the available data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is an unfortunate fact that the law mandating equal access to employment for people with disabilities has failed to result in an increase in employment.  Two-thirds of Americans with disabilities who want to work are unemployed or underemployed.  That number has not changed since the ADA’s passage.  This is a shameful situation which we in the religious community feel compelled to address.

Americans of many faiths, from congregations, seminaries and religious organizations believe strongly that work brings dignity, self respect and responsibility and that lack of employment is demoralizing, socially isolating and wasteful of a person’s abilities.  Title I of the ADA, the employment provisions, was enacted with the intent of removing barriers to employment for people with disabilities and of protecting disabled workers from discrimination. 

Although the ADA provides important protections for workers with disabilities and has helped carve out a place for disability as part of overall efforts to improve workplace diversity, the rate of progress on employment for adults with disabilities in the United States has been disappointingly slow.  The religious community must speak out decisively and take action so that people with disabilities can live out the American dream of having a productive life, contributing to the betterment of our society.

Religious organizations signing onto this Statement of Solidarity fully understand that all people share a common humanity and that not having a job does irreparable harm to a person's self-esteem and makes it more difficult for someone to realize his or her full potential.  Understanding that poverty so often accompanies disability, and that a lack of employment may mean that adequate food, housing and medical care are not attainable, the undersigned religious organizations, denominations and faith groups commit to working within our organizations and with other groups to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities:

•    We support new initiatives which will result in hiring more federal employees with disabilities and in strengthened requirements that federal contractors engage in affirmative action for hiring and advancing qualified Americans with disabilities;

•    We urge all religious organizations, denominations and faith groups to draw attention to the abilities of people with disabilities and their right to be recruited, hired, promoted and retained at all levels of work;
•    We urge all religious organizations, denominations and faith groups to hire qualified people with disabilities as ordained leaders, religious educators, musical directors, communicators, administrators, support staff, technical support and maintenance workers;
•    We urge congregations to offer support to members and visitors with disabilities who are out of work, including moral support, specific advice and training, supervised volunteer opportunities and introductions to those who make hiring decisions;
•    And, during the month of October, we will promote National Disability Employment Awareness Month within our own religious organizations, denominations and faith groups so that people with disabilities are understood to want what all people want - the dignity, value and worth which comes from holding a job.
With the aim of employing more qualified people with disabilities and making America work better for everyone, the undersigned religious organizations, denominations and faith groups pledge to promote the full employment and participation of people with disabilities and we encourage every American to join this cause.

Please Complete the Sign-On Form and E-mail to gthornburgh@aapd.com or Fax to 202-457-0473.

Religious Organizations Signed on to the Statement of Solidarity

IDAC Members

African Methodist Episcopal Church Connectional Health Commission
American Baptist Home Mission Societies
Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies
Council for Health and Human Service Ministries United Church of Christ
The Episcopal Church
Islamic Society of North America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
The Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
L’Arche USA
Lutheran Services in America Disability Network
Muslim Public Affairs Council
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
National Council of Churches, Justice and Advocacy Commission
National Council of Jewish Women
Presbyterian Church USA, Office of Public Witness
Rabbinical Assembly
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
Women’s Rabbinic Network

 

Religious Organizations

Arizona
Temple Emanuel of Tempe, AZ

California
Congregation Beth AM - Los Altos Hills, CA
Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health, HUC-JIR - Los Angeles, CA
National Council of Jewish Women, California State Public Affairs Committee -
     San Diego, CA
Temple Beth Hillel - Valley Village, CA
Temple Ramat Zion - Northridge, CA
Temple Sinai of Oakland, CA
Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies - Los Angeles, CA

Connecticut
All Abilities Ministry, Inc. - New Haven, CT
Congregation B'nai - Bridgeport, CT
Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek - Chester, CT
Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation - Southington, CT
Temple Beth Tikvah - Madison, CT

