Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative

Welcome

Welcome to the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative's new website.

This organization is collectively owned and directed by us all—through organizing people and money effectively to carry out issue campaigns, research, training, and to hire and employ professional organizers to work in our neighborhoods and with our organizations.

"MVOC is a grassroots community organizing initiative dedicated to improving the quality of life in urban neighborhoods in the Youngstown and Warren region."

Warren leaders set for Healthy Neighborhood Kick-off

On Thursday, July 8 at 6 p.m. MVOC, along with neighborhood, faith-based and other community leaders, will hold a Warren Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative Kick-Off. The event, to be held at Grace A.M.E Church, 1137 Main Street, Warren, will serve as an opportunity to educate and engage residents on key issues affecting public health equity issues within the City of Warren.

After the successful passage of health care reform, it became evident that health coverage is not enough to combat chronic diseases found in many disadvantaged areas of our cities. Community leaders, such as Corinne Williams of Warren, said it is time for local communities to look into preventative measures such as increasing access to healthier products within city limits.

“The hope of health coverage is not enough,” said Williams. “More thought has to go into the reasons why it’s easier to buy drugs than an orange in certain parts of the city. That can't be just bad luck.”

Health equity has become a focus as a result of growing concern in our neighborhoods and MVOC has partnered with various organizations in the city to address the issues relating to it. Among the integral partners in this effort is Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership (TNP). Among the topics that will be discussed, such as the need for clean, presentable stores that provide healthy options at reasonable price points and the social determinants that affect the health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, TNP’s mission and program goals for 2010.

Newport Neighborhood Association Prayer Vigil

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

"MVOC is based on the premise that residents themselves hold the solutions to the problems that face their communities."

Spring 2010

Year-Long Effort Pays off with Historic Win

Land Bank Bill passes, signed into law

On a cold and blustery day in December, hundreds of grassroots leaders from across the state met with nearly every legislator in Ohio to advocate for House Bill 313 – the bill allowing counties to establish a County Land Reutilization Corporation or land bank. MVOC leaders such as Mary Krupa, member of the 7th Ward Citizens Coalition, went from office to office to tell her story to legislators that day.

“On my block alone there are six abandoned buildings,” Krupa would say. “We need this bill to pass so we have the tools to deal with vacant properties. This is a crisis for our neighborhoods and we can’t sit around any longer. We have to act.”

She and other community leaders would make several trips to Columbus over the past year working to get the bill passed.