Choosing Change: A Conversation with Rev. Bonita Grubbs

Rev. Bonita Grubbs is a fierce advocate for dignity, justice and compassion. In 1988, she became executive director of Christian Community Action (CCA), an ecumenical social service nonprofit in New Haven that provides help, housing and hope to families in need. Under Rev. Grubbs’ leadership, CCA greatly expanded both its direct services and policy work. The housing and education programs at CCA have helped generations of women and girls move from crisis to stability, while CCA’s grassroots advocacy has resulted in meaningful policy changes. Retiring in 2023, her legacy continues to inspire. We asked Rev. Grubbs to reflect on her journey, her inspirations and the work still ahead.

Q: You spent 35 years leading Christian Community Action. What drew you to this work?

At the church my mother and I attended in Hartford, the Reverend Earl Lawson became the pastor. He was as close to Martin Luther King, Jr.  as I could possibly get. He and King were fellow students. A lot of what he did during his time in Hartford was street ministry, walking the streets and talking to people who had drug habits and mental health issues. He was very much a role model for me. I was trying to do whatever I could at that age to be of help.

His influence led me to say, ‘I’m going to pursue my master’s in public health.’ I became curious about whether the public health degree could be matched with my faith. After three years of being at Yale, I entered a process of discernment. I had a sponsor to help me work through what that meant, which led me to working for the state at the Department of Mental Health and then to the job at Christian Community Action.

Q: In leading Christian Community Action, what strategies were successful in helping women and families find stability and move out of poverty?

Working at CCA was not a job but rather a ministry calling after being ordained. I understood the work as a health ministry: not just physical health, but health of the mind, body and spirit.

Much of the work that CCA did in its early days was dealing with emergencies, giving a person a fish. We had the family shelter, the food pantry, the energy assistance program, the clothing we distributed—those were all important, but time-limited, opportunities to help.

My task, as I understood it, was to take this ministry a step further. We tried to think about how (to make change so) there could be no more emergencies in the first place. Our approach was to engage in both service delivery and advocacy. The strength of the organization was its shift to work on changing the systems that perpetuate poverty and injustice. We started Mothers for Justice, which became Mothers and Others for Justice, a grassroots advocacy group that uses their lived experience to push for change. Our mission statement changed to emphasize and implement services that were designed to offer help, housing and hope to people in need in New Haven.

We also took a two-generation approach. It wasn’t just about the parents. lt included the children who were part of that family system, and making sure that the whole family was part of the plan to take the next step and improve the quality of the family’s life.

Q: What keeps you hopeful and energized, even when the challenges—like housing instability or poverty—feel overwhelming?

I believe in the power of hope. I also believe in the need for change and creating opportunities for individuals to improve the quality of their lives, and that people and families need support to make it possible for them get to their desired destination.

Q: If you could offer one message to someone wondering how they can help or get involved, what would it be?

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.”

The help that can be offered is not just giving a coin to a beggar or to someone who needs help; it is also in changing the systems that perpetuate poverty and injustice. This is the longer-term assignment that is deeper and wider than just offering emergency assistance.

Never let the light of God, the light of hope, and the light of change grow dim.

As we mark our Community Fund for Women & Girls’ 30th anniversary, we invite you to join us in sharing your light in our local community. Every dollar you give helps create lasting change across generations. Help choose change. Donate today.