Our Mission

To mobilize our communities through people of faith to address the needs and rights of low income people.

Our Purpose

• To educate and empower ourselves and our communities
• To advocate for social and economic justice
• To support ethnically and socially diverse communities
• To stimulate action and work together with those in need
• To work toward common goals with people of many faiths

Our History

The Tri-Valley Interfaith Poverty Forum was founded in 1998, when Catholic Charities of the East Bay, and the California Council of Churches joined with nine Tri-Valley congregations and the FAITHS Initiative of the San Francisco Foundation to present the facts about Welfare Reform at a "Faith Community Forum on Poverty".

Today, the “Poverty Forum” is a non-profit organization that continues its research, education and advocacy, connecting the faith community with local agencies serving those in need.

In 2000, when rising rents forced working people to get help from our local food pantries just to make it through the month, members of the Tri-Valley Interfaith Poverty Forum decided to train themselves and others to address the housing crisis in the Tri-Valley. Since that time, the Poverty Forum has trained and organized 132 Tri-Valley residents to challenge their cities to provide more low income affordable housing.