Member Organization Details

ACORN, which stands for Association of Community Organizatons for Reform Now, is a non-profit, membership-based, community organization made up of low and moderate income people that fights for positive change in our community. We work on issues affecting our members like bad landlords, payday loans, grocery prices, ODSP, evictions, and more.

We believe that social and economic justice can best be achieved by building community power for change. Each member has a vote, and only members speak for the organization and have the authority to set the policy and determine the tactics of each group.

ACORN is member led, so our members decide what issues we fight back on, take ownership of the campaigns they care about, and develop leadership skills to help them advocate for their rights. To keep the organization independent, ACORN members chip in dues each month ($15-30) so that governments and corporations cannot have sway over our campaigns.

We have a long and deep history of organizing in low- and moderate-income neighbourhoods, fighting and winning change through a variety of means - including doorknocking; petitioning; local, regional, and national meetings (both internal and public forums); and last but not least, peaceful direct actions - all building power in the process.

The ACORN model is unique. We focus on meticulously mobilizing low and moderate income communities, door by door, phone call by phone call. We cultivate new leaders, and ensure community sentiment is felt by turning out large numbers of people to meetings, events, and actions.