CLUE Orange County formed in 2006 and is a vibrant network of clergy and congregation leaders committed to walking alongside low wage and immigrant families in struggles for justice. CLUE Orange County draws people from a broad spectrum of faith - including Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Muslim and Pentecostal - committed to addressing low wage poverty and the needs of immigrants in our communities.

CLUE OC utilizes a faith-rooted organizing model that is guided and shaped by our faith and values.  We believe the faith community can provide necessary spiritual and moral leadership to advance broad social change that recognizes the dignity and worth of all people to increase reconciliation and justice in our neighborhoods and cities.

The Crisis of Working Poverty

By the California Budget Project’s count, a single parent in Orange County with two children must bring in $72,373 a year to cover basic household costs.  That means a single parent working two full-time jobs at minimum wage would fall short.  Even a single parent earning California’s $19.01 median hourly wage and working a 40-hour week would not be able to meet expenses.

Census Bureau data from 2010 shows that more than 6 million Californians – nearly one out of six – had incomes below the federal poverty line. In addition, 2.2 million of the state's children – nearly one out of four – were living in poverty in 2010.

Over the past 25 years, the percentage of Californians who are working and poor has continued to grow - and the income gap between the highest percentiles of workers and the lowest has continued to widen. A full 71.3 percent of the income gains between 1987 and 2009 went to the wealthiest 10 percent of Californians.

As a result, families with a full-time worker currently comprise 53% of the recipients of the ten largest statewide programs that provide public assistance to low-income families. Public assistance is increasingly becoming an ongoing wage supplement for low-wage workers, rather than emergency assistance for those who are unable to work. This impacts more than just the families who are directly involved; taxpayers, a wide range of government services, the basic social and economic infrastructure of entire neighborhoods and ultimately the California economy are all affected by an impoverished work force.

We believe this type of unchecked and growing inequality in our communities is unhealthy on many levels, negatively impacting physical health, mental health, education, quality of life and economic stability for the poor. CLUE OC works with the faith community to address these issues relationally and from the root of our faith, with a belief that justice and active love for our neighbor brings glory to God.

CLUE OC    309 N. Rampart St.  Ste. A  Orange, CA 92868    (714) 502-4370    clueoc@gmail.com.com

Wendy Tarr

Director

Vanessa Martinez

Program Assistant

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