| National Community Action Month |
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May is National Community Action Month National Community Action Month in May was created by the Community Action Partnership to reinforce Community Action Agencies' role helping low-income families achieve economic stability. During National Community Action Month, Community Action Agencies truly make the Promise of Community Action—to help people and change lives—come alive by hosting events that help put a "face" on the families living in poverty and the dedicated individuals who are helping them escape it. Success stories are honored and personal achievements are recognized. Some governors and mayors even proclaim May "Community Action Month" in their states and cities. Community Action Agencies also use National Community Action Month to call attention to poverty-related problems. As Community Action Agencies are showcasing their programs, they are also giving local residents-many who are unaware of the poverty in their communities-a first-hand look at the struggles low-income families face and how Community Action programs help these families achieve financial security. "Community Action: The Power of Partnerships" Partnerships are another key element of National Community Action Month. Over the years, Community Action Agencies have formed a variety of collaborations to enhance their ability to help people and change lives. New collaborations are formed when Community Action Agencies invite community organizations to sponsor or co-host their National Community Action Month events. Such partnershps encourage the entire community to advocate on behalf of the 39 million Americans living in poverty. Partnerships help avoid duplication of services and ensure that all available resources are being used to maximize efforts to help make local communities better places to live. And in this difficult economy, they take on more significance. With budget cuts and fewer employees, it can be a struggle to continue delivering services to the most vulnerable people. Collaborations help keep the most critical programs up and running and available to those who need it by sharing resources and staff, and making referrals. During the 2010 Annual Convention—where the theme "Community Action: The Power of Partnerships" will be celebrated—the Community Action Partnership will give the Corporate Partnership Award to the CBS network for its collaboration with the California/Nevada Community Action Partnership and the Illinois Community Action Association on the development and production of 30 second videos that have aired on local CBS stations in California and Chicago and show how Community Action Agencies are using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to offer employment and training services, provide Weatherization training, and manage a YouthBuild program.
Community Action
Agencies Celebrate National Community Action Month
Here are some of the CAAs that plan to celebrate National
Community Action Month in May
CALIFORNIA
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY Community Action of Southern Kentucky (Bowling Green, KY)
MINNESOTA
NEBRASKA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW YORK
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
UTAH
VIRGINA
WYOMING
 The 2010 NCAM Planning Guide is now available!
Annually in May, we shine the spotlight on Community Action success stories. Celebrate your successes, raise the visibility of Community Action across the nation, and build unity in our network.
National Community Action Month (NCAM) was created in May 1997 as "National Community Action Week" and became "National Community Action Month" a year later. NCAM offers the network a specific time frame to spotlight the creative ways Community Action is helping people and changing lives, to demonstrate our strength and unity as a network, and to increase our national visibility as the country's largest anti-poverty network.
CAAs embody the spirit of hope for 10 million Americans everyday. But May is our chance to take time out to "toot our own horns" and show the community what we do. The month is filled with a variety of events, special projects, and ceremonies highlighting our success stories, partnerships, volunteers, and program participants.
NCAM is a time for us to increase media coverage and expose our work to a wider audience. Most importantly, it shows us and the rest of the community how we live the Promise of Community Action.
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