Making Cities Work--How Two People Mobilized a Community to Meet Its Needs

This inspiring story describes how the initiative of a dedicated couple made a difference in their town. In the words of Marjorie Wyatt, an experienced community leader, “The ambience, the feelings, the sensitivities of Pasadena have changed.” Quietly and persistently Denise and John Wood went about uniting fellow citizens to come to grips with the problems facing their community: drugs, high unemployment among minority youth, and children raised in poverty without proper recourse to health care. The success of the various programs generated through their efforts gives heart to all who would hope to impact their own neighborhoods. "The Woods’ approach can be put rather simply: a need is researched and documented, a diverse group of professionals linked to the issue sorts out the priorities and selects the strategy, and a coalition emerges and goes into action. The Woods are wonderful listeners who refuse to be confrontational, possess a bountiful expectancy and make honest assessments, while avoiding finger-pointing." says Raymond Bakke, Founder, International Urban Associates in Chicago. William Thomson, Jr., Mayor of Pasadena, California, said, "'Making Cities Work' is a blueprint for the citizen action that America’s cities need." Concludes Walter Kenney, Mayor of Richmond, VA, "As one who must think daily for the pressing needs of the 538,000 diversified people who live in the Portland area, I highly commend the creative actions dramatized in this book to all who want to bring their communities together."