Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are
nonprofit private 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 in achieving self-sufficiency. Today
there are approximately 1000 Community Action
Agencies, serving the poor in every state as
well as Puerto Rico and the Trust Territories.
The
CAA Network
Community Action Agencies Across America
The service areas of
Community Action Agencies (CAAs) cover 96
percent of the nation's counties. Our agencies
are connected by a national network that
includes the Community Action Partnership
national association, regional associations,
state associations, a national lobbying
organization, and a national association of
Community Service Block Grant administrators.
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 threshold, or $9,735 for a family of
three (the average family size for the client
population).
The Community Action network serves more
than:
CAAs serve all
regions and populations:
-
54% of CAAs serve
rural areas.
-
36% of CAAs serve
areas considered both urban and rural.
-
10% of CAAs serve
urban areas.
The average
population a CAA serves is approximately 300,000
people. The average number of low-income people
within each service area is 37,600.
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