Mayor Kathy Sheehan notes that far too many families struggle to pay the bills- hovering just above the poverty line. She calls attention to the needs of these families, from medical bills and transportation to to trying to provide future security for their families.

She commends the audience for bringing attention to these issues by sharing their life experiences. She says that the message to bridge the gap resonates with families both within and beyond Albany. She calls attention to gaps that prevent people from gaining access to childcare, medical care, and achieving the American Dream.

She knows that we have a long way to go to ensuring that every person has the ability to succeed. She shares her confidence that the work of the Nuns on the Bus and all those who advocate to mend the gaps will lead to success.

She notes that it’s a difficult journey, she knows that people are frustrated, but shares her reasons for hope. In the crowd she sees hope, people who are willing to do the work and haven’t given up.

Willy White shares about how his community came together to advocate for a bus into their neighborhood.  Willy notes that when community members walk out their door they can see the injustices and problems in their community and can choose to join the problems or help create solutions.

Willy decided to help create solutions. He called for a community meeting to come together and discuss issues in the community. The need for a bus to come to their community had been fought over for twenty years. They wanted a bus to come 1.3 miles from their neighborhood to the hospital and connecting bus routes. The community launched a petition, amassing 1500 signatures. They also ran about 20 newspaper articles and 10-15 TV adds. He shares how people were excited to share their stories and signatures for the cause. Eventually CDTA called and invited them to come talk about how to get a bus to their neighborhood.

His community fought hard and united with other neighborhoods and communities in Albany and the surrounding area. He notes that now, five years later, CDTA is one of their best community partners.

Congressman Tonko speaks highly of Sr. Simone’s determination and resilience when speaking to social and economic justice. He thanks her for engineering and mobilizing the Nuns on the Bus. He describes the bus as fueled on People Power, and it is People Power that will drive us all to victory.

He notes that congress left Washington a few days ago for a 7 week recess with a mountain of unfitted business that could address social and economic justice. He brings up income inequality, unfair tax policies, unbalanced voting rights, the broken immigration system, and an underperforming healthcare system.  He calls for action now and commends the Nuns on the Bus for their work.

He declares the importance of everyone working together and raising their voices in Washington- whether in DC or hundreds of miles away. He calls us to “make good trouble” as congressman John Lewis says. He says that our political process allows for us to make good trouble to make the government work for all.

He calls for comfortable housing for all, ensuring everyone’s right to vote. He notes how proud he is to host the Nuns on the Bus in Albany. He calls us to ensure that our values are reflected in our governance. He calls us to empathy, saying that “when one hurts among us, we should all feel the hurt,” and that we should use our political system to benefit us all. He looks forward to the day when the Nuns and their people-powered bus will roll into Washington to celebrate the mending of the gaps.

Amy Azzara, Sabelle Palmatier, Robert Nolan, and Grace Winfree of the Church of the Transfiguration are on a summer service retreat with the Sisters of St. Joseph. They and their peers are working in five different service sites this week.

Sabelle notes how, having grown up in the suburbs of Rochester, it wasn’t until this week that she realized how much help others in Rochester need. She expresses her gratitude that her eyes have been opened to these experiences.

Robert shares his work at Nazareth Elementary school, the last Catholic school in Rochester. He shares how many of the kids have scholarships and that some of the refugee students in particular didn’t have lunches and weren’t aware of resources available to help them succeed in school.

Grace volunteers at the Bethany House, a women’s shelter. In her work she has noticed that some of the women are both not registered to vote and don’t realize that they can vote- issues that came up in her Mend The Gap Caucus discussions.

Nikki is the program coordinator for Women on the Move at St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center and shares how the agency fills the gaps in terms of medical care in the community.

She came across the neighborhood center when she was doing research for a small nonprofit in the city. After she graduated from college she was working and living without healthcare. When she felt sick she just went to the emergency room- leading to medical debt. When she found the neighborhood center she began getting medical care there.

She describes her experience as a bit strange because she “was treated so well.” For most of her adult life she was a part of the working poor, was on Medicaid, and had a negative view of the medical community. When she attended the neighborhood center she felt cared for in a place where people felt genuinely concerned about her health.

