The Heidi Swarts Collection spans the years 1989-2005 and contains letters, government documents, flyers, memos, and other organizational records from the People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) and the People Acting Together in Community (PACT) organizations, acting, in this case, in the San Jose, California area.

Donated by Dr. Heidi Swarts who conducted research on community organizations, this collection details the actions of two organizations in the San Jose area. PICO (Pacific Institute for Community Organization), of Oakland, California, is dedicated to organizing local communities--usually low-income--for social action. Founded by Jerry Helfrich, S.J., and John Baumann, S.J., PICO carries on the tradition of community organizing developed by Saul Alinsky, the person responsible in the United States for this type of social activism. PICO started as the Pacific Institute for Community Organizing, but as PICO grew into a National Network it changed its name to People Improving Communities through Organizing.

2.25 linear feet 5 archival document boxes

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections.