years ago, the vision of Iowa Citizens
for Community Improvement was born, rather humbly, in the rectory
of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waterloo. CCI was conceived
by a handful of clergy who believed that ordinary people, when
given the chance, can be a powerful force for justice.
That vision spread like fire.
There was fire in the eyes of the first Waterloo CCI members as
they got a taste of organizing and victories. From there the fires
spread quickly to hundreds of people in Waterloo, Des Moines,
Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Cedar Rapids. But the fire was
not just limited to cities — it spread to people in rural
areas and burned with new brightness.
There were times when lack
of funds threatened to extinguish the fire. But every time the
vision survived. Countless people carried it forward. It was and
remains too strong to defeat.
So today the spirit of justice
marches on through the work of thousands of CCI members across
the state who are tackling some of Iowa’s most difficult
issues and getting things done.
It seems fitting that as
we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we received national attention
with a Leadership for a Changing World Award from the Ford Foundation
— one of 18 groups nationwide recognized for making an extraordinary
difference.
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Below are postcards we mailed
throughout 2005 to highlight the diversity of issues and victories
CCI has tackled over the years:
