March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 53 F

Community Action Agency celebrating 50 years of service

communityactionThe Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency is celebrating its 50th Anniversary by hosting an event showcasing its history and service to the community.  The celebration will be taking place from 6-10 p.m. on May 15th at the Doubletree Annapolis, and will feature national recording artist, Art Sherrod, Jr.  Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh will be the guest of honor at the celebration. 

“The staff and Board of Directors at Community Action take pride in our long history of bringing help, hope, opportunity and change to thousands of impoverished families in Anne Arundel County,” said Gretchen Huntley, Chief Executive Officer of the agency.

Community Action was incorporated in 1965 as a private, 501c3 non-profit agency to administer a Community Action program in Anne Arundel County under the auspices of the Federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.  In May 1968, then-County Executive Joseph W. Alton, Jr. designated the organization (then known as the Economic Opportunity Committee) as the anti-poverty Agency to serve the needs of the county.  For fifty years, Community Action has put a human face on poverty while advocating for those who don’t have a voice. 

Community Action provides opportunities for low-income residents to reach self-sufficiency through their participation in one or more of the Agency’s programs.  Current programs include:  Early Head Start, Head Start, Extended Child Care, Maryland Energy Assistance, Fuel Fund, Youth Services (mental health counseling and referrals), Empowerment Services (including mortgage default mitigation, workshops for first time home buyers, financial literacy classes, Rental Allowance Program, and emergency assistance), and the youth-focused Green Summer Works program.  As programming has evolved over the past five decades, the Agency’s goal to help lead, teach, guide, empower, assist and positively impact the community has remained steadfast.

“The Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency has been a staple in the community for 50 years,” stated Leslie Stanton, Chairman of the Board of Director of the Agency. “The passion, commitment, and diligence to provide those eligible residents with needed services speaks highly of those individuals who have contributed to the longevity of Community Action in some form or another, such as staff, board members, volunteers, community partners, donors, etc. The community of Anne Arundel County has benefitted from the presence of the Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency.” 

The Agency invites community members to join the celebration of their accomplishments as they have answered the call of the most vulnerable members of Anne Arundel County.  Tickets for the event are $50 per person and can be purchased by visiting www.CAA50.org or the Agency’s office at 251 West Street in Annapolis.  For more information, please feel free to contact Ms. Jackson at 410.626.1900 x1019.

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