AMOS: It Works For Des Moines
This morning's feature story in the Des Moines Register focused on a group of Iowa congregations that organized to take on issues of social injustice in the community:
In a movie theater recently, two Iowans were overheard talking about a
local oddity: a group that tackles social injustices by bringing
together all kinds of activists (not just lefty pepper pots) and people
of faith (not just religious conservatives) from various churches and
synagogues.
Together, this group, called A Metropolitan Organizing Strategy, or AMOS, is building a reputation for success.
This
week, AMOS members are celebrating a big victory: They persuaded
administrators who control 13 Iowa hospitals to change how much they
charge uninsured patients. Those patients often pay higher fees because
they don't have big insurance companies negotiating discounts on their
behalf.
(Ed: A “lefty pepper pot”?)
A list of accomplishments is also impressive:
• Expanded after-school activities for
middle-schoolers.
• Money to update schools listed in the third phase of Des Moines' renovation plan.
• Completion of the Des Moines skate park.
• Juvenile justice programs that use “restorative justice” models.
• Expansion of the regional trail system and cooperation among municipalities.
•
Persuading more health care providers to adopt financial assistance
policies that are affordable and fair for working poor, underinsured
and uninsured Iowans.
• Allowing immigrants to drive legally and obtain auto insurance.
• National immigration reform laws.
• Expanding from a metropolitan to a mid-Iowa organization.
It's
amazing what can happen when people get organized to better the
community – congratulations to the group on all of their
accomplishments.
Blog For Iowa 