Key Poverty Fighters
UCAN is one of about 1,100 community action agencies found in the United States. Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are non-profit and public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America's War on Poverty. Community Action Agencies help people to help themselves exit poverty. CAAs are a primary source of direct support for the more than 34.5 million people who live in poverty in the United States. The majority of CAA program participants are extremely poor, with incomes below 75 percent of the federal poverty level. CAAs serve more than 16.2 million individuals per year, including 3 million families.
Arm-in-Arm in the Communities We Serve
Through collaborations and partnerships, CAAs serve as the backbone of local human service systems. CAAs listen to the needs of those served, their communities and partner human service agencies. CAAs prepare needs assessments that include input from low-income communities, other community members and partners. CAAs are overseen by a Board of Directors comprised of at least one-third members from the low-income community. CAA Boards also include public officials and other community representatives.
Because each CAA is responsive to its own communities' needs, each provides a different mix of services. Common services provided by CAAs include:
- Community coordination
- Emergency services
- Food and nutrition
- Family development
- Income management/budget training
- Health Care
UCAN offers all of these services and more through its umbrella of programs.