Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) was founded in 1973 by clergy and lay leaders in an effort to provide interfaith support for abortion rights. In 1993, the original name - the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR) - was changed to the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. The Coalition is an accredited non-governmental organization with the United Nations Department of Public Information.[1]
Contents
Personnel
In 2009, the following worked for the Coalition:[2]
Board of Directors
Executive Committee:
- Carol Blowers, Chair - Director of Government Affairs, Family Planning Advocates of NY State
- F. Alexis Roberson, Vice Chair - President and CEO, Opportunities, Industrialization Center of DC
- Richard Simms, Treasurer - Executive Director, DC Center for Independent Living
- Lloyd Steffen, Secretary - University Chaplain, Professor and Dept. Chair, Ethics; Dept. of Religion Studies, Lehigh University
- Ann Hanson, Chair of the Council of Governors - United Church of Christ, Justice & Witness Ministries
- Reverend Loey Powell, Immediate Past Chair of the Board - United Church of Christ, Justice & Witness Ministries
- Dr. Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO (ex officio) - Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Directors:
- Barbara Avery, Eastern Region Affiliate Representative, Ohio RCRC
- Joan Brannick, Former Chief Executive of the Pension Boards, United Church of Christ
- Rita Nakashima Brock, Founding Co-Director, Faith Voices for the Common Good
- Reverend Ken Brooker Langston, Director, The Disciples Justice Action Network (DJAN)
- LeRoy Carhart, MD, Lt. Col., USAF MC (Retired), Abortionist
- Reverend Steve Clapp, President, Christian Community
- Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Retired Spiritual Leader, Temple Kol Tikvah, Woodland Hills, California
- Nazir U. Khaja, MD, Torrance (CA) Memorial Medical Center
- Frances Kissling, Retired President, Catholics for Choice; Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University
- Joan LaMunyon-Sanford, Western Region Affiliate Representative, New Mexico RCRC
- Rabbi David Levy, Spiritual Leader, Temple Shalom, Randolph, New Jersey
- Reverend Timothy McDonald III, Pastor, First Iconium Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia
- Jill Morrison, Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center
- Berit Muh, Chief Financial Officer, Sutter Securities
- Reverend Aaron Payson, Pastor, Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (MA)
- Alton Pollard III, Dean, Howard University School of Divinity
- Meredith Schonfeld-Hicks, State Policy Coordinator, Advocates for Youth
- Linda Taggart, R.N., Retired Administrator, Ladies Center/Community Health Care Center, Pensacola
- Melissa Winham, United Methodist Student Movement
Council of Governors
- Ann Hanson, Chair - United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries
- Linda Bales, Vice Chair - United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
Members:
- Lynn Alsmeyer-Johnson, Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation
- Barbara Avery, Eastern Affiliate Representative
- Roni Berkowitz, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
- Sandra Brown, Lutheran Women’s Caucus
- Robin Darling, Continental Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN)
- Rabbi George Driesen, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
- Richard Foltin, American Jewish Committee
- Orelia Busch, Unitarian Universalist Assn.
- Marla Gilson, Hadassah, Washington Action Office
- Gail Goldfarb, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
- Rabbi Joui Hessel, Women’s Rabbinic Network
- Laia Katz (Past Chair) Women of Reform Judaism
- Anne Klaeysen, Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island
- Joan LaMunyon-Sanford, Western Region Affiliate Representative
- Mary Larson, Methodist Federation for Social Action
- Michael Lieberman, Anti-Defamation League
- Colleen Bowers, Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options
- Barbara Herman, National Council of Jewish Women
- Rabbi Shoshana Nyer, Women’s Rabbinic Network
- Shoshana Riemer, NA’AMAT U.S.A.
