The ARISE for Social Justice Records provide documentation about how ARISE has approached problems affecting the economically disadvantaged and under-served populations in Springfield, Massachusetts and the surrounding area, including welfare reform ("workfare"), affordable housing, domestic violence, voter registration initiatives, and health care reform. The records describe the workings not only of ARISE, but also of the organizations and institutions through which the organization seeks to implement social, political and economic change. The records also document how this grassroots, women-run organization is administered; and how they interact with various regional and national governmental offices and various private funding and social service agencies. Materials pertaining to ARISE's local activism cover such topics as race relations, class, poverty, and welfare rights; homelessness and fair housing, including advocacy for single room occupancy; domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse; prison reform; advocacy for universal/single-payer health care, and health issues including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment; childcare; access to education; rights of mentally and physically disabled citizens; drug addiction; prostitution; hunger, and other issues associated with poverty. Types of material include reports, agendas and minutes, correspondence, memoranda, notes, press releases, conference materials, referral records, financial information, grant applications, contracts, newsletters, pamphlets, fliers, manuals, clippings, and a scrapbook.

[NOTE: The contents list for this collection is not online. Contact the Sophia Smith Collection if you would like one sent to you.]