Who is GCC?
Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) is a non-partisan collective of faith communities and partner organizations in Cuyahoga. County working together to build power for social justice.
As a catalyst for systemic change, GCC challenges Greater Clevelanders to imagine the change we can accomplish, connect individuals and organizations to multiply our power, and mobilize our members by the thousands to make our voices heard and build a greater Cleveland for all of its residents.
GCC Unites
GCC unites people across lines of race, class, religion, and geography to promote public, private and civic sector actions to strengthen and improve the quality of life of our neighborhoods. Drawing on the proven power of person-to-person organizing, GCC builds the power necessary to create a greater Cleveland.
What have we accomplished lately?
Criminal Justice
In February 2020, GCC held an Action attended by 1,038 of our supporters where key public officials pledged their support for the creation of pre-booking Crisis Diversion Centers offsite of the jail in Cuyahoga County.
Gun Violence
In February 2020, GCC held an Action attended by 1,038 of our supporters where key public officials pledged their support for the creation of pre-booking Crisis Diversion Centers offsite of the jail in Cuyahoga County.
Battle for Democracy
With Ohio emerging as once again a pivotal state, GCC created the Battle for Democracy Initiative to combat voter suppression. BFD supports the on-the-ground voter engagement work of GCC and Common Ground in Milwaukee, Wisconsin done by over 900 volunteer leaders.
Education
We have strengthened our relationship to teachers, students and parents from our partner Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CSMD) schools as they cope with their new and challenging learning environment.
Color of Health
GCC’s Color of Health Initiative recruited 17 Cleveland East Side congregations to serve as sites for free COVID testing, where thousands of people have been tested in underserved Cleveland neighborhoods.
What’s Next
Digital Expansion
Expanding our digital capacity to organize during a time of social distancing and disruption of traditional ways of building relationships — the lifeblood of organizing
Crisis Diversion Centers
Continuing our work unabated to make pre-booking Crisis Diversion Centers a reality in Cuyahoga County.
Cost Negotiation
Seeking to aggregate the spending power of our financially pressed member institutions to negotiate better prices on electricity and gas so they can apply those savings to their core mission.
Deep Listening
Conducting a deep listening campaign in several CMSD schools, listening to teachers, students and families during a time of disruption and uncertainty, looking at how we can organize together to create change in this moment.