| Mission, Goal and Activities of the Organization | SPANISH Version |
| The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) is an organization of institutions dedicated to developing power and leadership among citizens in order to transform democracy. TMO was formed in order to give a voice to people who are usually excluded from the major decisions that affect their lives. TMO offers people the opportunity to develop the leadership skills necessary to be full participants in society. TMO is a part of a larger network of organizations known as the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). The Industrial Areas Foundation is a nationwide network. TMO is: • Broad-based, consisting of dues paying congregations and other institutions. TMO is dedicated to negotiating across the racial, economic, and religious lines that ordinarily divide our City. • Values-based, involving women and men of diverse communities, who are committed to acting on the call to social justice that is so central to many of our faith traditions. • Non-partisan, never endorsing candidates or political parties, but embracing fully the art of politics—the discussion, debate and active participation necessary for persons to take collective action to reclaim their birthright as citizens in a democratic country. • Multi-issue, working on a diverse agenda of issues that comes from hundreds of individual and small group conversations in and around member institutions. • Dues-based, giving member institutions ownership over the organizing and the independence to act freely on their own interests. How We Organize: • Developing core organizing teams in member institutions who are trained to lead a listening campaign across their institution through individual meetings and house meetings. These meetings allow members to develop relationships, learn about the pressures facing families, identify new leaders, and surface issues for potential action; • Neighborhood Walks help people to understand their neighborhood and surroundings; • Research Actions, to develop the expertise around an issue to make action effective and meaningful; • Action, bringing public pressure to bear on the people who have authority to make a difference; • Evaluation, helping leaders learn from their experiences. For almost 30 years, TMO has successfully organized around issues that affect families and communities here in Houston. Here are some of our recent accomplishments Current Achievements Healthcare This past year, TMO fought for and won a new dialysis clinic that expands the Hospital District’s dialysis capacity by 67%. In July 2008 TMO was a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony opening this new clinic “Riverside Dialysis Clinic” in the Third Ward area of Houston. TMO, alongside other allies, won the restoration of the CHIP program in the 2007 Legislative Session (reduction of wait times, 12 month renewal, expanded coverage for children living in 200% of poverty, vision and dental benefits.) TMO has also been involved in gaining better access to the Hospital District, by fighting for the Ben Taub parking garage to become more affordable for low-income patients and by expanding and reconfiguring the Gold Card Application process. Housing TMO leveraged $3 million in federal funds for affordable homes in the Near Northside. This money has already been used to build ten homes and 50 more affordable single-family homes are to be built in the Near Northside. Public Safety TMO’s long-term effort to get an adequate number of police officers in the city was won when the city’s last cadet class graduated bringing the total number of officers over the 5000 mark. TMO’s work with the mayor and chief of police brought about improvements in the way in which mental health crisis will be handled by the police department by providing more training for dispatchers and CIT officers as well as a pilot program in which the police will work directly with MHMRA Counselors. Education TMO originated 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. TMO and its sister organizations started the Investment Capital Fund at the State level, which has provided over $3 million in grant funding to forty Houston-area schools for staff development, parent training and student enrichment. TMO played an integral role in the formation of the Select Committee on School Accountability during the 2007 legislative session. Eighty TMO leaders were present at the Committee’s hearing in Houston, eight of whom provided testimony representing the thousands of parents, teachers and community leaders who had shared their concerns about the accountability system and TAKS at listening sessions held by TMO throughout the city. This testimony is now evident in the wording of the proposals coming forth from the Committee. Immigration TMO held an Immigration Summit with one hundred and fifty clergy from around the state of Texas. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo was one of several clergy leaders that keynoted the event. The event sought to shift the conversation from one of illegal alien to “Welcoming the Stranger.” TMO supports comprehensive immigration. TOP
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