By Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
LINCOLN, Neb. – This May, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is celebrating Community Action Month, honoring the agencies throughout the state that create economic opportunity, strengthen local communities and help families find pathways to prosperity.
Nebraska has nine Community Action Agencies (CAAs) serving the state’s 93 counties: Northwest Community Action Partnership, Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, Central Nebraska Community Action Partnership, Northeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership, Blue Valley Community Action Partnership, Community Action Partnership of Lancaster and Saunders Counties, Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership and Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership.
“Nebraska is extremely fortunate to have Community Action Agencies that provide so many critical services to our state,” said Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Office of Economic Assistance. “From helping families find stability, supporting seniors, creating opportunities for children and responding when neighbors need help most, their work changes lives every day.”
CAAs help hardworking American families gain access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, while strengthening local economies and decreasing reliance on government assistance. Services include food and nutrition programs, housing, abuse prevention and intervention, family parenting classes and other assistance. Through Community Services Block Grants (CSBGs) from the federal government, DHHS administers funds to the state’s CAAs to help address these local needs.
Community Action of Nebraska (CAN) supports the state’s nine CAAs through training and technical assistance, resource-sharing and collaboration. CAN also provides advocacy and policy work for efforts made to support low-income Nebraskans.
“Community Action is about opportunity,” said Heather Loughman, Board President of Community Action of Nebraska. “The nine agencies across our network serve all 93 counties and provide essential services that help Nebraskans to thrive, from high-quality early childhood education, to home weatherization and affordable housing, to financial literacy and asset building support, to nutrition and food support and so much more. We are proud of our 60-year legacy of service to the state and remind our neighbors in each community that we are here to support them in their journeys.”
For more information on CAN and Nebraska’s Community Action Partnerships, visit https://www.canhelp.org.