Eight things to know about Minnesota Community Action Partnership

The Minnesota Community Action Partnership is one of five partners on the MinnEESI project. Their mission statement is: "To remove obstacles and solve problems that block the achievement of self-sufficiency. In order to reduce poverty in its community, a Community Action Agency works to better focus available local, state, private and federal resources to assist low income individuals and families to acquire useful skills and knowledge, gain access to new opportunities and achieve economic self-sufficiency."

Here are eight other things to know about MinnCAP:

1) MinnCAP is a statewide network of 28 community-based anti-poverty agencies serving all 87 counties.

2) MinnCAP helps people move up in their career ladder through job training, job search, and career development services.

3) MinnCAP keeps people warm and dry through energy assistance and weatherization services.

4) MinnCAP helps families and seniors put food on the table through food shelves and nutrition programs.

5) MinnCAP gives young children a healthy start through WIC, Head Start, crisis nursery, and child care programs.

6) MinnCAP helps in time of crisis, through emergency housing and financial assistance, counseling, and crisis nursery services.

7) MinnCAP advocates for policy solutions that eliminate poverty in Minnesota.

8) Many people are more familiar with the names of the programs Community Action Agencies deliver than the name of their local Community Action Agency. Each local Community Action Agency provides a unique combination of programming to meet locally determined objectives. Well known programs include:

• Energy Assistance
• Weatherization & Energyc Conservation
• Head Start Programs
• Congregate Dining and Meals on Wheels
• Senior Independent Living Services
• Retired Senior Volunteer Program
• Food Support Program
• Various Family Nutrition Programs

MinnCAP is represented to MinnEESI by Pam Johnson.

By Marie Nelson