Community Action Agencies

The Promise of Community Action

"I promise." When you hear those words, you’re never sure of the sincerity. But when Community Action Agency's (CAA) professionals say, "I promise," we mean it. That is because we live a promise every day - the Promise of Community Action.

Forget the trivial promises you made as a kid - "I promise to be your best friend;" "I promise to pay you back; and so forth. The Promise of Community Action is deeper. It's a promise that we want to keep because it involves helping I0 million people change their lives each year:

Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

This promise resonates with us because we are passionate about helping people succeed. Simply throwing rules, regulations, and guidelines at people in need does nothing to embody the spirit of hope necessary to keep them motivated. We get to know our program participants and treat them with respect. With a caring and compassionate advocate on their side, people are destined to overcome obstacles.

Promising to help people change their lives means we customize our Community Action Agency programs to meet local community needs. Offering services community members actually need, rather than what we think they need, helps to assure that we'll find solutions to problems. And if we don’t offer a particular service, we always refer program participants to an organization that does.

But community needs may change over time and new concerns may develop. We are willing and able to respond to these changes. We're always learning how to become better leaders, mobilize community change, design affordable housing programs, increase our resources, and plan strategically so that programs consistently shift from hope to reality.

We know we've kept the Promise of Community Action when we celebrate the personal achievements of the people we serve. During the month of May, many Community Action Agencies honor program participants who have changed their lives. We also honor success stories with the national Sargent Shriver Achievement Award. And we host community forums like the Dialogue on Poverty to ensure that we're able to open doors and lead the way for 10 million more people.

You'll never hear about us breaking the Promise of Community Action, because we know that when you’re trying to make America a better place to live, a promise should not be taken lightly.

Our Profile

Declaring an "unconditional war on poverty," President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which established CAAs. Since then, we've been working diligently to improve our local communities.

Our national network, consisting of nearly 1,000 agencies, offers a comprehensive array of services to 10 million Americans each year. From housing services and childcare to computer training and asset building, we do it all. Our dedicated staff members and volunteers are key to the delivery of these services. And our uniquely structured boards of directors, which include low-income individuals, ensure that programs always reflect community needs.

Although no two CAA’s are exactly alike, we have one common goal—to help people change their lives and to do whatever we can to make that happen.

Giving a Voice to the Poor

Anyone can talk about low-income people, but few actually listen to them. Community Action does. Our boards of directors include low-income people who work alongside public officials and business leaders. They provide valuable input because they know firsthand what it's like to be poor.

During our community forums, people from all walks of life discuss solutions they feel will make America a better place to live. Our annual Policy Forum brings together Community Action leaders and Washington, DC policy experts to ensure that local and state concerns are heard at the national level. From town hall meetings in neighborhood churches, to rallying on the steps of Capitol Hill, we've amassed a broad section of advocacy programs. It's the best way to help society to respond to the needs of the poor.

Improving Communities

Ties to our communities run deep. It's where we work, live, and raise our families. So we're always working to open doors and lead the way for our neighbors - helping them with everything from building assets to starting their own businesses. We can do this because we identify community needs and subsequently offer a broad range of services designed to meet those specific needs. As needs change, we adjust our programs accordingly. Flexibility means our residents will always have opportunities to help themselves and each other.

Partnerships are an integral part of our efforts. We collaborate with other local organizations to ensure that the needs of the entire community are met. We can consistently say "yes" because if we don't offer a particular service, we can refer people to a group that does.

Helping People

Augmenting our services is the undivided attention we give our program participants. We treat them with respect and encourage their input and we're sympathetic. Many of our employees are former program participants, so they know how it feels to be sitting on the other side of the desk. When you've walked more than a mile in their shoes, you feel compelled to help others turn hope to reality. These very same program participants may one day provide similar guidance. When you help people change their lives, you're also empowering them to help others.

Once program participants achieve self-sufficiency, we are there to celebrate with them, and maybe even give out an award. We shine the spotlight on their accomplishments during Community Action Month in May. Although we take enormous pride in these achievements, they never surprise us. After all, when helping people change their lives is the cornerstone of your Promise, you expect success.

Changing Lives

Career, family, and personal obligations compete for our volunteers' attention, yet, they still devote significant amounts of time helping people in need. Although our volunteers are of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, they share one thing in common - a passion for helping people change their lives.

Community Action ranks high as a volunteer opportunity because people are helping their very own neighbors. And it's hands on - so much more gratifying than just simply writing a check. We mobilize 27 million volunteer hours a year.

When volunteers see program participants heading off to college, tackling a new job, or buying their first home, they know they played a vital role. Our volunteers are the engines that drive Community Action and we honor their invaluable contributions annually. Though they don’t volunteer for the honors, they feel good knowing they’ve had a positive impact on someone's life.

Community Action Services

Because each Community Action Agency is governed locally, each provides a different mix of programs and services. The following represents the percentages of Community Action Agencies that deliver these services:

Community Coordination

Citizen participation, neighborhood and community organization, information, and referrals 94%

Emergency Services

Food pantries, energy assistance, homeless shelters, domestic violence 91%

Education

Head Start, youth mentoring, literacy, Adult Basic Education 89%

Food and Nutrition

Meals on Wheels, congregate feeding, food banks

Family Development

Daycare, case management, counseling, support 68%

Employment Training/Employment

Job readiness, job training, and job creation 63%

Income Management

Budget counseling 53%

Transportation

Rural Transportation systems, on-demand transportation 49%

Housing

Self-help housing, homeownership, rental assistance, weatherization 39%

Economic Development

Business planning and loans, water and sewer 39%

Health Care

Health clinics, WIC, prescription assistance 29%

Community Action has a positive effect on the entire community. As we help more people reach self-sufficiency, they fuel the economy. A robust economy is a catalyst for improved communities. Stronger communities make America a better place to live. Very few people are unaffected by Community Action. We give a voice to the poor, improve communities, help people, and change lives. Everyone reaps the benefits from those efforts.