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About OACAA

OACAA exists to support its members and to strengthen a unified Community Action presence in Ohio. Forty-eight agencies across Ohio’s 88 counties strive to alleviate poverty and help low-income families and individuals reach self-sufficiency. For nearly 60 years, Community Action Agencies have administered locally controlled programs to meet the unique needs of each community. With over 6,000 combined employees across the state, the independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations have administered over $500 million in resources annually with a holistic approach for poverty solutions. Programs often include emergency services, early childhood and adult education, financial literacy, job training, housing initiatives, and much more.

More than 1.7 million Ohioans live in poverty with needs varying from person to person. Poverty is a statewide issue wearing local faces and touches urban, rural, and suburban areas. The shared mission of OACAA members allows each agency to address needs specific to their community and provide the unique solutions each situation demands. OACAA provides support, education, and advocacy to fulfill that mission.

OACAA strives to keep Ohio’s Community Action Agencies in the lead in the fight against poverty through quality training programs, raising awareness of poverty in Ohio, and awareness of the successful programs member agencies have used to battle the causes and effects of poverty. While we are pleased to share information about Community Action and our activities with all interested individuals and organizations, OACAA membership is limited to certified Community Action Agencies in Ohio.

Since 1971, OACAA has supported its members in the fight against poverty through quality training programs, raising awareness of the conditions of poverty in Ohio, and sharing the network's successful programs with state- and nationwide audiences. To celebrate OACAA's 50th anniversary (2021), the following commemorative video highlights the key moments and people that helped build the Ohio Community Action network.


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About OCATO

The Ohio Community Action Training Organization (OCATO) was established in 2001 to address the need for quality training for providers of services to low-income populations in Ohio. This training is geared not only to Community Action Agencies, but to all providers of services: public, faith-based, and non-profits.


Building on a 50-year-history of successfully implementing programs to assist low-income individuals, OCATO has developed an extensive array of useful training programs for both CAAs and other non-profit service providers.


Each of these programs can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the organization requesting training and can be delivered on-site. OCATO works with a requesting agency to determine the type of training needs, what should be covered and how long the training should last. Careful consideration is also given to selecting a trainer to teach the course in order to offer the best fit for the agencies’ needs.


All of our trainers are highly qualified with a higher education degree and several years of experience in the field they’re teaching. They also go through an approval process and must receive annual recommendations.

Ohio Districts
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DISTRICT ONE:

CAC of Erie, Huron & Richland Counties
West Ohio CAP
HHWP
Miami County CAC
Northwestern Ohio CAC
Ohio Heartland CAC
Pathway
Great Lakes CAP
DISTRICT TWO:

CA Akron-Summit
Ashtabula County CA
CAA of Columbiana
CA of Wayne-Medina
CAC of Portage County
Step Forward (formerly CEOGC)
Lifeline (Lake County)
Lorain County CAA
Mahoning-Youngstown CAP
Stark County CAA
Trumbull CAP
DISTRICT THREE:

Belmont County CAC
GMN Tri-County CAC
Harcatus Tri-County CA
Jefferson County CAC
Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland CAC
LEADS Community Action
Muskingum Economic Opportunity Action Group
Washington-Morgan CAP
DISTRICT FOUR:

CAO of Scioto
CAC of Pike County
Gallia-Meigs CAA
Hocking-Athens-Perry CAP
IMPACT Community Action (Franklin)
Ironton-Lawrence CAO
Jackson-Vinton CA
Lancaster-Fairfield CAA
Pickaway County CAO
Ross County CAC
DISTRICT FIVE:


Adams-Brown CAP
Bridges Community Action
CAC of Fayette County
Cincinnati-Hamilton CAA
Clermont County Community Services
Clinton County CAP
Highland County CAO
Miami Valley CAP
OIC of Clark County
SELF (Butler)
Warren County Community Services

DISTRICT SIX:

CA Akron-Summit
Stepfoward (formerly CEOGC)
Cincinnati-Hamilton CAA
Pathway (Lucas)
IMPACT (Franklin)
Mahoning-Youngstown CAP
Miami Valley CAP
Stark County CAA
RPIC REGION V
The Regional Performance and Innovation Consortia (RPIC) is a collaboration of state associations to serve as a regional focal point to lead Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) Training and Technical Assistance.

RPIC Region V is comprised of six states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Each state is represented by that state’s association of Community Action Agencies. The steering committee for this region is called the Mid-America Community Action Association (MACAA) and is comprised of the executive directors and board presidents of each state association.
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