Caa Helps Disadvantaged Families Gain Self-Sufficiency

Community action programs were conceived during the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 when President Lyndon Johnson declared a “war on poverty.”

The vision was to create locally operated and governed programs in every major community. Their function was to assess need locally and respond with federal funding. Consequently, the Community Services Block Grant, the main source of funding for all community action programs, is flexible, empowering the programs to address the most pressing issues facing low income residents.

North Idaho has been served by a Community Action Agency since the mid-1960s. The staff of the agency provided answers to the following questions about their service.

Q. What does your agency do?

A. We are a grassroots organization that serves the economically and socially disadvantaged by responding to their specific needs, enabling them to become self-sufficient and to reach their full potential.

We offer three tiers of service. First, we focus on stabilizing the family. Families that come to us may not have adequate food or shelter or other basic needs. We meet these needs through a wide scope of programs such as the food bank, low-income home energy assistance programs, Home Weatherization and Repair, Emergency Intervention Funding (provides limited cash assistance) and Idaho Telephone Service Assistance Programs.

Once we have stabilized our families, we offer “Pathways to Success,” which focuses on consumer education. It consists of classes targeted at moving at-risk families toward self-sufficiency. The classes include income management, energy conservation education and information regarding credit repair. Family Development is our third tier. Families work one-on-one with a certified Family Development Specialist to set small goals and to overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.

Q. How many paid staff members do you have?

A. Our agency has more than 80 employees serving the 10 northern counties of Idaho and Asotin County in Washington. We have 13 paid staff members serving Idaho’s five northern counties. During Energy Assistance season, usually three more employees are added.

Q. What kind of service opportunities exist for volunteers?

A. There always is help needed in our warehouse serving people in the food bank, stocking, cleaning, completing the daily “perishable pick-up” from local grocery stores and vendors. We also have volunteers working in the front office filing, answering the telephone, greeting people, etc. It’s hard to put a number as to how many we have because the number of volunteers, the amount of hours they donate weekly and the duration of their stay varies tremendously.

Q. How are you funded?

A. Our main source of funding comes from the federal government in the form of a Community Services Block Grant. We also rely heavily on state grants and contracts, private grants, United Way, and local support and donations.

Q. How has your agency grown?

A. In 1997, our agency took on the five northern counties of Idaho. Since that time, we have opened a fully staffed multi-service center, offering services throughout North Idaho. We are looking to add more Family Development staff. Because safe, decent affordable housing is a major issue in North Idaho, our Housing Development department in Lewiston is designing a needs assessment to identify and isolate specific areas where CAA may be able to help with the housing issue in north Idaho.

Q. What additional services would you provide if you had the funding to do so?

A. 1) Bolster our homelessness prevention program. Last year, in Kootenai County alone, we turned away close to 500 families for rental assistance; 2) Add more Family Development staff; 3) Become more involved with the safe, decent affordable housing issue in North Idaho.

Q. What do you see as the largest unmet need of this community?

A. Affordable housing is a big one.

We see many families where two adults are working full-time and still are struggling to make the mortgage/rent. Another one is a “living wage” - an hourly rate or salary that will allow the working individual to provide the basic needs for himself and members of his household who are precluded from working.

Q. What is your most underused service?

A. A relatively new program designed to help owners of mobile homes bring their homes up to code by, for instance, correcting inadequacies in plumbing, wiring and other areas. To qualify, there are income guidelines; the mobile home must have been built before 1976 and the title must be in the applicant’s name.

Q. How can people contact you if they want to donate money or time or if they need your services?

A. We can be reached at 664-8757 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Our service hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are located at 4942 Industrial Avenue East, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83815 and this also is our mailing address.