Community Action Agencies
Private, nonprofit human service and advocacy organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 that provide emergency assistance to people in crisis; address the causes of poverty through programs that fight unemployment, inadequate housing, poor nutrition and lack of educational opportunity; and provide training in advocacy skills. Community Action Agencies (CAAs), also known as Community Action Programs (CAPs), operate a variety of core services in the communities they serve. Included are GED and ESL education, job training programs, Head Start and day care, weatherization and energy assistance programs, health services, services for older adults (e.g., Foster Grandparents and RSVP), emergency food assistance and homelessness prevention programs. They are also involved in affordable housing creation and renovation and small business assistance.
Older Americans Act Administrative Agencies
State and regional organizations that are responsible for planning, coordinating and developing community-level systems of services that meet the unique needs of older persons and their caregivers as defined in the Older Americans Act of 1965. The network of organizations works closely with the U.S. Administration on Aging which provides federal funding for the programs and oversees their implementation.
