Meet CCI member Sally Riggs
 I
became involved in CCI because I was ripped off by my mortgage lender.
They over-appraised my house by $25,000 and I was stuck. I met fellow
members at CCI who were in the same situation. I found out I was
not alone. Being a member of CCI gave me the support and strength
to take on corporate America and win. I have stayed involved because
I didn't want to see any other family go through what my family
went through.
I’ve gained a lot of confidence.
CCI is there to give you hope; bring you up when you have been so
down. After struggling for four years to pay our mortgage, I thought
we were alone. But through CCI, I learned that others locally and
from across the country had the same issue. It boosted my confidence
to know that we shouldn't be treated with such disrespect. I have
gained so much from all the support and encouragement from those
at CCI and members of National People’s Action that I am more
confident in everything that I do. I am not afraid to stand up for
ANYTHING I truly believe in!
CCI's strengths is the staff that has the
skills to help members organize their issues and form an organized,
intelligent, united front. CCI has wonderful direction, both in
the issues that affect our rural communities as well as our urban
communities. CCI was my total life for quite a while. I was so down
and depressed about my bad loan, I thought no one could help. Had
it not been for CCI, I would have just given up.”
Photo: CCI member Sally Riggs
and her daughter Alexa stand in front of their new home. When Sally
first joined CCI after being ripped off by a predatory lender, she
almost never spoke up in planning meetings. Eventually, she was
elected chair of CCI’s Predatory Lending Task Force and led
face to face negotiations with some of the country’s largest
lenders. Her story of empowerment was recently featured in the book,
“You Have Power: Choosing Courage in the Culture of Fear”
by Frances Moore Lappe. With the help of CCI, her story has come
full circle. After five years of fixing her finances ruined by Conseco
and attending one of CCI’s home ownership education classes,
she purchased her home through HOME Inc. “I plan to retire
in this house,” said Sally.
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