TMO Standing for
Families AgendaEDUCATION (YOUTH AND ADULTS)
TMO Supports:
* Partnerships between schools, parents, community institutions and elected officials for improved communication, collective decision making and enrichment of students.
* Adequate funding and equal distribution of funds and resources to promote high quality education district wide.
* Improved adult education programs including GED and ESL to foster economic development and integration of immigrant families.TMO views school as vital community resources. We oppose unilateral decisions to close schools and/or eliminate programs withoust seeking input from all stakeholders.
TMO will continue to promote education reform at the state level and advocate for improved funding and equitable distribution of funds for Houston area schools.
What we are doing NOW!
Education
Originated the City of Houston’s After-School Achievement Program and has worked for 8 years to have the City expand and improve the quality of programs for low-income children.
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
TMO Supports: efforts by the Houston Police Department to communicate better with other law enforcement agencies to reduce response times for 911 calls; implementation of community policing efforts that build relationships with residents and target criminal suspects.58 Law Enforcement Agencies operate in the Greater Houston area but their efforts are not well coordinated. Nearly 60 percent of the City General Fund is dedicated to public safety with nearly $700 million going to the police department. Better coordination and cooperation between agencies would help reduce our persistently high crime rates.
What we are doing NOW!
Public Safety
Worked with the Mayor and City Council to increase the total police force to 5, 000. Gained improvements in police response to mental health crisis.
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PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES
TMO Supports: more resources for neighborhood infrastructure including paved streets, sidewalks, speed tables, improved drainage, street signs and other safety measures that will improve the quality of life in Houston's neighborhoods. Currently, city street improvements have wait times of up to 10 years forcing neighborhoods and families wait and suffer an unnecessary burden of neglected public infrastructure and unsafe living conditions.TMO Supports: increasing city cleanup efforts of abandoned buildings and police protection from illegal dumping. Thousands of Houston homes are abandoned and left to deteriorate, making them vulnurable to criminal activity including vagrancy, drug use, and prostitution. Later demolishment of these homes results in vacant lots which further erode property values and become targets for illegal dumping which makes some streets nearly uninhabitable.
What we are doing NOW!
Housing
Leveraged $3 million in federal funds for 100 affordable homes in the Near Northside.
FAIR TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS
TMO Supports: comprehensive immigration reform on the national level. We oppose using local law enforcement employees, sheriffs, deputies, or police officers to do the work of the Federal Immigration officials or to participate in workplace raids. Local participation takes away necessary resources from primary law enforcement requirements and jeopardizes trust and cooperation of immigrants with police and local law support. We oppose the use of profiling or road blocks to identify undocumented persons.TMO Supports: a limited relationship between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The 287(g) program must be scaled back and limited to cooperation to target only the most serious criminal suspects and organizations.
What we are doing NOW!TMO will be having an Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigration Reform on June 6th, 2010 at 3pm. Location: Catholic Charismatic Center, 1949 Cullen Blvd. Houston, Texas 77073. To register to attend please call TMO at 713-807-1429 or email: tmo@tmohouston.net.
Immigration
Held an Immigration Convocation for Immigration Reform on January 11, 2010 where 300 clergy from several denominations attended. Clergy included: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Archbishop of Galveston-Houston; Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of the Texas Conference of the UMC; the Rt. Rev C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America; Rabbi David Rosen of Congregation Beth Yeshurun; the Rev. Mike Cole of the Presbytery of New Covenant. Together we released a Houston Interfaith Statement on Humane Immigration Reform and launched a campaign for immigration reform this year.Download Form - Immigration Principles
CITY PROGRAMS
TMO Supports: increases in funding for city parks, after school programs, and expanded hours for libraries, parks and neighborhood centers. City spending on vital human and cultural services makes up less that 9% of general fund expenditures in the 2009 and 2010 Budgets. The programs offer learning opportunities and resources for participants which is an important vehicle for fosteing economic development by teaching youth and young adults needed skills for the workplace of tomorrow.
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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
TMO is asking the City of Houston to contribute $1 million over the next 3 years to Capital IDEA Houston. This job training project would provide access to long-term training to low-income, unemployed, and under-employed adults. Through training coupled with necessary remediation and support services, this project will prepare workers for high skill, high wage jobs with benefits that are in demad in this area. It will allow families to become self-sufficient contributing to the development of the local economy. This program will be initiated as a satellite of Capital IDEA, Austin, one of our successful initiatives of our sister organizations Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) in Texas.These projects graduate 90% of participants and place them in jobs with starting wages averaging $18/hour. It is estimated that for every $1 invested there is a $5 return over time.
What we are doing NOW!The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) in collaboration with Capital IDEA, Austin developed a Job Training Project for the Greater Houston Area that will provide access to long-term job training to low-income, unemployed,and under employed adults in the Greater Houston area. Through long-term training, coupled with remediation and support services, this labor market intermediary will prepare workers for high skill, high wage jobs that are in demand in this area.
Capital IDEA Houston sponsors educational opportunites that give you a second chance! We pay for participants' education including tuition and books. Capital IDEA Houston also offers some assistance with childcare and emergency expenses. Each participant will have a personal case manager to guide them and, upon completion of the program, match them with participating employers. Our mission is to lift working people out of poverty by sponsoring educational services that lead to life-long financial independence.
Capital IDEA Houston
Orientation Schedule:
September 14, 2010 Assumption Catholic Church 7-8pm, 901 Rose Lane
September 15, 2010 St. Albert of Trapani Catholic Church 7-8pm, 11027 S. Gessner Rd.
September 15, 2010 Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, 7-8 pm, 4000 Sumpter St.
September 16, 2010 First Metropolitan Church, 7-8pm 8870 W. Sam Houston Parkway N.
September 16, 2010 True Light Missionary Baptist, 6-7pm, 7102 N. Main St.
September 21, 2010 Northwest Assistance Ministries, 6:30pm to 7:30pm, 15555 Kuykendahl St.
September 21, 2010 Trinity United Methodist, 7-8pm, 2600 Holman St.
September 22, 2010 Immaculate Conception Catholic, 7-8pm, 7250 Harrisburg
September 23, 2010 Memorial Drive United Methodist, 7-8 pm, 12955 Memorial Dr.
If you have any questions please call Capital IDEA Houston at 281-260-3191. You do not have to register to attend any of these orientation sessions.
For more information please call: Capital IDEA Houston at 713-260-3131
HEALTHCARE
What we are doing NOW!
Won a new dialysis clinic in Third Ward that expands the Harris County Hospital District’s dialysis capacity by 67%.
Restored and expanded the Children’s Health Insurance Program, (CHIP) in the 2007 Legislative Session.
Improved access to the Hospital District including reduced parking fees at the Ben Taub garage and streamlining the Gold Card application process.