Ben Macconnell Email & Phone Number

Lawrence, Ks, Us

Lawrence, Kansas, United States

I am responsible for building new, non-profit, congregation-based community organizing groups committed to doing justice in every major city throughout Kansas and Nebraska. So far, I have established and staffed new organizations including Churches United for Justice in Kansas City, Kansas, the Good Faith Network in Johnson County, Kansas, Justice Matters in Lawrence, Kansas, and Topeka Justice and Unity Ministry Project (Topeka JUMP) in Topeka, Kansas, and Justice in Action in Lincoln, Nebraska. This includes entering the community, identifying and bringing together leaders to build an organization, creating governance procedures, social justice campaign development, raising funds, and hiring and developing community organizers to staff the organizations.

Lawrence, Kansas, United States

Justice Matters is an Interfaith coalition committed to doing justice in the Lawrence, Kansas area. Past accomplishments include the addition of a new Behavioral Health Campus to the local mental health system, repurposing of a regional sales tax dedicated to preserve and construct affordable housing, stopping the expansion of the Douglas County Jail, training of all Lawrence Police Officers in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT).

I set up a system for identifying, recruiting, screening and training great community organizers with the skills and commitment to powerfully address issues of justice. This system is

• Organized an additional 10 new institutions to CLOUT, a congregation-based community organizing organization • Identified, trained, and brought together hundreds of people of faith to powerfully address and win improvements to issues related to youth services, police misconduct, absentee landlords, and others• Along with one other staff person, raised an average of $130,000 annually from local grassroots funding sources.

Greater Philadelphia Area

Graduated from the nationally renowned, 13-month infield training school for a new generation of environmental advocacy organizers. My assignments included six short-term environmental advocacy campaigns:• Logging Roads Campaign for the Western Ancient Forest Campaign Recruited and trained over 35 college students to lead a campaign to end federal subsidies for logging roads in national forests• Global Warming Treaty for the US Climate Action Network Organized a press conference with scientists generating coverage in the NY Times Led postcard drives and call-ins resulting in over 250 calls and over 1,500 postcards delivered to key presidential cabinet members within one month• Hall of Shame Campaign for INFACT (now known as Corporate Accountability) Delivered Corporate Hall of Shame Reports and generated over 800 boycott pledges to Board Member of RJ Reynolds, and seven other corporate subsidiaries• Endangered Species Act Reauthorization Campaign for the Endangered Species Coalition Organized six district lobby meetings with key Congressional officials to pass the Endangered Species Reauthorization Act Organized press conference with medical and religious leaders generating press coverage in the Philadelphia Inquirer• Filthy Five Campaign for the Toxics Action Center Built a coalition of over 50 environmental and medical professionals & organized radio and television talk show appearances • Assistant Canvass Director for the Fund for Public Interest Research Recruited, trained, and directed a staff of 35 paid, door-to-door canvassers for the Sierra Club and PIRGIM fundraising and political campaigns along with three Co-directors Succeeded in winning co-sponsorship for a Superfund Reauthorization bill from two US Congressmen including Minority Whip, Rep. Bonior

District Brno-Country, Czech Republic

• Coordinated international support to prevent the expansion of unsafe nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe; Raised over $65,000 in grant funding for energy conservation projects surrounding nuclear and coal burning power plants in Eastern Europe