WHAT IS ECCO?
Founded in 1981, ECCO’s mission is to build power— the ability
of talented leaders to act effectively on their own values and in their
own interests— with and among poor and working families on the North
Shore. Throughout its history, ECCO has worked with neighborhood groups,
tenant associations, senior citizen organizations, religious congregations,
labor unions, and other community-based organizations. ECCO currently
has 10 member institutions representing over 15,000 families.
Relationships form the basis of ECCO. Each member institution conducts
an on-going campaign of one-to-one conversations among its constituents,
revealing the problems and interests important to those individuals.
Building on the one-to-one conversations, house meetings are held within
each institution to broaden and focus the discussion.Out of these house
meetings comes ECCO’ working agenda. Over the past quarter century
ECCO’s organizing on housing, health care, child care, education,
public safety, youth, and jobs issues has had a major impact on improving
the quality of life for thousands of North Shore residents.
What Does ECCO Believe?
- ECCO believes that all people are created equal and have the
right to be treated with dignity and respect.
- ECCO believes in democracy. We believe all people ought to have
the power to make decisions about the important issues affecting their
families and communities.
- ECCO believes in the Iron Rule: Never do for people what they
can do for themselves. As a result, our leadership development efforts
have taught thousands of our members how to do for themselves by becoming
more powerful leaders. The skills our laders have learned through
their participation in ECCO have helped them win important victories
that have revitalized neighborhoods and protected the rights of some
of the North Shore’s most vulnerable citizens.
How Does ECCO Work?
ECCO has traditionally carried out its work through core teams in
each ECCO institution and through the work of three issue teams: The
Jobs Team, The Housing Team, and the Youth Team. The Jobs Team is currently
the only issue team meeting monthly. Other teams will meet as the need
arises to share information or take action on a subject of importance
to ECCO members.
ECCO is an affiliate of the Massachusetts Communities Action Network – MCAN
(link to www.mcan-oltc.org), a federation of community improvement
organizations working for social and economic justice by putting their
religious faith values and democratic values into action to address
statewide issues. MCAN offers ECCO members access to support and leadership
training through its Organizing and Leadership Training Center (OLTC)
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) is the federation of
our Massachusetts affiliated organizations.
