BISCO
Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing
VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE !!
BISCO is linking up with the Dulac Community Center, Bayou Grace Community Services, and the United Houma Nation to host an important community meeting on the evening of Thursday, June 13, 2013, beginning at 6 PM. Please join us at the Dulac Community Center, where residents can provide input on the draft initial Comprehensive Plan that has been released by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. We understand how difficult it can be for coastal residents to travel all over the Gulf Coast to try to find a way to tell groups like the GC Council what you think. So, we want to use this meeting as an opportunity for you to provide input on the Draft Plan and the Council's restoration planning efforts. You are important to this process!
Be Generous ! Support Local Nonprofit Organizations
Local nonprofit organizations rely on the support of generous supporters from our community. One of BISCO's funders, the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), has put together a website to encourage private donations to organizations like BISCO. Click here to donate to BISCO through the GNOF. BISCO is listed as "Interfaith Sponsoring Committee."
THE HISTORY OF BISCO
Interfaith Sponsoring Committee (BISCO), Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit formed in 1994 after Hurricane Andrew exposed longstanding issues of racial inequity and poverty in southeastern coastal Louisiana. The rationale of the organization is to bring together local residents via access through faith institutions of multiple denominations in order to develop a network of relationships, capacity-building programs and trainings focused on addressing issues of communities from a grassroots level. With organizing representatives from Catholic, Baptist and other denominations gathering as one, BISCO came into existence as a small organization with limited staff and opportunities for action.
Through the intervening years, BISCO has grown in organizational capacity, outreach, networking, and impact. Today, BISCO is known as a trusted and active voice for community residents from Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption and Jefferson Parishes, and has also worked in neighboring parishes of St. Mary, St. James and St. John the Baptist.
With current membership including 19 Covenant Congregations, who hold membership on our Board of Directors, we also recognize non-Board members in categories of Individuals, Collaborative Partners and Affiliated Partners.
One of the major principles of BISCO is to strive for ethnic diversity in each of our activities. We recognize the significant role the various ethnic groups who call the Bayou Region home have played in creating the unique and fascinating culture of the area. It is part of our mission work to seek occasions to bring these various ethnic groups together for building relationships that can create a positive attitude of solidarity and friendship.
THE WORK OF BISCO
The underlying impetus for BISCO’s work is breaking down generational patterns of injustice, racism and poverty.
Our goal is to work for healthy, just and sustainable communities.
Program areas include:
- Administration
- Building Relationships and Networks
- Education and Outreach
- Advocacy
- Special Projects
Current priority issue areas as determined by our grassroots membership include:
- Environment
- Affordable and Safe Housing and Insurance
- Hunger and Homelessness
- Poverty and Racism
- Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery
- Public health and Safety
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
- 1-1 Campaigns
- Community Outreach and Education
- Resource Education, Referral & Case Management
- Advocacy Campaigns
- Network and Collaboration Building
- Capacity and Development
Many thanks to our wonderful funders
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