Medicaid Expansion Closer for North Carolina | |
NCCAA Executive Director, Sharon C. Goodson, Patrick Woodie, President/CEO of the Rural Center and Nick Wood, President/CEO for Blue Heron Lobbying & Consulting after the NC General Assembly voted and passed Medicaid Expansion. | |
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After months of failed negotiations, North Carolina House and Senate leaders announced an agreement to expand Medicaid on Thursday.
The proposal would expand the government-funded health care program to an estimated 600,000 people. North Carolina has been one of a handful of states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Hear more on Medicaid expansion from Rob Schofield at NC Newsline
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2023 Annual Conference - May 9-12 | |
Have You Booked Your Room? | |
Please reserve Marriott rooms by the cutoff date of April 7. We're working to secure additional blocks of lodging, and should have more information soon!
Medical Note
Proof of full COVID-19 Vaccination will be required for all in-person attendees at the conference. Exceptions will be made for those who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical conditions only. If you have a medical condition that prohibits you from receiving the vaccine, a letter from a physician on their letterhead must be provided. Details on the individual condition are not required, but the letter must be from a physician that you are unable to receive the vaccine due to medical issues. Also, those with the medical exception will be required to provide proof of a negative test no older than 72 hours prior to arrival. Please email your exemption letter to registration@nccaa.net.
| Thank You to Our Conference Sponsors! | |
McKoy to be Keynote Speaker
Dr. Henry C. McKoy, Jr.,
Inaugural Director, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
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NCCAA Exec. Director, Sharon C. Goodson & friend at the WAGES Community Resource Day | |
Dr. Andrea Harris Community Action and Leadership Scholarship | |
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The North Carolina Community Action Association is proud to award its inaugural scholarship in honor of the late Dr. Andrea Harris. Dr. Andrea Harris was a trailblazer who never stopped fighting for social and racial equity. As the executive director of the Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity Inc., she was the first Black woman to oversee a community action agency in North Carolina.
A leader and advocate for the marginalized and disenfranchised, Andrea dedicated her life to overcoming barriers to economic growth and opportunity, especially for people of color and women in the state. Dr. Harris’ legacy of community service and leadership exemplify the heart of community action and we are proud to continue her legacy by supporting the next generation of community leaders.
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HHS Awards Nearly $1.6 Billion to Support Low Income Households to Lower Heating and Cooling Costs | | |
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced the award of $560 million this week in addition to the $1 billion awarded last month for a total of $1.56 billion to help cover American households home heating and cooling costs. The grant awards are part of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income households with their energy costs – a program that the Biden Administration significantly increased funding for through the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure law. This past year, LIHEAP served over 6 million households with heating, cooling, and weatherization services. This release brings the total LIHEAP funding for Fiscal Year 2023 to $6.1 billion, and is part of the Biden Administration’s broader efforts to lower costs for American families and give them more breathing room.
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Certificates Available in Case Management & Head Start
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The NCCAA's online certificate partnership with Southern University offers certificates in both Head Start Management and Case Management.
Our Case Management certificate program is a comprehensive, web-based certification curriculum developed in response to updated CSBG Annual Reporting guidelines and CSBG Organizational Standard 7.9. Agencies with enrolled staff will not only meet this critical organizational standard, but will also be able to document staff time spent completing the course in the newly updated Community Service Block Grant Annual Report.
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Community Action News From Around State
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WAGES Community Resource Day Serves 40 Families
March 23, WAGES hosted a Community Resource Day and it was a success! Over 40 families received diapers thanks to the Diaper Bank of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community Action Association. In addition to diapers and other baby items, our participants received information on continuing education, workforce, parenting, health, and more!
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Burke County Poverty Simulation a Success
NCCAA and Blue Ridge Community Action Inc in Morganton facilitated a NC Poverty Simulation Experience recently.
Poverty simulations are interactive immersion events that bring to life the challenging realities of daily life as a low-income individual. Our hope is that the experience builds compassion and awareness for the determination needed to survive one month in poverty.
Thank you to Western Piedmont Community College for coordinating the support for this event!
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Watauga Democrat: An Overview of WAMY's COVID-19 Response
In addition to providing individual support, WAMY also partnered with several agencies to help meet community needs throughout the pandemic.In total, more than 3,000 people were positively impacted by WAMY’s COVID-19 relief programs through direct services and partnerships.
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Iredell Free News: I-CARE program helps drive career change
Thanks to a Community Services Block Grant funded by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Economic Opportunity, I-CARE provides tuition assistance to adults with low incomes in Iredell and Alexander counties.
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Conceptual plans for a West Morganton Road mixed-use development that could support the West Southern Pines community needs more time for review, the town’s planning board said.
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Journal-Patriot: Speedways Charities Gives to Four Local Nonprofits
Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) distributed $40,000 Tuesday at North Wilkesboro Speedway to four local nonprofits.
Read Story
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Marketplace: Lower-income earners’ wages have grown faster than others
Workers in the lowest-paid jobs have gotten the biggest wage increases during the pandemic — much bigger than those in higher-paying jobs, according to a new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Because of that, the “college wage premium” has narrowed for the first time in decades. So has income inequality — wage inequality has fallen substantially in the last three years.
Read Story
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Americans are delaying needed health care because of inflation and housing costs
A Gallup poll shows Americans are delaying medical care because of rising inflation and housing costs. In Florida, the difficult tradeoffs become clear at a health fair for the uninsured.
Read Story
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April is Second Chance Month | |
Since its inception in 2017, each April’s Second Chance Month has marked an opportunity to help individuals, communities, and agencies across the country recognize the importance of reentry and their role in supporting safe and successful reentry.

In this interview, the National Reentry Resource Center Co-Director Caitlin Dawkins talks with Prison Fellowship’s Heather Rice-Minus about the history of Second Chance Month and what people can do to promote the dignity of and equity for people reentering their communities from incarceration.
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Share your community action career opportunities here and on our web page and have them distributed to 7000 emails | |
Working together to share the impact of Community Action
Does your Community Action Agency have impactful content to share? Let's collaborate. The NCCAA develops creative content year-round to celebrate, educate and inform. Let's amplify the voices of organizations in our network! Let's share the impactful work of community action and tell the stories of our clients! Reach out for collaboration: communications@nccaa.net.
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“I Am” Community Action Video
Please share this video in your social media!
The purpose of Community Action agencies is to provide a broad range of activities and services that help individuals move the needle towards self sufficiency. Our programs help and encourage children and youth, support the working poor, support individuals and households in crisis, sustain and honor the elderly, strengthen families and work to strengthen the entire community. #CommunityAction #NCCAA
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Share Community Action News | |
As a member of the NCCAA community, we work to empower low-income families, change people's lives for the better and improve the communities we serve. We are all dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. Please take a moment and forward this news to a co-worker and grow the community of professionals dedicated to this important work. | | | | |
