Washington Interfaith Network
St. Columba’s is one of over 45 congregations and associations from all eight DC wards who make up the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN). We are non-partisan, citizen-powered social justice advocates who organize our communities to give voice to the underrepresented. St. Columba’s WIN Core Team builds St. Columba’s organizing capacity by getting to know our neighbors and fellow parishioners and by creating opportunities for social justice education. To learn more about this work, select one of the topics below:
To learn more about WIN:
Affordable Housing Advocacy
Columbans play an active role in WIN’s Ward 3 Affordable Housing Work Group (WIN Ward 3), a coalition working to bring more housing opportunities to upper Northwest for households earning a wider range of incomes. Explore some of our priority projects on the WIN Ward 3 website, and St. Columba’s five core principles of affordable housing advocacy.
St. Columba’s public statements on affordable housing:
- Washington Post op ed signed by St. Columba’s and other Ward 3 WIN clergy titled “Friendship Heights has a chance to begin to rectify its racist past” (February 2022)
- Greater Greater Washington opinion article signed by St. Columba’s and other Ward 3 WIN clergy titled “Make a home for affordable housing in Chevy Chase DC” (December 2023)
- Joint Statement on Chevy Chase Civic Core signed by WIN, Ward 3 Vision, and the Coalition for Smarter Growth , titled “Making the Most of the Chevy Chase DC Civic Core” (October 2022)
WIN members canvassing with Jackson-Reed students on affordable housing in March 2022. Credit: Jamie Butler
Environmental Advocacy
St. Columba’s strong record of climate-friendly practice has expanded to include organizing alongside our WIN partners on behalf of environmental equity. For more on WIN’s work at the intersection of climate action and racial equity, see WIN's climate website.
Interested in getting involved?
We have options ranging from one-time events to more extended commitments. Check us out!
- Be a part of the action! WIN hosts exciting, city-wide rallies urging city leaders to endorse WIN priorities, particularly during election seasons. These events demonstrate the power of WIN’s coalition… and are a ton of fun! Sign up for WIN's email list to get information on upcoming rallies as well as training opportunities, strategy sessions, and social gatherings.
- Get smart on housing at monthly informational meetings. Members of WIN Ward 3 congregations meet via Zoom on the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 PM to learn about opportunities to advocate for affordable housing projects in upper Northwest, get briefings from housing experts about the details of housing advocacy, and hear from those in DC who can help us advance WIN’s housing agenda. To get on the mail list, contact Jamie Butler of Adas Israel.
- Identify opportunities for action by signing up to receive a digest of affordable housing news. The Ward 3 Affordable Housing News Digest comes out once or twice a week and includes brief summaries of news and opinion items, from the hyper-local to DC metro and national news coverage. Sign up here.
- Join St. Columba’s WIN Core Team. This team helps build interest, develop relationships, and share information on social justice organizing within St. Columba’s. Come join us as we build something new! Contact [email protected].
WIN team knocking on doors in Chevy Chase for affordable housing (August not July 2023). Credit: Jonah Frumkin
WIN Ward 3 pop-up event in front of the Tenley Library in July 2022. Credit: Barbara Kraft