- Maureen Shea, The Episcopal Church
- Marianne Shapiro, American Jewish Congress
- Rabbi Marion Shulevitz, The Rabbinical Assembly
- Julie Taylor, United Methodist Church General Board of Global Ministries Women’s Division
- Marissa Valeri, Catholics for Choice
- John Vanderstar, Episcopal Women’s Caucus
- Barbara Weinstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
- Lori Weinstein, Jewish Women International
- Nancy Hunt Wirth, Disciples for Choice
- Christian Lesbians Out (CLOUT)
- Church of the Brethren Womaen’s Caucus
- North American Federation of Temple Youth
- Society of Humanistic Judaism
- United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
- Young Religious Unitarian Universalists
- YWCA
Staff
Executive Department:
- Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President & CEO
- Sonya Crudup, Chief Operating Officer
- Carolyn Miller, Accountant
- Rosslyn Casey, Office Manager
- Christine McCoy, Administrative Assistant
- Cindy LeRoux, Program Manager, South Africa Initiative
Other Staff:
- Marjorie Signer, Director, Communications Department
- Alex McNeill, Director, Fund Development Department
- Reverend Matthew Westfox, Director, Interfaith Outreach
- Delia Allen-O’Brien, Director, Information Technology Department
- Reverend Penny Willis, Director, MultiCultural Programs Department
- Nicolette Paterson, Director, Public Policy Department
- Sara Fatell, Interim Director, Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom
Affiliates
- Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
- New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Programs
Black Church Initiative
The Black Church Initiative (BCI), begun in 1997, is RCRC’s effort to educate African-American religious communities about abortion and sexuality. It is an extension of commitments already evident in RCRC’s Women of Color Partnership, which in 1996 had published a brochure entitled "Black Ministers Support your Right to Choose." A large donation from the Ford Foundation in 2000 enabled RCRC to work toward shedding "its image as a coalition of primarily liberal white Protestants" by advocating acceptance of sexuality options (including homosexual and bisexual behavior) and "safe sex" education programs within the black church. RCRC employed these funds to host the National Black Religious Summit on Sexuality in July 2000. Among the speakers at this summit was former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, who said at the conference that condoms may break, "but I can assure you, the vows of abstinence break far more easily than any condom." A parallel "Iniciativa Latina" ("Latina/Hispanic Initiative") has now been started.[3]
Member Organizations
As at May, 2015, the following were member organizations of the Coalition:[4]
- American Jewish Committee
- American Jewish Congress
- Anti-Defamation League
- Catholics for Choice
- Central Conference of American Rabbis
- Disciples for Choice
- Episcopal Church
- Episcopal Women’s Caucus
- General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
- Jewish Reconstructionist Movement
- Jewish Women International
- Lutheran Women’s Caucus
- Methodist Federation for Social Action
- Metropolitan Community Church
- NA’AMAT USA
- National Council of Jewish Women
- Presbyterian Mission Agency
- Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options (PARO)
- Rabbinical Assembly
- Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
- Society for Humanistic Judaism
- Union for Reform Judaism
- Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
- Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation
- United Church of Christ
- United Methodist Women
- Women of Reform Judaism
- Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
Donors
2009
The following made donations to the Coalition in 2009:[2]
Foundations:
- The Burch-Safford Foundation
- E. Rhodes & Leon B. Carpenter Foundation
- Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
- The Educational Foundation of America
- The Ettinger Foundation
- The Ford Foundation
- General Service Foundation
- Bernard F. & Alva B. Gimbel Foundation
- Amy P. Goldman Foundation
- Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund
- Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund
- The Green Fund
- Sis-Bros Community
- The Huber Foundation
- Martin & Brown Foundation
- The Moriah Fund
- The New Morning Foundation
- Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust
- The Overbrook Foundation
- The Scherman Foundation
- The Summit Fund of Washington
- The United Nations Foundation
$2,500 and up:
- John Lindstrom & Pamela Lindstrom
- Patricia R. Mintmire
- Berit Muh
- Beverly K. Shulman
- George Wallerstein
$1,000 - $2,499:
- Suzanne Eleanor Allen
- Joan Arnow and Robert Arnow
- June G. Barrett
- Dr. Leroy Carhart
