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"I just want you to know that you are not wasting your time. If you were at home watching TV, or complaining with your neighbors but doing nothing about it, you might be wasting your time. But now, here with all of us, we are going to get things done."

The words that Blocks Together President Octavio Lopez used to open the group's biannual community convention in October assured residents that they were in the right place at the right time, and they proved prophetic-setting the tone for an energetic meeting that resulted in major commitments for community improvements.

More than 650 residents of the group's turf on the West Side of Chicago filled the Stowe Elementary School auditorium. They celebrated recent victories. They also demanded the city overhaul its 911 system and demanded the county improve the area's affordable health care facilities. Residents have to travel miles to receive adequate care because they lack nearby affordable public clinics and preventive health care. One result is that many chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma aren't properly controlled.

Brought to the breaking point by the death of Blocks Together member Julia Claudio after an asthma attack, Delores Collins, a Blocks Together board member, asked that Cook County provide services for community members in West Humboldt Park and North Garfield Park. "We don't want one more person to die in this community due to lack of health care," said Collins.

In a move that brought community residents to their feet cheering, Cook County Commissioner Maldonado praised Blocks Together for its hard work, and made a firm commitment that a Cook County satellite clinic would open in the community. In addition, Maldonado agreed to introduce property tax relief legislation by December.

Beyond health care, residents' immediate safety was another pressing issue addressed at the convention.

In the past few months, shootings and gang violence more fierce than community residents have seen in years rocked the community. Residents are afraid to call 911 because operators and the officers responding to emergency calls often violate the privacy of callers.

"I'm afraid to call 911. Ever since officers dragged a suspect to my front porch, knocked on my door and asked if this was the person I had called 911 about, I don't go anywhere near my phone-even if there's a shooting outside," says Carmen Fernandez, a Blocks Together member.

Gregory Bishop, the head of 911, had committed to attend the convention, but backed out at the last minute. Residents attempted to win agreements from John Buck, the 911 representative who did show. But Buck had no power to change department policy and provided no real answers. Angered by the lack of response from 911 and Police Superintendent Hillard, Blocks Together members vowed to continue fighting. They won the support of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council and the Albany Park Neighborhood Council, two organizations from the south side and far north side that attended the convention in support of local residents.

Community members also won commitments from Chicago Public Schools to make immediate repairs to local schools, to purchase land for the construction of a new school, and to provide designs for the construction of a new connector at Stowe School.

Blocks Together youth council members were excited to announce that State Senators del Valle and Lightford have committed to work on scholarship legislation that would reward young people who actively work with community groups to improve their neighborhoods.