Organizations the Buck Dinner has funded recently:
2023 Buck Dinner Grants
These are short portions of the grant applications that were approved for funding by the Buck Dinner headhunters shortly after the April 2023 virtual dinner. The legacy organizations’ funds are disbursed according to a formula: National Lawyers Guild, Detroit; Sugar Law Center and ACLU. ACLU waived its distribution for 2023 and asked that its portion be reallocated to community organizations. The grants to the community organizations total $47,400.
Alliance to Halt Fermi 3
Arboretum Detroit
Cities of Peace
Detroit Area Youth Uniting Michigan (DAYUM)
Detroit Eviction Defense
Detroit Jews for Justice
Detroit Justice Development
Detroit MLK Day Committee
Detroit People's Food Co-op
Economic Justice Alliance for Equitable Detroit Coalition
Flying Cardboard Theater's Cantastoria Workshop
Great Lakes Bioneers
Detroit Interfaith Round Table Washtenaw County
Immigration Law & Justice ILJ-MI (formerly JFON-MI, Justice for Our Neighbors Michigan)
Meta Peace Team
Michigan Poor People's Campaign
Michigan Universal Health Care Action Network
Mint Artists Guild
Moritorium Now Coalition
Organization of Exonerees
Peace Action of Michigan
Redford MLK Breakfast Committee
Southeast Michigan Jobs with Justice (SEMJWJ/UC)
Stand with Trans
St. Peters Episcopal Church Social Justice Hive
Strangers No Longer
Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation
Viola Liuzzo Park
Women in Black
Buck Dinner 2023 Grantees Summaries
Summaries of the organizations’ accomplishments as presented in their Buck Dinner year-end report
Alliance to Halt Fermi 3
The Alliance entered our 13th year by continuing our “Speaking Truth to Power About Nuclear Power” campaign by publishing a full page color newspaper ad about the Palisades nuclear plant in the Lansing State Journal in June, entitled “An Open Letter to Michigan State Legislators, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm: Don’t Waste Taxpayer And Ratepayer Dollars On A Nuclear White Elephant!!!” The Buck Dinner grant was helpful in covering its cost, as well as other administrative costs incurred during the year: printing, office supplies, mailing costs, and our organizational memberships in the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association and the Michigan Environmental Council. We began work on draft text for the next Alliance To Halt Fermi-3 ad (our 20th since January2021) that will appear in the Lansing State Journal in the first quarter 2024. Targeting Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature, we will “Speak Truth To Power About Nuclear Power” by documenting the nuclear industry’s long history of overpromising and underdelivering, and why Small Modular Reactors are not a solution for climate change
Arboretum Detroit
Change is the Pointe
Detroit Area Youth Uniting Michigan (DAYUM)
Detroit Eviction Defense
Detroit has changed from a primarily home ownership city to one in which over 50% of residents are tenants. This change informs the work we have done over the past year. The people who reach out to us are dealing with lack of available, affordable housing, repairs that are not being made, application fees, court costs and late fees added to rents that are too high for their incomes; evictions that stay on their records and make it nearly impossible for them to find new homes. They are facing physical violence in some cases and a level of disrespect and disparagement that borders on overt discrimination. City, state, and federal government claim to provide resources; the people who come to us are not able to access these resources. We fight for them to gain access to what they are promised. Our goal is to organize tenants to fight for what they need. The entire metro area is in a housing disaster for working people and Black people in particular. More than 100,000 homes have been lost to tax and mortgage foreclosures in recent years. Whole neighborhoods have been gentrified, with house prices and rents raised to unaffordable levels. Thousands of people are living in motels or with relatives because they are not making enough to pay move-in costs. We worked with other organizations: Detroit Tenants Association and Michigan Tenants Assembly in the Rent Is Too High action in Lansing. We participated in Silence the Violence; the Southwest Fest; and gave a workshop at the General Defense Committee conference. We worked with tenants and tenant unions in 8 different buildings. Over 63 individuals came to our weekly meeting for help and/or advice. We held three legal Rights workshops and participated in Courtwatch and attended city council meetings, demanding safe and secure housing.
