Over 200 people helped us start the public phase of our $2 million campaign. You made the difference. Thanks to you, we are half way to our first million.
Despite the rising temperatures, inland officials gathered to lend their endorsement to the new Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California. Keynote speakers Senator Richard Roth and Assemblyman José Medina pledged their support and were joined by elected officials from Riverside County and several inland cities who attended. The Kick Off for the $2 million campaign had been in its silent phase for approximately 3 months and went public on October 23, 2017.
The first presentation was for the creation of Mission Heritage Plaza, 72 units of affordable housing that will rise above the new Civil Rights Institute and the new offices of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County. Mike Gardner, a councilmember for the City of Riverside, presented a $3 million check from the city’s Housing Authority to the developer Wakeland Housing and Development CEO Ken Sauder and Fair Housing Executive Director Rose Mayes.
Presentations of $100,000 to the Civil Rights Institute were made by Ola Faye Stephens of the Riverside African American Historical Society and by Tony Mize, vice president of the Fair Housing Council. Individual donors Dwight Tate and Kathy Wright led community members, making a gift of $25,000 to Civil Rights Institute Ron Loveridge.
The Civil Rights Institute has until next June to complete the initial $1 million phase of the campaign, a deadline required by the financing for the Mission Heritage Plaza project. The second phase of the campaign, the second million, will be required by the following year.
