Community Action Partnership Of Kern

COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN SHALL PROVIDE AND ADVOCATE FOR RESOURCES THAT WILL EMPOWER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT. COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF KERN (CAPK) IS THE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED ANTI-POVERTY AGENCY FOR KERN COUNTY AND HAS BEEN WORKING TO PROVIDE AN INTEGRATED NETWORK OF SERVICES SINCE 1965. THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES, CAPK HELPS PARTICIPANTS PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS, SECURE AND RETAIN EMPLOYMENT, MAINTAIN ADEQUATE HOUSING, RECEIVE MEDICAL SERVICES, OBTAIN ENERGY SUBSIDY AND WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE, ENCOURAGES PARENT PARTICIPATION, COUNTERACTS HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION, PROVIDES CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL EDUCATION, AND OTHE PERSONAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD AND ACHIEVE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY.

CHILD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES: TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE CHILD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR 2,465 INCOME ELIGIBLE CHILDREN SIX WEEKS TO FIVE YEARS OF AGE, AND THEIR FAMILIES. ALSO INCLUDES A STATEWIDE CHILD CARE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FARM WORKERS WITH A SAFE, NURTURING AND EDUCATIONALLY GROWING ENVIRONMENT.

NUTRITION SERVICES: INCLUDES THE (1) CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES NUTRITIONAL LUNCH MEALS AND SNACKS TO THE 2,225 CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE CHILD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROGRAM, (2) THE WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES TEMPORARY NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE AND COUNSELING FOR 13,482 PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT WOMEN, MEN AND GRANDPARENTS PER MONTH WHO ARE RAISING INFANTS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE NUTRITIONALLY AT RISK AND (3) THE FOOD BANK PROGRAM WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST FOOD BANKS IN CALIFORNIA PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE AND DISTRIBUTING MORE THAN 22.1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD ANNUALLY. WEATHERIZATION SERVICES: THE AGENCY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 300 HOUSEHOLDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. A RESIDENT CAN RECEIVE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE ONCE EVERY SEVEN YEARS. TO QUALIFY, THE APPLICANT MUST RESIDE IN KERN COUNTY AND HAVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME AT OR BELOW 150 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES.

ENERGY SERVICES: THE AGENCY PROVIDES UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 6,500 HOUSEHOLDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. AN APPLICANT CAN ONLY RECEIVE THIS BENEFIT ONCE IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. THE APPLICANT MUST RESIDE IN KERN COUNTY, HAVE A TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME AT OR BELOW 150 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES AND HAVE A UTILITY BILL WITH AT LEAST 30 DAYS OF SERVICE.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE (1) COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES THAT LINK KERN COUNTY RESIDENTS TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND SUPPORT. CAPK HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AS THE 2-1-1 PROVIDER FOR KERN COUNTY. SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. (2) FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES TO LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND SENIORS. (3) YOUTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON NUTRITION, EDUCATION, RECREATION, TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION AND ACTIVE HEALTH LIVING.