Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council

Community Action Agencies were the direct result of the initiatives established during President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and his "Great Society" movement in the 1960's. Community Action Agencies are a primary source of support for more than 3.1 million people living in poverty in the United States. The majority of CAA clients are extremely poor. Nearly 40% of the families served have incomes below 75% of the federal poverty threshold. CAA Professionals expertly coordinate and integrate an array of services at federal, state and local levels. CAA staff, board, and volunteers use innovative solutions to help people achieve self -sufficiency. Community Action Agencies are governed by a uniquely structured volunteer board of directors: at least one-third is comprised of representatives from the low-income community; up to one-third is from the private sector; and one-third is local, elected public officials. In this way, the CAA integrates diverse groups to find the most effective solutions to the problems facing those in need. Recent surveys reveal that CAAs, as a network, each year serve approximately nine million individuals, and 3.3 million families. The service area of the average CAA is comprised of approximately 300,000 people, of which 37,600 are low-income people. The Community Action Agency network uses the Community Services Block Grant program for its core operational funding. More than $531 million in federal and state CSBG appropriations are used each year to support CAA activities. The Community Action Network