ICAN´s Mission Statement
The fundamental mission of ICAN is to provide a voice for Idahoans committed to progressive social change and to develop the power necessary to create those changes. We are dedicated to the following principles: » more...
ICAN in ACTION!
ICAN is Taking Us to the Movies
June 25th at 7pm at the Flicks, Idaho Community Action Network, is hosting a showing of Rural Idaho Stories: Living without Health Insurance. This movie shows the effects on rural people who more often than not live without any kind of health insurance and are one accident away from bankruptcy or worse.
Where: The Flicks, Boise
When: 7 pm
What: Showing of Rural Idaho Stories: Living without Health Insurance with a panel discussion following.
Cost: $5 a ticket
You can pick up a ticket at the box office or at the ICAN offices at 3450 Hill Road.
Democracy 08 Voter Project
During this historic presidential election year ICAN´s civic engagement project, Democracy 08, mobilized hundreds of people to take part in our democracy. Throughout the summer ICAN registered over 600 new voters, most of them new citizens, held a candidates´ forum, and organized an impressive get out the vote (GOTV) drive that reached over 3,000 homes. GOTV activities included:
- bilingual phone messages to 2,167 homes on the day before the election
- bilingual postcards mailed to 3,124 registered voters
- bilingual voter information to 1,400 homes during canvassing
- hundreds of live phone calls made by 30 volunteers
- transportation and interpretation to the polls
Through our national partnership with the Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project (LEAP) and the "Ya Es Hora, Ve Y Vota" campaign, ICAN´s voter work targeted a diverse and low-income community in Canyon County, which has the largest Latino population in the Treasure Valley. As a non-partisan community organization we made a commitment to ensure all eligible voters had a fair opportunity to cast their ballot. ICAN delivered on its promise.
ICAN Members Join Night of 1000 Conversations!
On Thursday June 19th, ICAN members across the state joined the Night of 1000 Conversations, a national effort to highlight the erosion of civil liberties and civil rights occurring in the country.
"We had 20 people come to the dialogue. It was impressive. We watched a short film on the Iowa immigration raids and held a conversation about the bad practices that occurred. We also took action and signed pledge cards and send them to the Department of Homeland Security" --Millie Gaitan Gonzalez
ICAN organizes small business for health care reform!
From 2000 to 2007, the percentage of business with fewer than 200 employees offering health benefits dropped from 68 to 59 percent; business with fewer than 50 workers dropped the most. Additionally, by 2005, less than one of out of three Idaho businesses with fewer than 50 workers offered health insurance, far below that national average.
ICAN has vamped up its efforts and has launched a summer small business drive.
ICAN members launch Voter Registration drive
"Today WE March, tomorrow WE Vote," was the chant of the large pro immigrant rallies in 2006 and 2007. Now it´s the 2008 presidential year and ICAN has launched an aggressive voter registration drive to register not only our members, but as many new potential voters. Become a volunteer and join our Democracy Project. For more information call Leo Morales, 208-385-9146x109.