 | |
| Formation | 2014 (as Dream Corps) |
|---|---|
| Founders | |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Location | United States |
| Methods |
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| Fields | Environmental advocacy, and technology access |
| Subsidiaries | Green for All |
| Website | www |
Dream.Org (formerly known as Dream Corps) is an American nonprofit advocacy organization founded by Van Jones and based in Oakland, California. Its programs, organized under the names Green, Justice and Tech, focus on environmental advocacy, criminal justice reform, and access to employment in the technology sector.
Dream Corps was founded by Van Jones in 2014. Green for All, an environmental advocacy nonprofit established in 2007, merged with Dream Corps Unlimited after December 31, 2014. The surviving organization adopted the Dream Corps name.
In 2015, Jones, Jessica Jackson, and Matt Haney co-founded #cut50, a Dream Corps initiative focused on criminal justice reform and reducing incarceration. The initiative participated in advocacy for the First Step Act, federal prison and sentencing reform legislation enacted in 2018.
In November 2020, Green for All, a Dream Corps initiative, received a $10 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund for environmental justice work. In August 2023, The Daily Beast reported that former employees had questioned the management of the grant, citing rapid staff hiring and a lack of clear strategic direction.
In July 2021, Jeff Bezos granted Dream.Org founder Van Jones $100 million through the Courage and Civility Award, allowing Jones to distribute the funds to nonprofit organizations of his choosing. Dream.Org's audited financial statements reported that its founder made two contributions totaling approximately $100 million to the organization in 2021 and 2022, which were used to establish the Dream Fund.
Since 2021, Dream.Org Justice (formerly known as #cut50) has advocated for passage of the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act to eliminate sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine.
In 2023, Van Jones left Dream.Org's board of directors. The Daily Beast reported that his departure followed disagreements with the organization's leadership over its direction, citing a source with direct knowledge who said Jones had not left voluntarily. Jones's spokesperson stated that he continued to collaborate with Dream.Org on criminal justice initiatives, while a spokesperson for the organization said Jones had ceased managing day-to-day operations in 2019 but remained a supporter of its work.
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