During the past twenty-five years, leaders of IVP organizations have brought about very significant changes affecting the lives of thousands of families in their communities. These include:

Jobs - Through organizing campaigns our member groups have won the passage of legislation limiting the cost of transportation to job sites for temp jobs; the creation of a regional manufacturing partnership which has created over 150 jobs; the creation of a job training program in the screw machine industry which has graduated over 750 apprentices into high-skilled high paying jobs; and the creation of a job training program with a county sheriff’s department for the formerly incarcerated in construction trade skills. Our member groups have also helped bring about employee-owned firms through employee buy-outs, and through the creation of two employee-owned home health care companies. Through early plant closing fights they saved 3,000 jobs and the health insurance benefits of thousands of retirees. Our most recent jobs victory is winning the end to harassment and poor working conditions for 1,000 temp workers, and the creation of a 5-year $1.2 million Career Ladder Program for temp workers supported by the Gillette/Procter & Gamble and New Balance Corporations.

Housing - IVP member groups have successfully organized to create over 250 units of democratically-owned affordable housing units, and two community land trusts, and a $750,000 settlement for forty families who were victims of predatory lending.

Public Services - IVP member groups have won millions in public service and development dollars for community policing, firefighting, housing inspection, public education, brownfield redevelopment and environmental protection programs and to protect immigrant rights, and the rights of temporary workers.

Health Care – IVP member groups have won first responders training for law enforcement officials in 11 city and county departments to help them in their dealings with those with behavioral and mental health issues; the addition of face-to-face medical interpreters in hospitals serving Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients; strengthened support for non-emergency medical transportation from small towns to center city hospitals.

Leadership Development - In the course of this work our member groups have trained thousands of leaders in organizing and leadership skills through IVP Leadership Institutes, member group leadership institutes, and informal training. Most importantly, they have learned lessons which they share with others within and outside our network.

Congregational/Organizational Development - IVP member groups know that healthy congregations, labor union locals, and community organizations are vital to strong communities. They also know that their strength is dependent on the strength of these institutions. With this in mind, IVP member groups have developed training and staff resources to teach leaders how to carry out congregational and organizational development campaigns which create hundreds of new relationships in each institution, uncover issues and identify potential leaders. This is among their greatest benefit to their own member groups, of membership in an IVP member group.

IVP member groups' include organizing to improve the quality of jobs for immigrant temporary workers; increase access to quality jobs in the health care sector for minority residents and new immigrants; create home ownership opportunities for low-income people; expand skilled manufacturing jobs and apprenticeship programs to fill them; win health care coverage accessible to all, and gain adult basic education, youth, and translation, education and citizenship services for thousands of new immigrants in our communities.