About Us
The Center for the Working Poor is an inter-faith intentional community inspired by the Catholic Worker movement and New Monasticism, which is committed to strategic non-violent social change. These are our core principles and programs:
- Strategic Nonviolence
- Voluntary Simplicity and Intentional Community
- Hospitality and Mutual Aid Mental Health Community
- The Burning Bush Newsletter and website
- Community Building
- Spirituality and Faith in Action
Some of our community members live and work as full-time volunteers at the Center, and other community members work in careers outside the Center. We all share a commitment to live in community, share a few meals a week, and a common vision of non-violent social change to benefit the most oppressed in our society. Volunteer members run the Center for the Working Poor, which is a non-profit that provides services for poor, and organizes protest and social movement activity. Our specialty is helping to organize social movements, and facilitating the use of strategic nonviolence throughout the world. We are a spiritual community which observes Christian contemplative practices; however, this is not a requirement for participation or membership at the Center. We have people of many faiths and beliefs in our community.
Mutual Aid Mental Health
We provide mutual aid mental health community and services to people in need and people in social justice movements.
Articles About Us
The Center for the Working Poor, (aka the Burning Bush Community), continues to share in the wonderful mix of serving the poor, communal living, prayer and meditation, and nonviolent movement …
By Paul Engler Every once in a while, a rare and special moment comes when you realize that you are doing more than turning out for just another protest. Instead, …
By Paul Engler The Center for the Working Poor (aka the Burning Bush Community) is continuing to live in our balance of communal life, serving the poor, prayer and meditation, …
#OccupyWallStreet protests are now well into their second week, and they are increasingly capturing the public spotlight. This is because, whatever limitations their occupation has, the protesters have done many …
We are again in need of your support, to feed the poor, and maintain our community. The Christian Faith as well as the great mystical traditions put so much emphasis …
We were called to help train this group of teachers on their hunger strike last spring. They said our experience from our previous fast and our medical contacts were very …
We rely solely on your contributions. Fund non-violent social change!