In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act; which among many other things, included the creation of the Community Action Partnership. President Johnson chose Sargent Shriver to become the first director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. Despite lack of adequate funding, Shriver strove to drive the program forward. He created many new programs including the Head Start program which has produced tremendous results for under privileged youth. Today our agency carries out the work initiated by President Johnson through the ideals of Sargent Shriver. We work daily to care for our clients and provide them with the support that they need to one day be cured of poverty. Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
The Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut helps over 8,500 people battle poverty. Many of our clients receive more than one service from us. Most of them did not know that other services were available to them until their initial consultation. CAAWC serves not only as a means to obtain service, but also as a directory to discovering what new services are available. Its been an amazing 50 years, and we look forward to the next 50 years of serving our communities.
On November 12, 2015, CAAWC held a 50th Anniversary Golden Celebration at the Ethan Allen Hotel. During the celebration, Samuel R Hyman and the late Dorothy Outlaw were honored for their contributions to CAAWC.
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