Dear P.O.W.E.R. members, supporters, and friends,
As many of you know, POWER is working to send a delegation of our leaders to the first ever US Social Forum which is being held in Atlanta, Georgia from June 27 - July 1, 2007 – and to do this we need your support! This delegation will consist of 2-4 low-income POWER members who have each committed literally hundreds of unpaid hours to our organization to help organize a local movement to end poverty here in southern Maine and beyond.

The US Social Forum (USSF) is a space for people and organizations from across the US to come together and collectively envision what we want our country to look like and begin planning the paths to take us there. Thousands of organizations and individual participants from across the country are expected to attend the USSF for the purpose of building relationships, learning from each other's experiences, sharing analysis of the problems our communities face, and bringing renewed insight & inspiration. It will help develop the consciousness, vision, and strategy needed to build a broad-based, unified movement for justice, equality, human rights, and true democracy in this country. To learn more about the USSF, please visit: www.USSF2007.org.

While the physical and financial logistics are somewhat daunting, the USSF presents an important opportunity for us to exchange valuable lessons, skills, experiences, and strategies needed to continue building a movement to end poverty. In addition to what we'll be able to bring back to our organization and community, as low income Mainers organizing to end poverty, we also feel we have our own valuable perspectives & expertise to contribute.

Of particular relevance and interest for us as POWER members is the fact that the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC: www.economichumanrights.org) is poised to play a major role in this year's forum by representing a large contingent of low-income anti-poverty activists from around the country. Fellow members of the PPEHRC are hosting several educational events, workshops, and marches focused around economic human rights and calling attention to both the plight and the fight of the poor in this country. In addition to strengthening the work of our own local organization, these events stand to play a key role in advancing the work of the national campaign, and we truly hope POWER members can be there to help make the most of this important strategic opportunity. 

In order to participate, we will need to raise nearly $1000 per delegate to cover the cost of travel, registration, food, & lodging for this 5 day event. As a low-income-led, all volunteer, very low budget group, POWER needs your support! Please help us achieve our goal by filling out the Solidarity Contribution Form on the reverse side of this letter and making a donation in any amount possible. Or you can use the new on-line form posted on our website: www.povertyontrial.org/solidaritycontributionform.html. Any contribution you can make brings us closer to building a local and national movement to end poverty here at home in Maine, across the US, and around the world.

On behalf of all of us from POWER – thank you so much for your support!

In Grateful Solidarity,
Jenn, Stacey, Jesse, Nikki, Antoinette, Chris, & jesse 
Leadership Council, Portland Organizing to Win Economic Rights
www.povertyontrial.org

Portland Organizing to Win Economic Rights is a grassroots anti-poverty action group that is led by poor & low-income people. United with all those who align themselves with this mission, together we're building a local movement to win economic rights for all, end economic oppression, & abolish poverty. When we unite to claim our rights, together we have POWER!!!