Families often struggle to make ends meet. Single parents and single-income families can’t stretch their paycheck far enough to cover their children’s needs. Low-income workers can’t always provide for their families.
Since 1980, Westmoreland Community Action (formerly Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc.) has made Westmoreland County a better place to live by helping struggling families improve their standard of living and become more self-sufficient. Through housing programs, emergency services, mental health programs, workforce development programs, community services, children and family services, financial services, and a social enterprise, we have helped thousands of Westmoreland County’s disadvantaged residents.
We strive to educate the community and local employers to raise awareness of the plight of the lower-income families in our area. Our mission is to Connect individuals and families to opportunities and resources to improve their quality of life and help to reduce poverty in the community. This is accomplished through housing, information, referral, support, collaboration, networking, intervention, counseling, education and partnerships. Westmoreland Community Action’s leadership is essential to community service agencies, churches, businesses, civic groups and local governments in Westmoreland County.
Community Action in Westmoreland County
In 1980, Westmoreland Human Opportunities was incorporated as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization when the Westmoreland County Commissioners designated the agency as Westmoreland County’s Community Action Agency. Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are nonprofit private and public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America’s “War on Poverty.” Community Action Agencies provide services and assistance towards the elimination of poverty through developing employment opportunities, improving human performance, motivation, and productivity, or bettering the conditions under which people live, learn, and work. Community Action Agencies help people to help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency. The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) is the agencies’ core federal funding. Agencies also operate a variety of grants that come from federal, state and local sources. CAAs engage in a broad range of activities; typical activities include promoting citizen participation, providing utility bill assistance and home weatherization for low-income individuals, administration of Head Start pre-school programs, job training, operating food pantries, and coordinating community initiatives.
