War and militarism are so much a part of American life that it’s easy to forget about them. With our nation perpetually at war, where can we stop and confront militarism? How can we undo the effects of war? MRG’s Peace Fund is supporting a diverse set of projects this summer where people are confronting war and militarism.

MRG is pleased to announce our latest Peace Fund one-year grants to groups working in diverse communities in Oregon:

• BroadArts Theatre: A summer peace camp for youth (ages 8-12) where they can use role play, theatre, arts, and music to understand the effects violence and war have on our personal and family lives. (Portland, $5,000)
• Central Oregon Peace Network: A leading resource for peace work in Central Oregon, they counter local military recruiters, sponsor educational events on foreign policy, and engage Central Oregon's religious communities in peace work. (Bend, $5,000) 
• Community Alliance of Lane County: CALC is continuing their longstanding work for peace with a project to challenge the military recruitment of immigrant youth. They will be collaborating with local Latino and veterans groups. (Eugene, $5,000) 
• Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Phillipines: PCHRP raises awareness of U.S. involvement in the Philippines and mobilizes Oregonians – including the local Filipino community – to demand an end to human rights violations in the Philippines. (Portland, $2,500) 
• Witness for Peace Northwest: WFP NW educates Oregonians about the impact of U.S. policy in Colombia, promotes fair trade policies, exposes the root causes of migration, and provides information about U.S. torture training centers. (Portland, $5,000)

Peace work takes many different forms, and these groups all share similar strategies to those that founded the Peace Fund at MRG Foundation: to challenge the political, social and economic institutions and systems that perpetuate war and injustice.