The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. is changing.

The nonprofit created in 1974 to study community issues and recommend change has evolved into a “civic pact” called the Citizen Engagement PACT. The Citizen Engagement PACT will ensure the values that foster a culture of civic engagement to improve the quality of life for all citizens will continue to be engrained in Jacksonville.

The announcement comes after a reflective practice study was done to better assess the community’s needs around civic engagement and the continued meaning and relevancy of JCCI. The results of the study were that the community needs could be met if the JCCI mission is served through multiple organizations working together to continue a culture of inquiry, convening and implementation.

The Citizen Engagement PACT will be composed of a varied group of organizations from the non-profit, government and business sectors that traditionally have played an integral role in either the work of JCCI or that serve as a diverse constituency so as to be able to represent community needs and interests going forward. The PACT stakeholders will initiate the civic engagement process to make positive changes for the community.

The 31^st edition of the Quality of Life Progress Report has also been released that provides a comprehensive look at the quality of life in Jacksonville in areas such as youth in poverty, graduation rate, crime rate, fuel and water consumption. The PACT will now serve as a portal for citizens to engage on key community issues and will offer an opportunity for continued dialogue and updates on quality of life indicators.

All of JCCI’s reports and studies, including the 31^st edition of the Quality of Life Progress Report, can be found at www.jaxpact.org.