Community Action Agencies
operate across Maine and the United States. Each agency is charged with
designing local solutions to poverty-related problems. In this way,
individual agencies can respond to needs as they emerge, and can
adapt strategies when local conditions change. This flexibility
has enabled York County Community Action to successfully serve York
County residents for nearly 40 years.
York County Community
Action Corporation (YCCAC) was incorporated in 1965 by
a group of York County residents as a result of the Economic Opportunity
Act of 1964. Since then, the agency has been delivering a range
of social service, health, and educational programs to York County
individuals and families living in poverty. These programs are all
designed to achieve the goal set forth in the Preamble to the Economic
Opportunity Act: “to alleviate the paradox of poverty in the
midst of plenty.” Every year, the YCCAC staff of nearly 200
will interact with 20,000-plus low income York County residents. Major programs
include Head Start and Early Head Start, WIC (Women, Infants, Children), Energy/Fuel Assistance,
Community Outreach, Transportation, Housing Services, and York County Community Health Care.
The
mission of York County Community Action Corporation is to alleviate
the effects of poverty, attack its underlying causes and to promote
the dignity and self-sufficiency of the people of York County, Maine.
Since the early 1990’s,
the agency has paid particular attention to designing programs that
help clients acquire or preserve assets, (e.g. home ownership, higher
education, or business development) rather than simply helping them
meet their immediate (crisis) needs. Assets grow in value over time,
and as a result, can produce long-term financial security. We know
that if we continue to combat poverty solely in terms of income,
we deny families the benefits and strategies that have long been
offered to millions of Americans for improving their lives. To quote
the New America Foundation: “Lack of income means you don’t
get by; lack of assets means you don’t get ahead.”
YCCAC is
a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization
YCCAC’s fiscal
office currently manages over $15 million in funds annually. The
fiscal officer, Diane Laurendeau, is responsible for providing budgeting
support, financial reports and forecasts to the agency Board of
Directors as well as the Program Directors.
The fiscal office is
responsible for tracking and reporting financial information to
90 various federal, state, local and private funding sources. For
more detailed information see, YCCAC Sources of Funds located in our 2007 Annual Report
This office also manages
the payroll and personnel records of over 190 employees and manages
payments to over 350 vendors per week.
York County
Community Action Corporation is governed by an 18 member board of
directors consisting of business owners, private citizens, public
officials, and members of our programs’ target population.
Click here to learn Who's
Who at YCCAC