Florida
Presentation Brothers - Kissimmee, FL

Georgia
Centenary Unitied Methodist Church - Macon, GA
Jewish Family and Career Services of Atlanta, GA
Temple Beth Tikvah - Roswell, GA
Temple Sinai of Sandy Springs, GA
The Amit Program - Atlanta, GA

Illinois
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois - Des Plaines, IL
National Council of Jewish Women, Illinois State Public Affairs Committee -
     Chicago, IL
Temple Jeremiah - Northfield, IL

Indiana
Anabaptist Disabilities Network - Goshen, IN
First Baptist Church of South Bend, IN
Prince of Peace United Church of Christ - Bargersville, IN
Temple Beth-El - South Bend, IN
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities - Indianapolis, IN

Massachusetts
Andover Newton Theological School - Newton Centre, MA
Falmouth Jewish Congregation - East Falmouth, MA
Jewish Vocational Service - Boston, MA
Temple Emunah - Lexington, MA

Maine
Henderson Memorial Baptist Church - Farmington, ME
 
Maryland
B'nai Shalom of Olney, MD
Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church - Baltimore, MD
Georgia Avenue Baptist Church - Silver Spring, MD
Jewish Social Services Agency - Rockville, MD
Shaare Tefila Congregation - Olney, MD
University Baptist Church - College Park, MD

Michigan
Christian Reformed Church in North America - Grand Rapids, MI

Minnesota
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis, MN
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota - Saint Paul, MN

North Carolina
Beth Meyer Synagogue - Raleigh, NC

New Jersey
American Baptist Churches of New Jersey - Trenton, NJ
Congregation Beth Mordecai - Perth Amboy, NJ
Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest - East Orange, NJ
Living Word Baptist Church - Toms River, NJ
National Council of Jewish Women, New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee -
     Elizabeth, NJ
Or Chadash - Flemington, NJ
State Association of Jewish Federations - Union, NJ
Temple Beth-El - Hillsborough, NJ
Temple Emanu-El - Westfield, NJ
Temple Ner Tamid - Bloomfield, NJ

New York
Capital Regional Ecumenical Organization - Malta, NY
Central Conference of American Rabbis - New York, NY
Congregation Rodeph Sholom - New York, NY
Congregation Sons of Israel - Upper Nyack, NY
Jewish Labor Committee - New York, NY
Temple Israel of South Merrick - Merrick, NY
Temple Sinai of Roslyn - Roslyn Heights, NY

Ohio
Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland, OH
Jewish Family Services of Columbus, OH
Ohio Jewish Communities - Columbus, OH

Pennsylvania
Congregation Dor Hadash - Pittsburgh, PA
Developmental Programs Division of Catholic Social Services, Archdiocese of
     Philadelphia, PA
International Association of Jewish Vocational Services - Philadelphia, PA
JEVS Human Services - Philadelphia, PA
Jewish Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater
     Philadelphia, PA
Jewish Family Service - Wilkes-Barre, PA
Links of Love Disability Ministry - Lansdale, PA
Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities Diocese of Allentown, PA 
Paul's Run Retirement Community - Philadelphia, PA

Texas
Congregation Agudas Achim - Austin, TX
Congregation Beth El - Missouri City, TX
Congregation Emanu El - Houston, TX
Jewish Family Service - Houston, TX
National Council of Jewish Women, Texas State Public Affairs Committee -
     Austin, TX

Vermont
First Baptist Church of Bellows Falls, VT

Virginia
Temple House of Israel - Staunton, VA
Temple Israel of Norfolk - Norfolk, VA

Washington, DC
Church of the Pilgrims - Washington, DC
Georgetown Presbyterian Church - Washington, DC
Temple Micah - Washington, DC

West Virginia
National Volunteer Caregiving Network - Wheeling, WV

Wisconsin
Bethesda Lutheran Communities - Watertown, WI
Wisconsin Jewish Conference - Madison, WI

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