Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County

Mission

The Community Action Program of Lancaster County champions the achievement of long-term self sufficiency for individuals and families through services and advocacy targeting the elimination of poverty.

The Community Action Partnership is Lancaster County’s largest anti-poverty organization and boasts a service profile that interrupts inter-generational poverty with programs that assist families at every age and place in life.

Knowing that poverty is complex and its contributing factors vary, CAP is committed to creating innovative, person-centered initiatives, including social enterprise businesses, to augment our many long-standing and successful anti-poverty programs that advance the social and economic mobility of families. CAP is person-centered, outcomes-based, data-driven, and focused on greater sector impact and systems change.

Mission: Empowering Community, Driving Action, and Building Partnership to Eliminate Poverty. 

Our Programs

CAPital Workforce, the umbrella for two social enterprise initiatives: CAPital Construction, which gives second-chance employment and skills training in the construction field to individuals with a criminal record, and Reunion Food Truck, which trains individuals with barriers to employment in the culinary arts and also supports the community feeding program at the Crispus Attucks Community Center

Crispus Attucks Community Center, strives to improve the quality of life for youth and families in Lancaster by providing services that promote community prosperity, physical and mental health; and by offering programs and cultural events which preserve the African American heritage.

Domestic Violence Services, which provides emergency shelter, counseling, legal and housing services, and children’s programming for victims of domestic violence and their children

Early Childhood Education, which provides comprehensive birth-to-5 programming in all Lancaster County school districts.

Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC, formerly CCIS), which supplies child care subsidies for low-wage earning parents who are working or enrolled in training or education programs

Lancaster Re-Entry Coalition (formerly, RMO for Returning Citizens) which provides resources, mentoring and opportunities for individuals who are returning to the community after incarceration

Navigation, which helps individuals and families chart their own pathway out of poverty by using person-centered planning

Parents as Teachers, a home-visiting program, which promotes positive child development through effective parenting early intervention services

Senior Centers, which offer members over age 60 free meals, educational activities and field trips, financial education, and wellness activities in Lancaster City and Columbia

Utility Assistance, which manages assistance programs for low-income customers of PPL and UGI

Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC), which offers nutrition education, healthy foods, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services for pregnant and post-partum women and children up to age 5