In the process of her treatment at the center she also began counseling. Her counselor referred her to the Woman on the Move group, which is a 2 hour a week, nine month program run at the center to lead women toward economic empowerment. Through the group she learned about economic language, credit counseling, debt management, self esteem, wellness, self awareness, and other topics. The group encouraged her to continue her education- she has been accepted to graduate school and is working on her licensure for mental health counseling.

Nikki’s main takeaway from her experiences at the clinic was not only wellness but kindness and paying it forward.

In my dozen years in Miami I never ceased to give my theme song to the Handmaids’ many Cuban friends:  We rejoice in the “wet foot/dry foot” policy of the US government which allowed you, your parents, families, and friends into the country (either that way or by the Peter Pan Airlift or by other means).

Have you ever wondered… ‘It’s Not Fair’ that other refugees do not have that same easy entry and any government benefits, like a Green Card, which might have accompanied your family’s resettlement.

I seemed to find a listening ear, which at least was a start to a new awareness of the massive numbers of Haitian and other Islands and Central and South American refugees and immigrants and asylum seekers who with great struggle were/are gratefully trying to call Miami and other parts of the States home. Kayjoy Coopert, acj

Rev. Kirk shares a story from his work in the Fight for 15 (minimum wage) campaign. Last summer they had a wage war where the governor convened their mayor and others to determine what the wage for fast wood workers should be. In time they will have the wage raised to $15 and hour- the minimum wage in upstate New York will be raised to $12.50 an hour by 2021.

He shares a story about a man named Khalil who, at the end of last year, was an expectant father working at Wendy’s for $8.75 an hour. He had decent hours, roughly 30 hours a week, and had a son on the way. He noticed that he would be able to make more money to support his family by working on the street than working in fast food. In early 2016 he was ended up in jail on gun charges and missed the birth of his son. His experience led Rev. Kirk to think “wow- what are we doing”- when he gets discouraged in his work he remembers Khalil’s story and is reminded that we need to do better so that people like Khalil can be there for their families.

Joan shares the story of a nurse’s aide who works 12 hour shifts at an assisted living facility run by the diocese.

The woman was experiencing heavy bleeding with bad cramps and terrible pain- when she went to her supervisor to tell them that she though she was experiencing a miscarriage her supervisor asked if she though she could make it through her shift.  After her shift she sought medical assistance and learned that she had miscarried.

When she called her work to tell them what happened they not only didn’t ask how she was but they expected her to come to work the next day. She shared that she did return to work the next morning because she knew her coworkers would have to take care of the patients alone- with only two workers taking care of 46 patients instead of three caregivers.

She also shares the example of a secular healthcare system in Western NY that faces similar economic struggles. Two years ago they noticed high turnover, high training costs, and poor patient outcomes. They addressed this by adding 134 more staff positions, the locations of which were determined by the union.

Joan shares this story to illustrate the need for Catholic Health to follow in the footsteps of this other local healthcare group to improve staff and patient outcomes while remaining finically viable.

Congressman Brian Higgins shares his experience working on healthcare in Congress- and credits Catholic Sisters in America with saving healthcare. He lauds the efforts of American Sisters in their efforts to serve the people.

He also mentions working with Representative John Lewis, an “authentic American Hero.” He shares a story about how Rep. Lewis used to preach to the chickens in his childhood home outside of Try, Alabama. In 195,1 John Lewis went to stay with relatives in Buffalo, NY.. A couple weeks ago John Lewis shared with Congressmen Higgins that in Buffalo he saw black and white men working together in the steel mills, and that’s when he believed that desegregation could happen in the South.

Josiah is a local college student- a rising senior majoring in psychology.

He is involved in service in the community- the college’s center for social concerns is focused on youth in Erie. He reports a 51% youth poverty rate in Erie. He addresses the issue of schools in Erie closing due to lack of funds. He asks where the funds go, and he notes that once you take away education from youth the country will go downhill.

He notes that Erie is already the most impoverished city in Pennsylvania, and that taking away education only limits the community’s ability to come back from poverty.

Josiah works with youth of Erie and doesn’t want to see them given upon. He asks for everyone, especially legislators, to not give up on America’s future by giving up on these kids.

Josiah works with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America- he shares the story of his Little Brother, who lives with his mother. His mother shared with Josiah that the child didn’t have many male role models in his life. While Josiah enjoys working with him, it’s heartbreaking to see people in the child’s life give up on him. He shares his commitment to his Little Brother as well as other underserved youth of Erie.