Source: The Boston Globe

On March 19, 2000, the Boston Globe reported on the growing clout of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). This group, who is being "recognized as the strongest grass-roots political force this area has seen since the 1970s," has a diverse membership and a twofold mission that transcends geographic divisions: funding for housing and funding for education. A petition drive that aims for 100,000 signatures suggests a strong voting presence to which politicians will pay attention. Recent community meetings with politicians have not proven satisfactory to some members of the GBIO because of ambiguous answers to pressing demands. While political complexities may not allow the straightforward funding commitments the GBIO wants, the GBIO has been successful at mobilizing a broad interfaith group of individuals, many of whom have not previously engaged in the political process.