Four weeks ago, a dedicated group of government and community leaders in Montgomery, Alabama were disappointed to learn that they did not receive a federal grant they had been seeking to fund the opening of a Family Justice Center.  It was the second time they had applied for a federal FJC grant and had not been funded.  In the midst of a very bad economy, they were deeply discouraged.  They had asked me to come and celebrate their announcement of a grant or perhaps even a Grand Opening on October 19, 2009.  They had even picked out a building to use for the Center.  Now, they were calling to let me know they did not get their grant.  But as we talked on the phone it was clear to me their dream was still strong.  They were determined and unwilling to give up.  So, I agreed to donate my time and come anyway and rally the community and they agreed to keep advocating.  I told them we should re-double our vision casting, outreach, press push, and elevate our voices to recruit caring public officials and business leaders.  And they did!

On October 19th we had a breakfast, tours of their agencies, a luncheon, and a press conference with the Chief Justice of their Supreme Court, Sue Bell Cobb (just blocks from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s church).  The District Attorney, Ellen Brooks, was clearly the leader.  She was passionate, determined, and focused.  Her Assistant DA, Daryl Bailey, was equally committed.  I met Karen Sellers, who runs the local shelter.  What a zealous advocate!  I met a dedicated police Lt. named Steve Searcy from the Montgomery Police Department and many others.  The Montgomery Advertiser newspaper endorsed their cause.  Faith and business community leaders joined the coalition that day.  And I began to see why Montgomery is such a special place.  In the middle of a terrible economy, without a federal grant, with government facing major cuts, I learned that the Mayor of Montgomery, Todd Strange, “got it”, and realized that the FJC was a life and death issue for everyone.  I met Donnie Mims, the County Administrator, and a man of great integrity, who attended our events for most of the day and listened thoughtfully to all the issues.  Many local survivors stepped up to be counted and supported the vision.  And by the end of the day, without a federal grant, and without any formal commitment of funds by anyone, the dream was alive and dynamic because of the amazing people of Montgomery, Alabama.

What a lesson for my own community and so many others…They did not get a federal grant.  They are in a terrible economy.  They are cutting budgets and facing tough decisions every day about priorities.  But they did not abandon their dream for a Family Justice Center.  In fact, they advocated all the more aggressively.  They created a plan to buy a building for their FJC.  They asked the County and the City to work together to make it all happen.  They committed full-time, on-site personnel from the Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, the shelter, and many other service providers.  And they kept advocating with the powerful leadership of District Attorney Ellen Brooks until they got the support they needed.  No egos, no turf issues, no political calculations…just people joining their lives together to change the world for victims and their children and not take “No” for an answer.  And they got it done!

The original dreamers in Montgomery from 2004 when the vision was first created for an FJC

This past Monday morning, the Montgomery Advertiser announced that the Mayor has committed $300,000 from the City and the County has committed $300,000 to match it…and the dream of the Montgomery County FJC will become a reality.  They are now part of the “unstoppables” – those communities that will not be stopped in creating a powerful FJC to save families.  They are an example for everyone who shares the vision of all agencies working together in a community and is willing to make supporting the FJC a top priority.  And did I tell you?  The economy is really bad and Montgomery, Alabama did not get a federal grant.