I hope this newsletter finds you and your family well during these challenging times. For 51 years, Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) has provided direct services and programs for income-eligible residents. Our mission at CAASTLC is to end poverty, and we do this by offering programs and services that reduce the causes of poverty and the resultant impact on people’s lives. CAASTLC is one of 1,000 Community Action Agencies located across the United States. Currently, we serve more than 40,000 people annually, and we are committed to meeting the critical needs of our customers.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the response to the murder of George Floyd, communities around the world are dealing with unprecedented circumstances. As we work to help people better their lives, there is a negative force that is obstructing our efforts and the benefits to be gained by those we serve. Community Action was born out of the civil rights movement, and we continue to denounce all forms of violence and any acts that serve to dehumanize. Additionally, we denounce systemic practices that negatively impact the well-being and safety of our citizens who are low-income and/or marginalized. We do not condone racial or discriminatory actions. Nor do we condone the racially charged actions towards African Americans and people of color.
Community Action is about changing people’s lives, embodying the spirit of hope, and making America a better place FOR ALL to live! Community Action affirms that our healing as a nation is tied to strengthening our connections as neighbors, family members, co-workers, and communities. Our values assert, "We believe that all people should be treated with dignity and respect and recognize that structural race, gender, and other inequities remain barriers that must be addressed." We realize that poverty and its root causes will not be eradicated until this is done, and we are proud of our efforts to be part of the solution to these complex problems.
