10-15-1984 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY BEING CPMSIDERED BY COUNTY BOARD The Hennepin County Board of .Commissioners has been considering the development of a Community Action Agency (C.A.A.) for rural and suburban Hennepin County. On June 5, 1984, the Hennepin County Board passed a resolution starting a process to create a private, non-profit C.A.A. West Hennepin Human Services Planning Board, South Hennepin Human Services Council and Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council developed a plan for a structure which was presented by County staff at public hearings in Crystal and Hopkins in July. 150 people attended these hearings and were in support of a C.A.A. The Human. Services Councils support the private, non-profit model because it provides the greatest participation of low-income citizens, local officials, and community - based organizations. This has been shown to be the most effective model of providing services and programs and would be able, through the strong community participation, to build on already available services. The proposed Board cf Directors will have 27 members: 1/3 elected officials, 1/3 representatives of the private sector (churches, social service agencies, unions, businesses, etc.), 1/3 elected persons, or representatives of persons, whose incomes are below the poverty guidelines. Persons who qualify according to the quidelines can place their own names on the ballot. Voting would probably take place at Surplus Commodity Distribution sites. The purpose of the C.A:,A. is to help the poor become self-stifficient. Its programs do not duplicate those that already exist in communities, but build on existing services currently being provided. A major activity is community outreach, that is, knowing who the poor are and how to reach them. According to the 1980 census, there are 20,544 residents of rural and suburban Hennepin County who are below the poverty level. C.A.A. resources will be available to help build on current programs such as Emergency Services, and/or start new program such as community gardens, health clinics, senior citizen programs. The Hennepin County Board is scheduled to designate the C.A.A. on AUGUST 28. After the County informs the State of this designation, the Governor must recognize the new C.A.A. within 30 days. After the State approval, the Human Services Councils and the Hennepin County Office of Planning and Development will organize the C.A.A. Board and apply for the funds. The three Human Services Councils are interested in involving as many low-income residents as possible in the planning process. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, PLEASE CONTACT THE HUMAN SERVICES COUNCIL IN YOUR AREA: SOUTH HENNEPIN HUMAN SERVICES COUNCIL 888-5530 NORTHWEST HENNEPIN HUMAN SERVICES COUNCIL 536-0327 WEST HENNEPIN HUMAN SERVICES PLANNING BOARD 920-5533 THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALIFICATIONS ARE YOUR INTEREST IN THE PROBLEMS OF THE LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN HENNEPIN COUNTY AND A WILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD TD BUILD A.'3 CortMUNTTY ACTION AGENCY.