Contact: The Pastoral Ministry Office
972-596-5505 x4246 jneal@eseton.org
CCI Contact: Ann Moczygemba 972-596-1367 moxc@tx.rr.com
Praying, Listening, Organizing and Acting Together
Collin County Interfaith (CCI) is a multi-ethnic, multi-issue group of faith congregations organized to give ordinary citizens a structure through which they can negotiate effectively with government and private institutions that affect their lives
CCI is a cluster of Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI), a nonpartisan organization that does not support any candidate or party. DAI(CCI) is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), an organization founded to help congregations use faith values and democratic traditions as an effective force in the public arena. There are nine other IAF organizations operating successfully in Texas.
At the very core, the work of DAI is about people: developing their innate skills and ability to work with each other to identify common problems, find or create workable solutions, and then work together to implement systemic changes within society to achieve the common good.
Recent Activities
A “Faith and Immigration Forum” was held May 29th at Seton at which local religious and political leaders came together seeking constructive actions. Our public officials were asked to support comprehensive immigration reform efforts and avoid piecemeal, localized efforts of enforcement. The officials were asked “not to advance their public careers using an anti-immigration agenda”.
Upcoming Activities
DAI has identified four broad problems as targets for community action this year – Health Care, High-priced education, Wages not keeping pace with cost of living, and Immigration.
A Collective Meeting was held August 21, to hear reports from committees’ who have been meeting over the summer months. Another discussion item was the possibility of DAI publicly supporting the Parkland Hospital Bond.
Accomplishments
CCI successfully changed the guidelines for indigent care by educating the County Commissioners and community on the need for increased investment. Through numerous meetings, training, and creation of a Healthcare Task Force, at our recommendation, the County officials recognized the need to increase the threshold of service.
When we began working on the healthcare issue, the County Commissioners agreed to increase the income guidelines from 25% to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level. The Commissioners also began allocating grants to nonprofit clinics that serve low-income residents.
At the urging of CCI, the Commissioners created an Indigent Healthcare Task Force which eventually recommended a Plan for which CCI was in favor. An outcome of the Plan allotted $400,000 a year so that the County and PrimaCare facilities in Frisco, Plano and McKinney would partner to meet health care needs for its people. Under this program, a person goes to PrimaCare, shows a driver’s license to prove citizenship and signs an affidavit stating he or she makes at or under the federal poverty level. A $20.00 co-pay is required, and the visit includes tests and lab work.
Also, as a result of the Plan, the Commissioners raised the income guidelines to qualify for indigent health care from 50% of poverty level to 100%. The Commissioners publicly thanked CCI for keeping this issue before the County. Nevertheless, the current situation is that if a family of four makes MORE than $19,350 they are NOT considered poor in Collin County.
The Commissioners also allocated an additional $100,000 (beyond the already approved funding), in grants to nonprofit clinics that serve low-income residents.
Other DAI Accomplishments
IMMIGRATION
DAI was a key organizer of the April 9, 2006, 500,000 people MegaMarch Immigration Rally, where we signed people on to our agenda, and registered voters. The press conference and our work at the rally was repeatedly highlighted and praised in the media and by local politicians and community leaders.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Over the last two years, we have had Actions on Public Safety with hundreds of people across the City of Dallas, and in a January 18, 2006 letter and presentation to the City Council (members of CCI were present to support the DAI Leaders in this effort), we called for more incentives and benefits to dramatically increase recruitment in order to hire an additional 200 police officers. The City Council approved $10,000 bonuses for new recruits who complete training and for 100 additional officers. The bonus plan led to the largest recruiting class in years, and many of the City Council members praised DAI for the continued involvement in pressing for more police officers and a safer city. The City Council has also added 200 additional officers to the 2007-2008 budget.
KATRINA EVACUEES
On February 21, 2006, DAI held a press conference (members of CCI were present to support the evacuees) at the Cathedral of Guadalupe calling for FEMA to extend their housing assistance program for Katrina evacuees, which had been set to expire on February 28th. Katrina evacuee leaders, the Dallas Housing Authority, and other local service agencies came together to call for a six-month extension on that assistance program so that evacuees could have more time to get their basic needs in order to find jobs. FEMA extended the deadline six months which amounts to over $100 million in additional support for survivors. It was extended eighteen months as a result of a proposal the IAF organizations made to Congress.
