Merrimack Valley Project

Where We’ve Been - 2022/2023

Immigrant Justice Campaigns - MVP leaders have led the way in calling for immigrant justice throughout the region. This past year, MVP helped pass the Work and Family Mobility Act by identifying and earning public commitments from 15 legislators, 7 police chiefs, 2 county sheriffs, and a district attorney. MVP leaders later spent 6 intense weeks on a decline to sign campaign, educating voters on the benefits of the newly passed law. Since mid-September, MVP leaders have worked on the YES ON 4 campaign to defend the law, which will be placed to the voters as a ballot initiative in November.

Substance Use Disorder & Criminal Justice Campaign - After a successful 15-month pilot program that helped bring over 400 individuals to treatment, MVP’s criminal justice leaders turned their attention to identifying new community partners to seek permanent funding for the Wheels of Hope program. Throughout the year, the MVP team identified 6 new allies and is continuing the research phase of the campaign to identify more supporters in the coming weeks.

Worker Justice/Voter Engagement - As the regional lead of the Raise Up MA coalition, MVP has continued to be the leading advocate for worker justice in the Merrimack Valley. In 2022, MVP’s focus turned to passage of the Fair Share Amendment, Question 1, on the November ballot. MVP leaders worked to identify supporters through multiple tabling and community events, including a canvass with students from UMASS Lowell. MVP’s worker justice chair Tom Raiche was a tireless proponent of the Fair Share Amendment and hosted a weekly radio hour where he provided public education on the amendment weekly up through the election.

Community organizing and mobilizing - MVP has been working with religious, labor and community leaders tocreate a culture where everyone’s voice is heard, regardless of their language, culture, or economic background. We have especially reached out to those struggling with specific challenges, such as low wages, immigration status, or addiction. We have seen much progress in the last year, especially in our intensive voter education efforts. MVP is committed to continue this work to build trust and respect in our Merrimack Valley community. By gathering people to share their situation and listen to one other, we promote transformational learning that empowers people to act together for change.

Where We Go - 2023/2024

Immigrant Justice Campaigns - After a grueling four-year campaign to pass the Work and Family Mobility Act, MVP immigrant justice leaders will take a step back and will work through a regional listening campaign to identify new and emerging issues being faced by our immigrant communities. MVP leaders will also continue to support the Safe Communities Act, a piece of legislation that has unfortunately been stalled in the legislature over the past 4 years.

Addiction & Criminal Justice Campaign - MVP criminal justice leaders will continue to advocate for sustained funding for their regional transportation program, Wheels of Hope. Throughout the fall and first half of 2023, MVP will be collecting testimonies from community advocates and will be engaging any and all state agencies who could potentially fund the program moving forward.

Worker Justice Campaign - With the successful result of the Fair Share Amendment, MVP’s worker justice leaders will take a step back and will begin a listening session with our labor and community partners to identify the next issue of worker justice in the region. MVP will work closely with our labor allies from SEIU including leadership and members from SEIU local 509, 1199, 888, and 32BJ.

Fighting Against Addiction and For Criminal Justice!

• Merrimack Valley Project criminal justice leaders passed a $150,000 state budget amendment to create a transportation pilot program for those struggling with substance use disorder in July of 2019.

Opportunities for Good Jobs!

• Helped lead Valley drive for statewide minimum wage increase.

• Supported SEIU Local 509’s union organizing drive at CLASS, Inc.

• Won over $1,100,000 in initial funds from Gillette/Procter & Gamble and New Balance for English classes and job counseling for temp workers and residents of Lawrence.

• Formed the MVP Worker Center to organize and train low-wage workers.  Our member organizations SEIU Local 615 and St. John’s Episcopal Church together train more than 40 students per year in English classes at the Worker Center.  Hundreds of workers have received training on their rights in the workplace.

• With Senator Susan Tucker, won passage of the Fair Transportation Act in the Massachusetts State Legislature to prevent gouging of temporary workers with excessive transportation fees.

• Helped save over 1,000 jobs at the Gillette Pack Center in Devens, preserving $23 million in tax revenue and millions in personal income for the region.

• Saved 128 jobs at Allen Shoe Company in Haverhill.

• Won private and public skills-based training for 44 former Friction Materials, Inc. employees.

• With Teamsters Local 829, saved 175 jobs at Purity Supreme Supermarket Warehouse.

• Fought to save jobs at Lucent Technologies, Prince Pasta and Amesbury Industries.

Immigrants Rights!

• Helped win a $1.3 million+ increase in statewide funding for civil legal aid, and to secure 1 new full-time immigration legal aid attorney for our region.

• Successfully organizing with state-wide allies to maintain affordable state-sponsored health insurance access for 28,000 immigrants, including 2,200 who live in Lawrence and Lowell, which was being threatened by budget cuts.

Safe, Affordable Housing for All!

• Worked with local leaders to win passage of one of the toughest anti-foreclosure laws in the country. The Lawrence City Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance to mandate that banks mediate with families before they can move to foreclose on their properties.  They also voted to require banks to post a $10,000 bond with the city for each property that they repossess due to foreclosure to help offset costs of inspection and maintenance of properties.

• Helped pass a 2012 foreclosure law that allows homeowners in foreclosed properties to buy back their homes at current market value.

• Organized outreach and education to over 1,500 Valley tenants and homeowners at risk of foreclosure to help them stay in the homes and fight evictions.

• Worked with Boston Community Capital, a non-profit bank, to help struggling homeowners in Lowell and Lawrence.

• Worked with allies from across the state to win passage of 2010 foreclosure law which protects tenants in foreclosed buildings from being unjustly evicted and helps homeowners stay in their homes.

• Helped win an agreement from the City of Lowell to hire developers for a major redevelopment project that will lead to the preservation of affordable housing units.

• Organized the Merrimack Valley Regional Housing Consortium with 7 towns to promote collaboration on affordable housing development in Greater Lowell.

• Won support from 6 towns in Greater Lowell for a Regional First-Time Homebuyer Program, which has helped over 40 first-time homebuyers purchase homes in the towns around Lowell.  The program is administered by the Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership.

• Won implementation of the Affordable Housing Tax Agreement Law in Lawrence to create tax incentives to promote the conversion of abandoned property to affordable housing.

• Worked with tenants of Hancock Courts in Lawrence to win $9.9 million in state funds to renovate over 450 housing units.

• Organized the Amesbury Gardens Tenant Association to take ownership of their housing complex, creating 160 units of permanently affordable housing in downtown Lawrence.

Safer Cities and Neighborhoods!

• Won a new City Commission on Immigration in Lowell.

• Published a Directory of Resources for Immigrants in Lawrence.

• Improved community fire fighting in Lawrence.

• Won a new police substation in the Back Central Neighborhood of Lowell.