Detroit Jews for Justice
As part of the Coalition for Property Tax Justice, we canvassed and called our neighbors on the property tax foreclosure list to connect them with public resources. Our coalition passed the Property Tax Reform Ordinance, guaranteeing vital systemic checks to ensure that people’s property taxes are no longer over assessed, and their homes no longer illegally foreclosed. With our partners Detroit People’s Platform and Detroiters for Tax Justice, we fought the $800 million in property taxes that were waived to billionaire developers for District Detroit and got Council to vote against it. Now, we are turning our attention toward using Community Benefits Agreements processes to ensure that corporate developers are contributing to public resources, instead of sapping them. We advocated for statewide water affordability, driver’s licenses for all, a renter’s bill of rights, fair chance housing for formerly incarcerated Michiganders, LGBTQ+rights, and clean energy. While we won some (clean energy and LGBTQ+rights), we saw a number of our other partners’ issues languish in committees. We are resolute in our commitment to continuing this statewide legislative advocacy in 2024.
Detroit Justice Center
Buck funds helped continue to hone our “movement lawyering” model: this is lawyering in a way that centers relationships and the people organizing on the ground. Movement lawyers make space for, bolster, protect, and build the power of organized people. Within this model, we use a three-pronged approach: Legal Services & Advocacy Practice, Economic Equity Practice, and Innovation Lab. This team continued to provide direct representation for legal clients at the risk of incarceration in various courts in Southeast Michigan. Our attorneys supported clients by helping them: resolve outstanding warrants; address traffic citations and corresponding fines and fees; obtain their driver’s licenses; address child support payments; address child custody and parenting time issues; prevent evictions; and other legal need. The Economic Equity Practice team has increased economic mobility for Detroit residents through our worker-owned cooperative and community land trust work. For example, DJC has been partnering on a co-op incubator program to provide education. DJC has focused on community reinvestment through a concept known as Divest/Invest. The idea is to shift funding from carceral structures and reinvest into more proactive forms of community safety.
Detroit MLK Day Committee
The grant was used to organize and support the 2024 Annual MLK Day Rally and March on January 15, held at the Historic St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Detroit. Commemorating the 95th birthday of Dr. King, the 21stannual MLK Day event was organized under the theme "Six Decades of Mass Movements, The Struggle Continues" and the demand for “Jobs, Peace and Justice while protecting Water, Climate and Communities.” The MLK Day Rally brought together many organizations who provided speakers, artists, and other forms of support. This year’s rally highlighted the resurgent labor movement, the struggle for a Free Palestine, and the continuing struggle to defend our communities. Shawn Fain, UAW President, and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib were featured speakers.
Detroit People's Food Co-op
Funds were instrument in helping our volunteer-staffed Membership Outreach Committee recruit 240 new members in 2023. We grew from 1,821 members to 2,254 members, and have increased our membership goal to 3,000 by the time the store opens in May 2024. In order to recruit members, DPFC volunteers had tables at the African World Festival, D-Town Festival and the Veggie Fest at Eastern Market. We helped sponsor 3 house parties, 2 membership meet-ups, and attended a special event at Nandi’s Knowledge Café. In addition, volunteers regularly dropped informational postcards at public libraries, farmers markets, local stores, churches, coffee shops. We plan to continue to ramp up our membership recruitments, and continue them before, during and after the store opens. The store will be located in the Detroit Food Commons, 8324 Woodward. We recently hired our first general manager, held a hiring fair, and vendor recruitment fair. Funds from the Buck Dinner Grant were spent on printing, event supplies, refreshments for outreach events and tabling/venue rental expenses.
