Faith in Place
| Abstract | Faith in Place is a nonprofit with a long history of inspiring positive environmental behavior change in partnership with religious congregations. Faith in Place was founded in 1999 (incorporated in 2004) in Chicago, IL, where most of the staff and the majority of outreach continues to happen. There are also outreach staff working in Champaign and Waukegan, IL, where they interact with diverse congregations in those geographic areas.
As a result, Faith in Place has partnered with more than 1,000 congregations of all faiths from every corner of Illinois - Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian - to educate, connect, and advocate around the teachings of faith for living out practices of better Earth care. Faith in Place’s mission is to inspire people of diverse faiths to care for the earth through connection, education, and advocacy. Unity of purpose emerges from an astounding diversity of beliefs and belief systems. This mission is implemented through four program areas at partner congregations: 1) energy and climate change 2) water preservation 3) sustainable land and food and 4) environmental advocacy. Faiths in Place’s outreach staff accomplish goals in each program area. They are effective because they are trusted allies in their local communities. The outreach team is trained to be conversant with faith traditions and faith life, and has the unique ability to offer a wide range of resources from within our program areas to local congregations and congregants. Staff meets the congregation where their initial enthusiasm resides and works to move them up the ladder of engagement of Faith in Place’s programs. This means that Faith in Place brings long-lasting value and long-lasting relationship to a spectrum of environmental programs. Faith in Place’s current allied congregations are located throughout Illinois ranging from the lowest to highest income areas of Chicago and Waukegan, to affluent suburbs, and to rural congregations and cities throughout central and southern Illinois. |
| Religion | Inter-religious |
| Geographic Location | United States of America (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Duration of Project | 1999–Present |
| History |
Faith in Place was founded in 1999 in Chicago by Rev. Dr. Clare Butterfield and Steve Perkins out of the idea that religions organizing around environmental issues should foster transformation on both personal and collective levels. In 2010 Faith in Place expanded to central IL with an office located in Champaign-Urbana. In 2014 Faith in Place again expanded to Lake County with an office based in Waukegan, IL. As a result, Faith in Place has partnered with more than 1,000 congregations of all faiths from every corner of Illinois - Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian - to educate, connect, and advocate around the teachings of faith for living out practices of better Earth care. Rev. Brian Sauder is the current Executive Director and President of Faith in Place. |
| Mission Statement |
Faith in Place inspires people of diverse faiths to care for the earth through education, connection, and advocacy. |
| Partner Organizations | Chicago Wilderness Society Donors Forum EarthShare Illinois Environmental Council REAMP US Climate Action Network |
| Long-Term Goals | By 2020: • Unrestricted annual revenue of $500k from individuals and partner congregations • Five office locations throughout Illinois • All office locations fully staffed by local people of faith, working to inspire local congregations to better Earth care, reflecting the theological and social diversity of Illinois • A Board that fully reflects the geographic and religious diversity of Illinois • Programs that regardless of religion, age, race, or any socio-economic class are relevant and have measurable positive environmental impact for partner congregations • A new website, better telling the positive environmental impact of Faith in Place’s partner congregations • Five Congregation-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms started at Faith in Place’s partner congregations (two in existence now), donating tons of food to local food pantries • Faith in Place has more than 1,000 partner congregations, who have all implemented at least one of Faith in Place’s programs. In five years at least 500 of them will have active Green Teams, enacting Faith in Place programs on a regular basis |
| Bibliography | http://www.faithinplace.org/about/staff
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20141217/Opinion/141219542 http://www.news-gazette.com/living/2014-05-04/getting-personal-cindy-shepherd.html |
| Additional Research Resources | None Listed |
| Contact Information | Rev. Brian Sauder, Executive Director Faith in Place 70 E. Lake St., Suite 920 Chicago, IL 60601 Ph: 312-733-4640 x111 Email: brian@faithinplace.org |