CCI is a cluster of Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI), a nonpartisan organization that does not support any candidate or party. DAI(CCI) is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), an organization founded to help congregations use faith values and democratic traditions as an effective force in the public arena. There are nine other IAF organizations operating successfully in Texas.
At the very core, the work of DAI is about people: developing their innate skills and ability to work with each other to identify common problems, find or create workable solutions, and then work together to implement systemic changes within society to achieve the common good.
Recent Activities
A “Faith and Immigration Forum” was held May 29th at Seton at which local religious and political leaders came together seeking constructive actions. Our public officials were asked to support comprehensive immigration reform efforts and avoid piecemeal, localized efforts of enforcement. The officials were asked “not to advance their public careers using an anti-immigration agenda”.
Upcoming Activities
DAI has identified four broad problems as targets for community action this year – Health Care, High-priced education, Wages not keeping pace with cost of living, and Immigration.
A Collective Meeting was held August 21, to hear reports from committees’ who have been meeting over the summer months. Another discussion item was the possibility of DAI publicly supporting the Parkland Hospital Bond.
Accomplishments
CCI successfully changed the guidelines for indigent care by educating the County Commissioners and community on the need for increased investment. Through numerous meetings, training, and creation of a Healthcare Task Force, at our recommendation, the County officials recognized the need to increase the threshold of service.
When we began working on the healthcare issue, the County Commissioners agreed to increase the income guidelines from 25% to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level. The Commissioners also began allocating grants to nonprofit clinics that serve low-income residents.
At the urging of CCI, the Commissioners created an Indigent Healthcare Task Force which eventually recommended a Plan for which CCI was in favor. An outcome of the Plan allotted $400,000 a year so that the County and PrimaCare facilities in Frisco, Plano and McKinney would partner to meet health care needs for its people. Under this program, a person goes to PrimaCare, shows a driver’s license to prove citizenship and signs an affidavit stating he or she makes at or under the federal poverty level. A $20.00 co-pay is required, and the visit includes tests and lab work.
Also, as a result of the Plan, the Commissioners raised the income guidelines to qualify for indigent health care from 50% of poverty level to 100%. The Commissioners publicly thanked CCI for keeping this issue before the County. Nevertheless, the current situation is that if a family of four makes MORE than $19,350 they are NOT considered poor in Collin County.
The Commissioners also allocated an additional $100,000 (beyond the already approved funding), in grants to nonprofit clinics that serve low-income residents.
Other DAI Accomplishments
IMMIGRATION
DAI was a key organizer of the April 9, 2006, 500,000 people MegaMarch Immigration Rally, where we signed people on to our agenda, and registered voters. The press conference and our work at the rally was repeatedly highlighted and praised in the media and by local politicians and community leaders.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Over the last two years, we have had Actions on Public Safety with hundreds of people across the City of Dallas, and in a January 18, 2006 letter and presentation to the City Council (members of CCI were present to support the DAI Leaders in this effort), we called for more incentives and benefits to dramatically increase recruitment in order to hire an additional 200 police officers. The City Council approved $10,000 bonuses for new recruits who complete training and for 100 additional officers. The bonus plan led to the largest recruiting class in years, and many of the City Council members praised DAI for the continued involvement in pressing for more police officers and a safer city. The City Council has also added 200 additional officers to the 2007-2008 budget.
KATRINA EVACUEES
On February 21, 2006, DAI held a press conference (members of CCI were present to support the evacuees) at the Cathedral of Guadalupe calling for FEMA to extend their housing assistance program for Katrina evacuees, which had been set to expire on February 28th. Katrina evacuee leaders, the Dallas Housing Authority, and other local service agencies came together to call for a six-month extension on that assistance program so that evacuees could have more time to get their basic needs in order to find jobs. FEMA extended the deadline six months which amounts to over $100 million in additional support for survivors. It was extended eighteen months as a result of a proposal the IAF organizations made to Congress.