Community Action Agency History

In 1963, the war on poverty had begun as President Kennedy had pushed for the development of proposals that would address the devesting and dire issue of poverty that many Americans faced. The fight on poverty continued after President Johnson succeeded Kennedy as he continued to move forward with the existing ideas on the war on poverty. During his first State of the Union address in 1964, he delivered the message to Congress to begin an unconditional war to fight poverty. Not long after that, the Johnson administration had revised and expanded the proposals that had once been proposed to President Kennedy, these steps led to the development of the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) of 1964. The act included various measures to fight poverty, with the most vital being the creation of Community Action Agencies. The agencies would become the key to helping fight poverty in America as they would address the root causes of poverty.

CAPK Agency Video

Community Action Partnership of Kern's History

Our organization today has more than 1,000 employees that are determined, passionate, and focused on serving the most vulnerable populations in the region. Being a large non-profit, our organization gets more than 1,000 volunteers a year who help in our various programs like the Food Bank, VITA, Childcare Centers, Youth Centers, and the Central Kitchen. We are constantly getting volunteers that are willing to provide their time and service to not only help our organization meet our mission but also to help the most vulnerable residents. CAPK is currently led by Executive leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to guide and direct our staff to meet our mission and goals. Our Executive Directors also ensure our staff is constantly following all policies and producers put in place when helping our diverse communities. CAPK is also overseen by 15 Board of Directors which includes individuals from the public sector, the private sector, and representatives from low-income communities. Having board members from various sectors who possess different professional expertise ensures we are being inclusive and acknowledging the various needs of our communities.

Collaboration

By collaborating with other human service agencies and non-profit organizations we have been able to reach the most vulnerable and marginalized communities throughout the region that are in dire need of assistance. Collaboration is key to our organization’s success. Without the support of governmental agencies or other nonprofits, we would lack the ability to expand our services in rural regions where they are much needed. Due to our various partnerships established, CAPK has been able to help economically disadvantaged residents pursue their educational goals, secure and retain employment, maintain adequate housing, access medical services, obtain utility bill payment subsidies and residential weatherization assistance, counteract hunger and food insecurity, obtain child care and preschool education, and engage in personal and family development opportunities to build and achieve individual and family self-sufficiency.