HISTORY & WORK
Since 1977, CCO has organized and fought for racial justice and social change for Kansas City, the state of Missouri, and the nation as a whole.
Founded in the Blue Hills neighborhood, today we are led by and serve residents of five low life expectancy zip codes in Kansas City: 64109, 64127, 64128, 64130, and 64132. These are majority black, low-income areas (median $26-28k), with large health and life expectancy (15-year) discrepancies compared to wealthier, whiter areas nearby. Rooted in faith but open to all, our organization serves residents by fighting for public policy change at the local, state, and federal level, but also by connecting or even providing residents with direct services.
CCO has six campaigns: healthcare access, racial equity, violence prevention, economic dignity, early childhood education, and civic engagement.
A snapshot of our work would include: gathering signatures for the Healthy Homes inspection initiative, universal pre-K, Medicaid expansion, restrictions on predatory payday lenders, and a higher minimum wage -- followed by large G.O.T.V. campaigns to win at the ballot box!
We register future voters. We drive voters to the polls. We help at food banks. We connect people with vaccines. We educate. We tell stories.
We organize events, phone and text banking, canvassing, rallies, digital awareness campaigns, and meetings with elected officials to push social justice forward, from helping save the Affordable Care Act to working toward a permanent Child Tax Credit expansion for families.
We develop successful partnerships, such as with Community Change, the Center for Popular Democracy, Our Revolution Kansas City, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, mayors and councilpersons, local churches like Metropolitan Missionary Baptist, neighborhood associations like Santa Fe, and more.
We believe, pace Margaret Mead, that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world!
#WeAreCCO
