News from Mothers & Others for Justice
by Merryl Eaton, Director of Advocacy and Education Project, CCA
Mothers & Others for Justice (MOFJ) is a New Haven-based grassroots advocacy group sponsored by Christian Community Action. MOFJ believes that the voices of people most affected by an issue should be heard and that their recommendations should help shape public policy.
For more than 30 years, MOFJ has worked across interconnected issues including economic justice, health equity, affordable housing, and child welfare reform.
One of MOFJ’s newest areas of work is child welfare reform. Through its Family & Child Welfare Collaborative (FCWC), MOFJ brings together people with lived experience with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) system, advocates, community lawyers, and community partners. The goal is to advance accountability, transparency, and meaningful reform while ensuring that families directly affected have MOFJ believes families need a child welfare system that protects children while respecting parents, recognizing family strengths, and providing support before crises escalate. Effective reform must be shaped by those who have experienced the system firsthand.
MOFJ’s health equity work follows the same principle. Its HEALTH subcommittee—Helping Everyone Achieve Lifelong Trusted Healthcare—centers the voices of residents who face barriers to care. The group asks practical questions: Can families afford care? Do they have access to providers they trust? Are their concerns taken seriously? How do poverty, transportation, and housing instability affect their health?
HEALTH also focuses on Black maternal health, providing training to equip members to become maternal health champions.
MOFJ also works with community organizations on housing issues and builds leadership and advocacy skills among residents. The goal is not simply participation, but meaningful power—the knowledge, relationships, and confidence needed to influence policies that shape daily life.
MOFJ’s greatest strength is its relationships. Members consistently show up at community events, legislative meetings, rallies, workshops, and town halls. They speak with neighbors, connect residents to resources, and collaborate with partners.
MOFJ believes change happens with communities, not to them. New Haven’s communities hold knowledge, resilience, and leadership. When residents organize around shared concerns, their voices can become a powerful force for change.
We welcome you to join our efforts. Contact Merryl Eaton at merryleaton@ccahelping.org.