The #WeAreOneUs Pledge

We, the undersigned, pledge to support and advance, to the best of our ability, the #WeAreOneUs ground-up, community-based and market driven SYSTEMS CHANGE initiative intended to save families and individuals from The Churn of a rapidly growing cycle of handouts and dependency that traps people into a state of helplessness and victimhood.

WHEREAS, for the most vulnerable families and individuals in our communities I, the undersigned, recognize that the root causes that trigger negative societal consequences such as homelessness, incarceration, domestic violence, child welfare interventions and deep poverty are not being sufficiently addressed, thus causing repeated and increasing negative human and societal consequences, which then exacerbate the very vulnerabilities that human service systems are called to alleviate; and

WHEREAS, these consequences, referred to herein as The Churn, are increasing in places around the country including within the city in which I live or care about, thus resulting in unacceptable conditions to the citizenry who are not only directly affected from a public health and safety standpoint but also are profoundly impacted by the diminishing sense of humanity caused from witnessing the needless suffering of those in perilous circumstances; and

WHEREAS, these rapidly emerging and increasing negative churning impacts on society including in communities that personally affect me and others who I care about further strain an already thin safety net system leading to a significant increase in public costs, while impairing productivity and self-sufficiency, thereby increasing dependency on public and private welfare supports; and

WHEREAS, a ground-up, community based and market driven systems change effort named #WeAreOneUs with the support and investment of thousands of citizens, has pioneered an effective empowerment-based community recovery model that transforms people from users of the public good to thriving, resilient and purpose-driven contributors to the public good, which is realized by creating access to the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to address underlying root causative factors, which when resolved greatly improve a person’s overall health and economic well-being; and

WHEREAS, the founders of this effort have learned that they reside within just 100 miles of one-fifth of the nations entire verified homeless population with over one-hundred thousand souls, many who suffer from addiction and mental anguish, while attempting to survive in The Churn; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-One Founding Elected Officials from throughout northern San Diego have signed a Proclamation declaring this a crisis and region-wide imperative to demonstrate the effectiveness of empowerment and transformation-based interventions and programs that can save people from The Churn, and have implored others to join in this effort, in a Serve to Solve challenge; and

WHEREAS, by signing this PLEDGE it is my intention to learn and advance the goals of the #WeAreOneUs initiative launched September 26, 2020 by Twenty-One Founding Overcomers to help save their neighbors from The Churn and grow more people beyond their vulnerabilities by solving root causes, and to promote evidence to change the public policy landscape with the goal to make this vision a national imperative; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I as a Concerned Citizen ascribed below pledge to support and advance, to the best of my ability, the #WeAreOneUs initiative, the stated purpose of which is to “Make Overcomers and Crush The Churn” thereby greatly reducing the negative human and societal consequences that hurt my neighbors.

Signed, another #WeAreOneUs Citizen,