About Us
The Community Action Partnership of Riverside County is a member of a national network of over 1100 agencies across the US, in the Carribbean and the Pacific trust territories which were established under the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson for the purpose of eradicating poverty by removing barriers and enabling the poor in the pursuit of economic security.
The local model is a public entity which was designated an anti-poverty agency in July, 1979 to serve the 12 percent low income residents of the total county population of 2.5 million. CAP, Riverside is governed by the Board of Supervisors and administered by a tripartite Community Action Commission comprised primaries and alternates of 1/3 low income sector, 1/3 public sector and 1/3 private sector representation.
Having cautioned the Board of Supervisors against building another large county beauracracy and maintaining a small catalytic agency, CAP, Riverside relies on partners, volunteers and in-kind services to augment it’s 42 member staff and to serve the vast county which runs 250 miles from the Orange County to the Arizona border.
In 2003, the Board of Supervisors adopted a vision of ending poverty in Riverside County and CAP was awarded the prestigious national “Award for Excellence” in 2005.Some of CAP’s core values include:
- Education is the surest pathway out of poverty
- Access--No one should be disadvantaged by where they live
- Cooperate, support community organizations and share the wealth
- Enable the poor to speak to power in their own behalf
GOVERNANCE
CAP Riverside is provided direction by two statutory bodies:
Governing Board: The Riverside County Board of Supervisors, which is the final authority and responsible for policy decisions.
Administering Board: The Community Action Commission, which is responsible for program oversight and is composed of public, private and low-income representatives from the community. Community action works for change of the institution and empowerment of the individual.
The Commission meets ten times per year, excluding August and December, at the Banning Senior Center. The meetings are at 7:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. Twice a year, the Commission holds a joint meeting with the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.