- Rev. James Donnell
- Ruth D. Ewing
- David Fox
- Lois C. Harrison
- Brownie W. Ledbetter
- Jeanne Lindsay
- Jill Morrison
- Sara Nerken
- Elizabeth Peelle
- Elinor S. Prockop
- Margaret Saunders
- George Wallerstein
- Alice F. Weston
- Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Winsberg
- Judith P. Yeakel
$500 - $999:
- Jonathan Ater and Deanne Ater
- Joan Brannick
- Thomas W. Brown
- Sonya L. Burgher
- Reverend Steve Clapp
- Dr. Vidal S. Clay
- Gordon A. Collins
- Carol Daniels
- Reverend Consuelo Donahue
- Barbara J. Foote
- Jeanette Foster
- Pamela Garrison
- Henry Hillman and Elsie Hillman
- Rabbi Richard Hirsh
- Alfred Hoose
- Mary R. Keller
- Keith Kusunis
- Julie Leach & Brock Leach
- Frank MacArtor
- Mr. & Mrs. Peter Malkin
- Terry Meier
- Robert J. Nagle
- Mrs. C. Page
- Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters
- Marilyn Sherwood and Budge Sherwood
- Genny Smith
- Polly Z. Steinway
- Julie Taylor
- John Vanderstar
- Susan Wanwig
- Sylvia B. Weaver
- Sibyl White
- Nancy G. Whitney
- David F. Yelen and Frances Yelen
- UCC Justice & Witness Ministries
$200 - $499:
- Ann Allen
- Robbie Ausley
- Suzanne Axel
- Allen J. Baum
- Helga Bilik
- Rabbi Barry H. Block
- Dr. Philip Bondy
- Laura Boyd
- Michael H. Brodie
- Christopher Brown
- Rev. Cynthia S. Bumb
- Scott B. Cantor
- Leslie M. Cenci
- John Chamberlain
- Vicki Chessin
- Sarah Craig
- Margaret David
- Winifred Dean
- R. Dettmer
- John R. Ebright
- Mr. & Mrs. Thomas P. Edwalds
- Episcopal Women’s Caucus
- Sarah G. Epstein
- Neil Farmelo and Doris Farmelo
- Bob Gale and Barbara Gale
- Donna Garber
- Joanne Giannino
- C. E. Gilbert
- Helen Gjessing
- Idy Goodman
- Suzanne Gouvernet
- Eugenia Grohman
- Ann Harmon
- Betty Hart
- Reverend Edward M. Hasse, III
- Mary W. Helms
- Dr. Jean W. Helz
- Alan Hoffman and Judith Hoffman
- Nataline D. Horwitz
- Jean C. Hughes
- Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs
- Marilyn Johnston
- Carole Kaminsky
- Karyn Kehr
- Harriet Keyserling
- Frances Kissling
- Mr. & Mrs. A. Lawrence Kolbe
- Rabbi Emily Korzenik
- Cynthia Krupat
- Carolyn Leavens
- Cynthia Lord
- Marcena W. Love
- Mr. & Mrs. Walter Macginitie
- Philip Magnusson
- Rev. Stephen J. Mather
- Nancy Mayers
- Downs McCloskey & Irene McCloskey
- Dr. Henry D. Messer
- Reverend Howard Moody
- Janet Morrow
- Marcia Moses
- Constance Murray
- Maxine Myers
- E. K. Mysels
- Alicia S. Ostriker
- Debra Parmet
- Daphne Philipson
- Mary Pietris
- Dr. Jacqueline Plumez
- Dean Alton B. Pollard, III
- Leslie Fay Pomerantz
- Reverend Susan Quass
- Doreen A. Quinn
- James S. Rock
- Nanette Rosenbaum
- Carol Ryder
- Lowell Sachnoff
- Seymour Schwartz
- Janice Y. Shapiro
- Jerri Shaw
- Rev. Madison Shockley
- Robert E. Silverman
- Ellen H. Singer
- Gary L Stansbery
- Susan Steinhauser
- Temple Isaiah Sisterhood, New York
- Elizabeth Trussell
- Verna Rapp Uthman
- Sara Blair Winter
- Mimi Wolfen
- Eleanor L. Zuckerman, Ph.D.
2008
Gifts of Estate
The following named the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in their will, trust, or other planned gift. The Coalition honored them by naming them members of the Jim Barrett Memorial Society:[2]
- Rev. Alice V. Anderson
- June G. Barrett*
- Patricia Bartlett
- Estate of Prudence M. Bentley*
- Jean Stewart Berg
- Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
- Dorothy R. Blair
- Victoria Bloom*
- Patricia B. Booth*
- William Bordihn
- Rabbi Balfour Brickner*
- Laurie Coburn
- Harry X. Cohen*
- Sigmund S. Cohn*
- Leo A. Crispi*
- Neil Farmelo and Doris Farmelo
- Martha J. Farmelo
- Daniel Franklin
- Sam Gallant and Cappy Gallant Revocable Trust*
- Rev. Richard E. Green
- Stuart L. Greenberg
- N.H.C. Gronlund
- Estate of Nannie Hereford*
- John Ismond*
- Anne Hale Johnson
- Mary E. Kent
- Barry W. Lynn
- Vera Way Marghab*
- Rabbi Bonnie A. Margulis
- Dawn Moore
- Robert K. Moxon
- S. Lynn Oldenburg
- Mary Jane Patterson
- Gerald R. Pearsall
- Miriam Pollack Rehmar
- Jacob Robinsohn*
- D. S. Schuler*
- Barbara Schwarzschild
- Joanna F. Shulman
- Harold Wagner*
- Ellen E. Wedum
- Estate of Marguerite Yourcenar*
- Irene Zimmerman
* indicates deceased
2007
In 2007, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice received $52,968 from the Tides Foundation.[5]
Contact Details
- Website: www.rcrc.org
References
- ↑ United Methodist Church: Support for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, 2004 (accessed on Sep. 13, 2012)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 RCRC: 2009 Annual Report
- ↑ Holy Abortion? A Theological Critique of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, by Michael J. Gorman and Ann Loar Brooks
- ↑ http://rcrc.org/homepage/about/coalition-council/ RCRC: Coalition Members] (accessed on May 18, 2015)
- ↑ Tides Foundation Income Tax Exemption Form 990 2007