ACORN International

ACORN began in Arkansas on June 18, 1970, as a membership-based organization of low and moderate income families and grew to 500,000 US members by 2008. Members worked in their communities on issues of income, housing, banking, education, and community development. Many were from other countries and wanted to engage similar issues, win campaigns and build power in their home countries. Since 2003, ACORN has 250,000 members in India, Canada and more than 15 countries, headquartered in New Orleans with longtime affiliates in LA, AR, OH, PA and elsewhere. ACORN's mission is a voice for our members to build sufficient power to resolve long standing grievances and win power to make change

For over 55 years, ACORN has empowered millions through campaigns that secured homes for 6 million families, curbed predatory lending, won living wages for over 20 million people (worth billions annually), and delivered countless community victories. After Hurricane Katrina, ACORN and our Louisiana affiliate played a key role in rebuilding New Orleans, especially the Lower Ninth, where we remain active with our half-acre ACORN Farm and internet-based ACORN Radio, both run by members and our affiliate, A Community Voice. Our New Orleans-based headquarters supports major affiliates in Canada-where we've won major victories for tenants and against predatory lending-and in India, where we represent 250,000 informal workers fighting for their right to livelihood. Through our ACORN Organizing School, we train international organizers in the theory and practice of community organizing. We've helped establish landlord registries and tenant protections in France, England, and Scotland, while supporting grassroots campaigns in Kenya and Cameroon. As a democratic, member-led, dues-based organization, ACORN continues to grow and help members build power and win real change around the world.

Testimonials

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, ACORN mobilized within a week. We prevented banks from foreclosing on Black homeowners while giving white customers payment extensions. We successfully sued to stop the city's demolition of 50,000 homes, saved 1,500+ homes through volunteer cleanup crews, and registered 20,000 displaced voters.
As documented in John Atlas's "Seeds of Change" and Wade Rathke's "The Battle for Lower Ninth," former President Bill Clinton and numerous scholars have recognized ACORN's vital role in rebuilding New Orleans equitably. Though ACORN evolved, our legacy continues through organizations like A Community Voice, carrying forward the fight for justice in New Orleans.