FACT SHEET

WHO: Poor and homeless people from every background and location. We know that the ranks of the poor are growing throughout this country; they are the ill, the ill-fed, the ill-housed and they are compelled to fight for their lives and the economic well being of all. Organized labor, students, social workers, musicians and artists, the press, and members of religious communities are all coming together to demand Economic Human Rights.

WHAT: A bus tour sending human rights monitors around the country to document and organize around economic human rights violations.

WHERE: All across the country; at welfare offices, closed down factories, food banks, employment offices and health clinics. The bus will travel coast to coast stopping in as many downsized and poor communities as possible.

WHEN: The bus tour will begin on November 10th and convene in New York City on December 10th for the final event of the tour and commemoration of human rights day.

WHY: Poor and homeless people and all those concerned with justice must stand up against poverty and welfare reform as violations of our human rights---our country's survival depends on it. The publicity and visibility around the tour will push the public debate around poverty, homelessness and unemployment. We will continue to fight to get our message out and not remain invisible. The Campaign will continue to build organization among the poor and homeless and our sisters and brothers who are beginning to suffer from economic human rights violations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

We are committed to building a social movement in this country to end poverty once and for all. The bus tour will give us an opportunity to strengthen the relationships between poor people's groups across the country, to share our strategies, our struggles and our stories.

HOW: The Freedom Bus visits towns across the country that are prepared to host the riders and campaign for a designated number of days. Hosting organizations organize for events, fundraise, provide food, and alert the press. They collect documentation of human rights violations that will be collected by the [bus tour] to be presented to a tribunal. As we travel the country and make our various stops to promote the campaign, we share our stories and strategies and strengthen the movement for economic human rights.