Company Description
Community Action is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3), serving homeless and low-income families and individuals.
Our vision is a community in which everyone works together to end poverty in Skagit County.
Our mission is to stabilize lives, equip people to meet their goals, and build a stronger, more equitable Skagit County.
Equity Statement:
We are guided by those we serve in our community. We believe that all of us can change values, beliefs, and policies to create a more equitable community. We recognize that the roots of poverty are embedded in trauma, oppression, and inequity. We support and encourage diverse leadership and representation. We have a lot to learn by listening to people with this lived experience in poverty, homelessness, and inequity based on race and other identities.
Community Action was established in Skagit County in 1979 and grew as the community needs and resources were identified. Currently we support eight major program areas with multiple and inter-related services that stabilize lives and equip people to move out of poverty. We also work in collaboration with the community to create ongoing pathways to prosperity.
We are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of twelve members representing the public, private and low-income sectors in equal proportion. With our excellent and engaged Board, tenured senior management team, dedicated staff of between 90-110, and a variety of programs designed to meet local needs, our agency is well positioned to facilitate positive change in our community.
Community Action is not merely a nonprofit social service agency. While many of our programs meet basic needs of people struggling to make ends meet, our purpose is to alleviate poverty and help people attain a level of self-sufficiency. As some would say, we are a trampoline, not just a safety net.
Imagine the uncertainty of not knowing how to provide your family their next meal, the limitations of not being able to read a job application, the despondence associated with losing your home, or the fear of having a sick child and no health insurance to enable you to see a doctor…..these are the faces of Community Action of Skagit County. Every year, Community Action provides the tools to over 30,000 people to move beyond crisis and onto the pathways of self-sufficiency.
Community Action focuses roughly two-thirds of its resources on goal-oriented interventions, as opposed to one-time help. Essentially, while we do assist those in need with gas or clothes vouchers, or help with paying a power bill, our true mission is to connect with families over an extended period of time – working to offer educational and goal-setting opportunities to help individuals and families achieve major life changes.
Because we provide a large array of diverse services, Community Action takes pride in saying that no other local social service organization provides the magnitude of anti-poverty services that we do! Our agency has eight impact areas:
- Family Stability
- Housing Support and Homeless Prevention
-Financial Stability
- Employability
- Education and Asset Building
- Healthy Community
- Food and Nutrition
- Community Engagement and Volunteerism
Products & Services
Building Stronger CommunitiesWe create a thriving community for all when we work together. , Our vision is a community in which everyone works together to end poverty in Skagit County. Our mission is to stabilize lives, equip people to meet their goals, and build a stronger, more equitable Skagit County. , Equipping Families for SuccessWe believe in the power of neighbor helping neighbor to help move people beyond a crisis and towards a more self-sustaining life. , We are guided by those we serve in our community. We believe that all of us can change values, beliefs, and policies to create a more equitable community. , Welcome to Community Action of Skagit County. With services that reach people in all corners of the county, we have offices in Mount Vernon, Burlington, Concrete, Anacortes and NAS Whidbey, as well as facilities in Sedro-Woolley. , Stabilizing LivesWe believe in the strength and potential of people and offer several programs that provide basic needs, from housing to energy assistance.