Economic Justice Alliance for Equitable Detroit Coalition
The Coalition (EDC) celebrated a decade of organizing in Detroit to win fair and equitable economic development practices. These practices are focused on large scale private development projects subsidized with a variety of public incentives including multi-million dollar and long term tax incentives. The work of EDC is to mitigate the harms of these projects which often range from housing displacement, gentrification and negative environmental impacts. There is long standing evidence that low income Black and Brown neighborhoods are targeted for location of large industrial projects such as the Stellantis plant. This site has been cited for multiple air quality violations by EGLE the stare regulatory agency. The resident led organizing work of the Just Beniteau Campaign callout for accountability for these violations have increased public awareness and narrative about the harm associated with these projects. Residents won a Supplemental Environmental Plan to bring additional benefits to the impacted community but more needs to be done to reduce these harms. Building on the impactful work of the Just Beniteau Resident led campaign, EDC’s goal is to replicate the work in other Detroit low income neighborhoods impacted by large scale publicly subsidized industrial development. EDC with support through Buck Dinner/Friends of Equal Justice funding, provided support to residents in the American Motors Corporation (AMC) redevelopment project.
Flying Cardboard Theater's Cantastoria Workshop
Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit
GLBD held a successful conference in October at University of Detroit Mercy, with over 400 attendees, almost all having their registration subsidized. The goal was to educate Metro Detroiters on many of the environmental challenges to our area, and to discuss proposed solutions. We also saw successful models of community gardening, recycling, and activism –even hosting ten tours to see Detroit-based community gardens, solar projects, or our annual “environmental justice” tour that involves places of environmental destruction as well as places of hope. The conference has as its goal the gathering together of like-minded individuals and organizations so that we can gain inspiration from each other and make connections. We had over a dozen exhibitors and vendors who shared literature and environmentally sound products, including books. We were gathered each day by opening and closing prayers and songs offered by Indigenous/ First Peoples of our continent. We gathered over meals and snacks offered by local vendors. We reached out to the youth of Detroit and the metro area to make sure that they are realizing the importance of environmental issues to their lives. We also have programming so they can see that engaging in nature (walks in our parks, artistic clay work with natural objects, or fun competitions intended to teach recycling at the same time) can be both fun and educational. Youth not only attend, they also present. Several presented their scientific experiments and results regarding water purification, seed sterilization, and the importance of saving the Great Lakes wildlife from balloon waste. Youth were presenters in two poetry learnshops, exploring nature through their own poetry, and encouraging learnshop participants to write and share as well.
Interfaith Round Table Washtenaw County
Justice for Our Neighbors Michigan
Meta Peace Team [NOTE: I could not open their report]
Michigan Poor People's Campaign
The Michigan Poor People’s Campaign used Buck Dinner funds to support organizing firstly for the June POOR PEOPLE’S AND LOW-WAGE WORKERS’ CONGRESS in Washington DC, which was focused on poverty as the 4th leading cause of death in the US. The Congress was convened for testimony, decision-making, organizing, lobbying, and public action. A delegation of 12 was sent. As part of the Congress they visited or left packets with all of the Michigan Senators and House Representatives, meeting with staff of Peters, Stabenow, Tlaib, and James. Upon return to Michigan, the delegation set up a political action committee to visit across the state, starting a sit-down to Haley Stevens office. The Coordinating Committee became sponsors for MICare, Universal health care in Michigan. Currently, national staff are reorganizing the MPPC Coordinating Committee out of Lansing.
Michigan Universal Health Care Action Network
Mint Artists Guild
Moritorium Now Coalition
National Lawyers Guild (NLG)
The Guild continues to be a trusted legal arm for social justice movements. This year we continued our robust Legal Observer program; organized important speaking events; and placed a spotlight on our financial challenges. We are re-growing our chapter membership, adding to our network of movement lawyers throughout Michigan to represent and support people on the frontlines; and expanding our reach to community members learning and asserting their rights. The Buck Dinner Grant allowed us to have staff, basic resources, and organizational infrastructure - as we learn and build ways to better meet the legal demands of many movements and crises and prepare for whatever comes next. Our Legal Observer program supported 105 actions across Michigan, including 57 actions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza: rallies at businesses that create products/services used to sustain the genocide in Gaza, actions at the offices and homes of representatives failing to call for a ceasefire, and demonstrations at city council meetings calling for cease fire resolutions. In 2023, we sent 289 Legal Observers to a variety of action types, including sit-ins, rallies, marches, car caravans, pickets, vigils, and home defenses.
