Ford Foundation Awards AJC Grant for Immigration Advocacy

NEW YORK, June 16, 2009 — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has received a major grant of $500,000 from The Ford Foundation for a new initiative to create momentum for comprehensive immigration reform.

"We are thrilled The Ford Foundation recognizes AJC's vital and timely work to advance, in partnership with community leaders, immigration reform," said Ann Schaffer, director of AJC's Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Center for American Pluralism.

Building on decades of experience working with diverse ethnic partners, AJC will convene a series of roundtable discussions with a broad spectrum of community stakeholders in the immigration debate to seek common ground. AJC will also offer advocacy skills-building workshops to Latino leaders and organizations in four localities -- Arizona, Chicago, Houston and New Jersey -- furthering AJC's pioneering collaborative efforts with this community.

"Our goal is to encourage a civil and informed national discourse about immigration that will lead to policies reflecting America's fundamental commitment to democratic values and human rights, and also respond effectively to our nation's national and economic security needs," said Schaffer, who spearheads AJC's intergroup relations efforts and will direct the yearlong project. AJC has long advocated for comprehensive immigration reform.