Fox River Valley Initiative to discuss next steps March 15
On Sunday, March 15, members of the Fox River Valley Initiative and allies - state Rep. Anna Moeller, Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain, Kane County Chief Judge Clint Hull, Amita Health Mercy Medical Center President Richard Roehr, and Amita Health Behavioral Health President Clay Ciha - will gather at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Charles to celebrate issue victories and advance next steps in decriminalizing mental illness and addiction, reducing gun violence, and expanding affordable housing.
The "Listening Tour" will be 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the church's fellowship hall, 1145 N. Fifth Ave., St. Charles.
The work of the Fox River Valley Initiative is accomplished because of the dedication of ordinary citizens who see the importance of churches, non-profits and associations uniting together to work for change.
This past year, the results include: the increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rate at the state level to cover hospital-based Crisis Stabilization Units (a place to go in a mental health crisis); groundbreaking on 48 units of affordable housing at 1212 Larkin in Elgin; and the push for inclusion of affordable housing dollars in the state's capital budget ($200 million was won). Also, Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain became one of the first in the nation to join the Do Not Stand Idly By Gun Safety Consortium, a market-based approach to reducing gun violence.
March 15 is a moment to celebrate those successes, map out the next steps, and work for more results. The community is welcome to participate.
The Fox River Valley Initiative is made up of 18 religious and civic institutions organized across Kane County. It is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, part of the oldest and largest network of broad-based citizen organizations in the country. Primarily funded by member institution dues, they do not accept public money. The group is non-partisan, neither running nor endorsing any candidates for political office and work with all public officials of good will. Each affiliate organization is dedicated to building relational power (organized people, organized money) to address issues impacting the people within its institutions and local geographic area. The Fox River Valley Initiative is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation, the oldest organizing network in the country with over 65 organizations in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Australia.
Member organizations include: The Association for Individual Development; Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Charles; Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Elgin; Congregational Church of Batavia; Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Elgin; Ecker Center for Mental Health, Elgin; First Congregational Church of Geneva; Full Circle Communities; Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin; Illinois Education Association; Lighthouse Recovery Inc., St. Charles; Mercy Housing Lakefront, Elgin, Batavia and Aurora; NAMI-Kane, DeKalb, and Kendall Counties; Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church; St. Charles Episcopal Church; Tri-City Family Services; and Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva.
Visit www.facebook.com/FRVI4/.