MONTGOMERY— Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded grants totaling $11 million for programs that help low-income residents take steps to secure gainful employment and improve their quality of life.
The Community Service Block Grants will enable 21 community action agencies throughout the state to assist low-income residents achieve self-sufficiency and address barriers to success through a variety of programs and services. The specific needs of the communities served determine which programs are available, which can include job search assistance and short-term employment skills classes, parenting classes, transitional housing, summer youth programs, financial literacy programs and emergency food and shelter.
Residents seeking assistance should contact their local community action agency. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Data from the 2010 Census and the poverty level of the counties served are factors used to determine the amount awarded to each agency.
Bentley awarded grants to the following agencies:
- Community Action Partnership of Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties Inc. (Madison and Limestone) – $669,977. Phone: 256-851-9800
- Community Service Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Choctaw, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Tuscaloosa, Sumter) – $817,761. Phone: 205-752-5429
- Walker County Community Action Agency Inc. (Walker) – $173,765. Phone: 205-221-4010
- Pickens County Community Action Committee Inc. (Pickens) – $74,467. Phone: 205-367-8166
- Organized Community Action Program Inc. (Bullock, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Lowndes, Pike) – $511,660. Phone: 334-566-1712
- Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale) – $424,069. Phone: 256-766-4330
- Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. (Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall, St. Clair) – $859,246. Phone: 256-638-4430
- Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. (Cullman, Lawrence, Morgan) – $492,262. Phone: 256-355-7843
- Montgomery Community Action Committee Inc. (Montgomery) – $578,759. Phone: 334-263-3474
- Mobile Community Action Inc. (Mobile, Washington) – $1,125,460. Phone: 251-457-5700
- Marion-Winston Counties Community Action Committee Inc. (Marion, Winston) – $143,779. Phone: 205-921-4224
- Macon-Russell Community Action Agency Inc. (Macon, Russell) – $238,051. Phone: 334-727-6100
- Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (Jefferson) – $1,394,224. Phone: 205-327-7500
- Human Resource Development Corp. (Barbour, Coffee, Geneva, Henry, Houston) – $525,483. Phone: 334-347-0881
- Etowah County Community Services Program Inc. (Etowah) – $240,921. Phone: 256-546-9271
- Elmore/Autauga Community Action Committee Inc. (Autauga, Dallas, Elmore, Perry) – $435,541. Phone: 334-567-4361
- Eleventh Area of Alabama Opportunity Action Committee Inc. (Chilton, Shelby) – $302,069. Phone: 205-755-1204
- Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa (Chambers, Tallapoosa, Coosa) – $222,937. Phone: 256-825-4287
- Community Action Agency of South Alabama (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe, Wilcox) – $788,042. Phone: 251-626-2646
- Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. (Lee) – $349,659. Phone: 334-821-8336
- Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun, and Cleburne Counties (Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega) – $647,734. Phone: 256-362-6611
Full contact information for each agency can be found at www.caaalabama.org/agency-list.php
MEDIA RELEASE/ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS/Russell Sellers, Mike Presley
