Tompkins Community Action is a private non-profit Community Action organization dedicated to moving people out of poverty through comprehensive programming.

SEE SCHEDULE OTOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION IS A PRIVATE, NOT-FOR PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAT HAD ITS GRASSROOTS BEGINNINGS IN 1964. ORIGINALLY TOMPKINS COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY CORPORATION OR EOC, AS IT WAS KNOWN UNTIL OUR OFFICIAL CORPORATE NAME CHANGE TO TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION IN 1999, BEGAN AS A LOCAL COALITION OF CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANTED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN TOMPKINS COUNTY. FORMALLY INCORPORATED IN 1966, THE AGENCY BECAME PART OF A NATIONAL AND STATE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES. FROM A SMALL NOT-FOR-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, WITH A YEARLY BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $25,000 AND A STAFF OF 3.5 EMPLOYEES IN 1966 OPERATING TWO PROGRAMS, EOC TRANSFORMED ITSELF AND HAS GROWN INTO TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION, A LARGE, MULTI-FACETED COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IMPLEMENTING AND INTEGRATING 21 PROGRAMS THAT SERVICE LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS. AS ONE OF TOMPKINS COUNTY'S LARGER EMPLOYERS, THE AGENCY CURRENTLY HAS A STAFF OF 104 PEOPLE WHO ASSIST YEARLY APPROXIMATELY 4,200 LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING. WE ENTER THIS YEAR WITH RENEWED COMMITMENT TO OUR MISSION, VISION, AND STRATEGIES FOR ENDING CYCLES OF POVERTY IN TOMPKINS COUNTY.HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS SERVED 350 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. PROGRAM DELIVERY SUPPORTED PREGNANT WOMEN, NEWBORNS AND CHILDREN UP TO 5 YEARS OLD IN BOTH CLASSROOMS AND FAMILIES' HOMES. WITH 28 CLASSROOMS COUNTY WIDE, COLLABORATIONS WITH THE ITHACA SCHOOL DISTRICT SERVING AS OUR DELEGATE IN 8 PRE-K CLASSROOMS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, INDIVIDUALIZATION TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING. IMPLEMENTING HIGH SCOPE CURRICULUM, PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON THE FIVE DOMAINS IDENTIFIED TO MEET SCHOOL READINESS GOALS THAT PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN. CHILDREN'S MATH AND SCIENCE SKILLS INCREASED BY 50% AND LANGUAGE LITERACY SKILLS BY 39% THIS PROGRAM YEAR. CHILD SOCIAL RELATIONS SKILLS INCREASED BY 38%; SHOWS A STRONG INDICATOR FOR SCHOOL READINESS AND TRANSITION SUCCESS. FAMILY SERVICES INCLUDED MONTHLY SOCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES, PARENT ACTION GROUPS, TRAININGS, SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND SEMINARS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE SERVED 95,109 BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND SNACKS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THIS YEAR AND EXPANDED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES LINKING ACTIVE MOVEMENT TO HEALTHY NUTRITION. THE FAMILY HOME LIBRARY PROVIDED 3,092 BOOKS AND FUNDING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES TOTALED $3,625,144 FUNDING FOR PROGRAMMING ($2,683,290 WAGES AND FRINGE BENEFITS, $575,223 OPERATIONS, $242,000 CONTRACTED SERVICES, $63,051 CONSUMABLES). AN ADDITIONAL $51,580 SUPPORTED AND EXPANDED STAFF AND PARENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING. OUR PRIMARY SCHOOL SUPPORT PROGRAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH PARENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN TRANSITIONING TO KINDERGARTEN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. ADVOCATES PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AT PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES, COORDINATED SERVICE DELIVERY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND SUPPORTED POSITIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FAMILIES AND SCHOOL SYSTEM STAFF. THE EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY WAS CLOSED TEMPORARILY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AT THE MAIN OFFICE AT 701 SPENCER RD. IN ITHACA NY. OUR VICTORY GARDEN INITIATIVE PROVIDED OVER 10,000 VEGETABLE AND HERB SEEDLINGS TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOW INCOMES WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS. THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM BRINGS FAMILY SERVICE STAFF FROM ALL AGENCY DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO TRAIN, SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE DELIVERY TO FAMILIES.IN 2018, WE PROVIDED HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 1149 HOUSEHOLDS AS THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR NYS HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL. THE TOTAL ANNUAL SUBSIDY PAID OUT TO LANDLORDS WAS $8,847,707. 120 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN OUR FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY (FSS) PROGRAM, WITH 68 PEOPLE EARNING ESCROW MONIES DUE TO AN INCREASE IN THEIR EARNED INCOME. ONE HOUSEHOLD TRANSITIONED FROM FSS INTO THE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM BY PURCHASING THEIR FIRST HOME USING THEIR RENTAL SUBSIDY. AS A PARTNER IN THE SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM OF TOMPKINS COUNTY, TCACTION PROVIDED 29 HOUSEHOLDS WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. TCACTION PROVIDED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 21 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS WHO MOVED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS. CHARTWELL HOUSE PROVIDED AFFORDABLE AND SAFE PERMANENT HOUSING FOR 17 PREVIOUSLY HOMELESS MEN IN RECOVERY. RESIDENTS CONCENTRATE ON HOUSING STABILITY, BUILDING LIFE SKILLS, MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT AND FURTHERING EDUCATION GOALS. OUR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES PROGRAM ASSISTED 6 YOUNG, HOMELESS, PREGNANT OR PARENTING FAMILIES IN ACHIEVING SAFE AND STABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WITH A FOCUS ON EDUCATION/GED ATTAINMENT, JOB PREPARATION AND PARENTING SKILLS. MAGNOLIA HOUSE, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR WOMEN IN RECOVERY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SERVED 17 WOMEN, MANY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. AMICI HOUSE OPENED IN FEBRUARY 2019 AND SERVES 26 YOUNG ADULTS AND 9 CHILDREN WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOLLOWING THE SAME PROGRAM PLAN AS OUR OTHER HOUSING SITES.OUR BUILDING PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE (TRADEMARKED) CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS PERFORMED ENERGY AUDITS, EFFICIENCY UPDGRADES AND RESIDENT EDUCATION ABOUT LOW AND NO COST WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY. THIS YEAR, 35 LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS BENEFITED FROM OUR WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 32 FAMILIES MADE ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH ASSISTED HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR, GREEN JOB NEW YORK AND BUILDING ENERGY SERVICES FEE FOR SERVICE WORK. THIS YEAR 31 LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED COST-EFFECTIVE ELECTRIC REDUCTION MEASURES THROUGH EMPOWER NEW YORK.