Welcome
CCISCO
Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization
CCISCO helps everyday people win extraordinary victories, not by speaking for them, but by providing a vehicle for them to speak, act and engage in the public arena for themselves. Since 1996, we have been organizing a voice for justice and equity in Contra Costa. We are a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, interfaith federation of 25 congregations and youth institutions representing over 35,000 families. 
CCISCO is a 501(c)(3) Organization – Donate Today!
Latest News
Richmond Ceasefire/Lifelines to Healing Movement Is Growing
Something powerful is taking root in Richmond. The Richmond Ceasefire/Lifelines to Healing movement is growing stronger each day. CCISCO leaders and our allies have held dozens of small group meetings in congregations, schools, businesses and homes attended by over 470 Richmond residents in the past two months. Dozens of clergy have begun meeting each month to help anchor our movement and clergy and community leaders are walking the Richmond neighborhoods most impacted by violence each Friday evening to bring the message of Ceasefire/Lifelines to Healing: we want everyone in our community to be alive and free!
IN THE MEDIA:
Safe Return Project Breaks Down Barriers to Employment
The reaction to the powerful community action in July has resulted in major progress on a critical priority for the Safe Return Project. The City of Richmond and City Manager Bill Lindsay have moved forward with addressing a barrier to employment for Richmond residents returning home from incarceration. Starting this month, the city's application form will no longer feature a check-off box asking if the applicant has ever been convicted of a crime.
The change is the first step in a campaign to “ban the box” in Richmond – the box in question being the one that people with a criminal record must check when they apply for jobs and housing, and benefits from food stamps to student loans.
Advocates argue that the ubiquitous question about criminal history is an unfair – and often insurmountable — barrier for people returning to their communities after serving time in prison, ultimately adding a sentence to the one already served, increasing the chance of recidivism and placing a burden on families, communities and law enforcement.
“A person with a job is less likely to reoffend,” said Jeff Rutland, an organizer with the Safe Return project, a group of Richmond advocates, all of whom have served prison time themselves. Safe Return was launched in 2010 by the Richmond Office of Neighborhood Safety, Pacific Institute and CCISCO, which trained Richmond residents who have experienced incarceration to become community researchers and advocate and organize for policy reforms to reduce recidivism and help residents reintegrate into the broader community.
IN THE MEDIA:
