Connecticut's Community Action Agencies:

* Are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Funding comes from state and federal grants and contracts, town and municipal funds, foundation, and business and individual contributions.

* Keep administrative and management expenses to a minimum. Almost 90 cents of every dollar expended goes to direct services.

* Are a force for neighborhood stabilization, serving as partners in public/private efforts to revitalize communities.

* Employ over 2,000 individuals as managers, teachers, counselors, family advocates and specialists in nutrition, housing, energy, and other occupations that improve quality of life.

* Are led by boards of directors based on a tradition of citizen participation. Decisions are made with the maximum, feasible participation of the people who are served. A minimum of one-third of members of policy-making boards come from the neighborhoods.

National Community Action Mission Statement

"To stimulate a better focusing of all available, local, state, private, and Federal resources upon the goal of enabling low-income families, and low-income individuals of all ages in rural and urban areas, to attain the skills, knowledge, and motivations and secure the opportunities needed for them to become self-sufficient." --Title II, Section 201a, Economic Opportunity Act National CAA

Goals

Goal 1: Low-income people become more self-sufficient.

Goal 2: The conditions in which low-income people live are improved.

Goal 3: Low-income people own a stake in their community.

Goal 4: Partnerships among supporters and providers of services to low-income people are achieved.

Goal 5: Agencies increase their capacity to achieve results.

Goal 6: Low-income people, especially vulnerable populations, achieve their potential by strengthening family and other supportive systems.