Salt Lake CAP

In 2009 Salt Lake CAP served over 30,000 individuals with their programs. Over 2,000 Utah households currently have children enrolled in their Head Start and Early Childhood Education Programs. In the first quarter of 2010 they provided emergency food assistance to over 17,000 individuals through their emergency food pantries. Their food pantries are stocked thanks to individual contributions and contributions from the Utah Food Bank. They have five emergency food pantries.

Salt Lake CAP provides employment assistance, weatherization, food assistance, housing assistance, Head Start programs and utility assistance. They also act as public policy advocates. Salt Lake CAP's goal is to promptly stabilize a family in crisis and avoid the long-term consequences of costly dependency. They support a family's progress to self-sufficiency. They also have full-time advocates dedicated to interceding on behalf of the poor in Utah.

Community Action Programs were founded across the United States over 35 years ago by Congress as a centerpiece of the War on Poverty. Since then, over 1,300 Community Action Programs have been founded. CAPs are funded by the Community Services Block Grant.

In 2009 and 2010, Salt Lake CAP received ARRA funding to assist with their programs and expand needed services to families facing hardship during the economic downturn. They hired 92 new staff members to assist in program expansions. Some of the jobs are temporary and tied to ARRA funding.

The Salt Lake Community Action Program is directed by a twenty-four member tripartite Board of Directors. This unique and dynamic Board is structured to provide the Program with the broadest and most effective community representation possible. Eight members of the board are elected by low-income residents, eight are appointed by public officials, and eight represent the private sector, such as employers, service providers, and community advocacy groups. The Board provides a diverse yet essential combination of resources, perspectives, and backgrounds for finding and implementing solutions to a wide range of important problems in the community.

The Board of Directors has been providing support for low-income residents of Salt Lake and Tooele Counties since 1965. CAP is a broad-based group that assesses the needs of its low-income constituency, mobilizes substantial resources, and develops service delivery systems that most effectively address selected problems of the low-income population. The Board also serves as an advocate for low-income populations statewide, continually striving to foster better laws, regulations, attitudes, and social policies in the community.