Lace up your kicks for a cause: Celebrate 60 years of Community Action

(CHEROKEE, NC) –Tickets are available for the inaugural North Carolina Community Action Association Sneaker Ball & Awards Banquet, to commemorate six decades of Community Action work across North Carolina. 

Community action is a result of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty and advocacy from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and seeks to involve the community, including elected public officials, private sector representatives, and especially residents who live on limited incomes, to assess local needs and combat the causes and conditions of poverty.

North Carolina’s 32 Community Action agencies cover every county in the state, with Mountain Projects, Community Action Opportunities, Macon Program for Progress and Four Square Community Action serving the far western counties. Hundreds of similar organizations serve communities across the country -  each with the mission to alleviate poverty and to provide opportunities for economic mobility to families in need. 

Community Action agencies administer programs such as Head Start, Housing Rehabilitation and Weatherization, Section 8 Housing, Senior Resources and Nutrition, local transportation and much more, and are often at the forefront of efforts to provide disaster relief.

Commemorating 60 Years 

The inaugural Sneaker Ball, set for Thursday, May 9, 2024, will celebrate the 60th anniversary of NC’s Community Action movement at the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive in Cherokee. 

The event is in conjunction with the 2024 Annual “Forward Together” Conference and community stakeholders and all individuals whose work contributes to the health and economic well-being of North Carolinians are welcome. 

Details, Dress Code, Awards

From 8 p.m. until 11 p.m., the Sneaker Ball will feature live entertainment, an interactive photo booth and hors d’oeuvres. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite kicks with black-tie attire. 

The high-energy Emerald Empire Band, known as musical “party starters,” will supply live entertainment to get attendees moving on the dance floor.

NCCAA will also be recognizing its 2024 Standing Award winners during the event, as well as community action’s Most Valuable Partners (MVP’s) throughout the state. 

Tickets start at $99 and are available online at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/bes4fur/lp/6f25f3cb-aee4-498b-a62f-65f837039fe1.

Sponsorship, exhibitor, and advertising opportunities during the Annual Conference are still available. Learn more at https://www.nccaa.net/_files/ugd/ae395b_9b441ad11d744ace997077d7e365b9e5.pdf

Proceeds from the event will support poverty alleviation and economic mobility programs across the state of North Carolina.