About Us

ABOUT THE NEW YORK STATE COMMUNITY ACTION ASSOCIATION (NYSCAA)

NYSCAA was created in 1987 to provide New York State Community Action Agencies with information, professional development, and technical assistance to enhance the capacity of agencies to serve as effective, responsive community resources.

OUR MISSION:

The New York State Community Action Association (NYSCAA) strengthens the capacity of the Community Action network to address the causes and conditions of poverty.

OUR VALUES:

  • NYSCAA supports a network that promotes and values inclusion, diversity, equity, and justice.
  • NYSCAA works with all people with respect and sensitivity and fosters a community of safety and trust.
  • NYSCAA believes in the power of compassion, collaboration, advocacy, agitation, and the power of systemic change to overcome poverty.
  • NYSCAA believes all individuals need hope and opportunity to succeed.
  • NYSCAA is committed to excellence, accountability, and innovation in all that it does.

ABOUT COMMUNITY ACTION:

“Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.”

Community Action Agencies are federally designated as the frontline resource for people living in poverty, providing direct services and support for education, employment and family support services for low income families.  In addition to the direct services they provide, Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are leaders in promoting community economic development through community partnerships and inter-agency collaborations.

COMMUNITY ACTION IN NEW YORK

For more than 50 years, New York’s Community Action Agencies have been the proven local, grassroots, federally-designated network of anti-poverty agencies in New York State. New York State’s Community Action Agencies are a catalyst for change, testing new initiatives and developing innovative methods to eliminate the causes and effects of poverty.

With a network of 47 organizations located throughout the Empire State that can reach every New Yorker, Community Action Agencies form a statewide service delivery system that connects individuals and families to the services they need to achieve economic security. When it comes to moving folks from poverty to self-sufficiency, Community Action Agencies know what works. Community Action Agencies achieve positive results that change lives and strengthen communities.  New York State has 47 Community Action Agencies, all of which are NYSCAA members.  To learn more about Community Action, click here