Organization of Exonerees
Peace Action of Michigan
Redford MLK Breakfast Committee
On January 15, Redford Township hosted our 26th annual MLK Community Prayer breakfast. Unfortunately, this year the event fell on an extreme weather day and we saw a large dip in participation. Even so, we welcomed over 100 guests to the new World Peace Outreach. Community members, students, teachers and state and local leaders including - State Representative Laurie Pohutsky, State Senator Mary Cavanagh, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and State Representative Stephanie Young were in attendance. We were honored again to have One Redford chair Pastor Lawrence Glass Jr. of El Bethel Church provide our opening invocation, followed by Redford Township Supervisor Pat McRae for our welcoming remarks. The theme was “Planting Seeds of Hope & Unity in Our Community.” The entertainment portion of the program was Thurston High School Chamber Choir and Redford Union High School Madrigal Choir. The main portion and keynote for our event was relayed by Mark Ostach, Digital Wellness, focusing on giving organizations the tools to find the courage to connect online and offline and to restore energy. He is a TEDx speaker and has spoken all across the world. He spoke of planting seeds of hope and unity within Redford Township. Each attendee took home a 14 day gratitude notebook to help make shifts that will create a positive impact in their lives and communities
Southeast Michigan Jobs with Justice (SEMJWJ/UC)
Stand with Trans
St. Peters Episcopal Church Social Justice Hive
Strangers No Longer
Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation
Sugar Law Center (SLC)
We provided legal representation and fought for the most vulnerable workers. SLC provided direct assistance and advice to nearly 1600 workers. We assisted workers in obtaining earned UIA benefits and relief from erroneous UIA fraud claims and provided advice and counsel on workers' rights issues. We obtained a $2.8 million class action settlement for student workers exploited by their for-profit cosmetology school. This is the only case known to have won a judgment on behalf of students and secured a settlement. As a result, a precedent has been established against the for-profit exploitation of trade school student labor under the guise of "education requirements." We brought one of the first cases in Michigan for wrongful termination based on a violation of the state COVID emergency orders. We successfully settled this case and stood up for workers whose employer treated their health and safety as disposal during COVID. SLC co-counseled with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and Farm STAND to represent undocumented workers injured on the job. We are challenging as unconstitutional the state's practice of denying wage loss benefits to injured undocumented workers in workers' compensation proceedings. As a result of this litigation, state legislative bills were introduced to end this practice. We provided education and training and engaged in advocacy for equitable unemployment insurance policies. SLC created a pro se guide for unrepresented claimants to file a response to a UIA or employer-initiated appeal of benefit eligibility in circuit courts. We assumed ownership and stewardship of the UI Digest(https://uidigest.org), previously operated by the University of Michigan Workers' Rights Clinic, a free legal resource, including a searchable database of legal precedents claimants can use to access benefits, advocates, and researchers. SLC joined and has a leadership role in the NELP Excluded Worker network, a national workgroup formed to expand excluded worker fund policies across the US, thereby expanding unemployment compensation to immigrant workers, and other non-traditional workers left out of traditional UI programs.
Viola Liuzzo Park
Women in Black
The grant has enabled important updates to enhance our vigils by funding creation of new/additional puppets, particularly some less subject to the vagaries of weather. Our monthly peace vigils are non-combative and silent. When we use the older puppets, we attract far more attention to our group than does a simple procession of marchers with signs, which happens when weather impedes our ability to use the puppet. Such “street theatre” is particularly effective in attracting the attention of children, whom we then often hear questioning the adults with them. The adults are thus forced to discuss peace initiatives which otherwise they might pass over lightly. We do collect a good-will offering at our vigils, but that very limited income would not cover any extra activities/publicity so Buck funds are crucial.
