Community Action

Categories
Corona Virus Updates

Covid 19 Update March 18, 2020

CUSTOMERS NEEDING ASSISTANCE

Our staff remain available to help low-income customers in various ways.  As of March 19, You can reach us by calling 836-4500.

  • Head Start and Early Head Start classes are closed, matching the closure of the school districts.  Classes are NOT in session at the Wheatley Early Education Center.
  • Inquiries about rent, utility assistance, or other basic needs can be made by calling 836-4500.  Customers are highly encouraged NOT to walk-in for assistance as appointments will be necessary and we don’t want to use your transportation means or fuel unnecessarily.
  • Weatherization inspections are on hold until further notice.
  • Diaper Depot distributions will proceed as scheduled.  Current Diaper Depot customers with questions should call 836-4500.
  • Commodity deliveries will proceed as scheduled.  Current commodities customers with questions should call 836-4500.
  • Mobile food pantries in Auburn and Rossville will proceed as scheduled.  Volunteer assistance is needed for packaging food boxes.  Customers and volunteers can call 836-4500 to inquire.
  • English Language Classes will be held online, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Current students are being called with arrangements.  Interested students may call 836-4500.
  • AARP Tax Preparation Services are canceled until further notice.  All customers with appointments are being called.  Rescheduling is not, unfortunately, an option at this time. Customers with questions may contact 836-4500 or may call Community Resources Council staff at 233-1365.

Watch here and on Facebook for additional updates, and, stay well.

Categories
Uncategorized

Free English Language Classes

Board members kicked off our first board meeting of the year by supporting our Latino Family Development program! Community Action is hosting English language classes starting this month. Please call 785-836-4500 for more information.

Categories
Director's Notes

An Unexpected Gift

Recently, a Community Action team member walked into my office with her confused looking supervisor following behind.  The two seated themselves, and, after a bit of small talk, the team member announced, matter-of-factly, “I asked my supervisor to come here with me because I have something to say.”  The supervisor and I exchanged glances.  It’s almost never good news when a conversation in the Executive Director’s office starts this way.  “You’re always asking us,” she began, “what we’ve learned about poverty at Community Action.”  That’s true.  At least twice a year we ask our team members what their experiences have taught them about our agency, our community, or about poverty in general.  I love reading the answers that come across my desk.  Sometimes they’re data-driven, like, “I learned that over 70% of our customers last year were employed, but still needed our services.”  Sometimes they have a more humanistic tone, such as, “People in poverty aren’t usually lazy.  They just need a little help now and then.”

With a serious look on her face, the team member in my office continued.  “I’ve been thinking about that question and last night, the answer finally struck me.  It was so meaningful to me that I wanted to share it with you both at the same time.”  She straightened her posture and continued, “Since I started work here, the most important thing I’ve learned is compassion.  I’m not a very patient person sometimes and I like for every little detail to be just right.  Working with my supervisor has helped me understand that we can be accountable and compassionate at the same time.” She added, “it really makes a difference to the people we work with.”  Technically, compassion means a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress, with a desire to alleviate it.”

At Community Action, we fight poverty by providing a wide variety of supports to families and communities.  And we do so with a sympathetic consciousness of the distresses and problems our customers are experiencing.  We meet them where there are and help situate them to alleviate those stressors.  It’s unlikely the team member in my office had taken the time to research exactly which word she wanted to use to describe her “Eureka” moment to her supervisor and me, but she certainly, innately, nailed it with, “compassion”.   The team member went on to compliment her supervisor for being a positive example and I thanked them both for sharing the gift of that moment with me.

I love the notion that Community Action staff members not only practice compassion with our customers, but that we also role model it for one another.   So today, to all the compassionate poverty fighters out there, I say, “Way to #BeCommunityAction!”

Categories
I Want To Volunteer

Join our Board of Directors!

About our Board

At Community Action, we fight poverty. We use advocacy, resource coordination, and direct, supportive services to achieve our goals. Our work as a private, non-profit corporation is overseen by a 30-member, volunteer Governing Board of Directors. The members of the Board represent the communities we serve and are elected in 3 categories of concern: Private Sector, Public Sector, and Poverty Sector.

Opportunities

We are not accepting applications at this time. Check our website and Facebook page for updates on Board vacancies!

 

Categories
I Want To Donate Money Wish List

AmazonSmile

amazon

Amazon shoppers- you can now give back while you shop online

By only spending a few minutes to select your charity of choice, AmazonSmile provides an automatic way for you to support Community Action every time you shop! Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account, and search for Community Action, Inc. of Topeka, KS. Once you choose your favorite charitable organization, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price on eligible items to that organization– at no extra cost to you!

 

To learn more about the AmazonSmile program, visit smile.amazon.com and sign up today!

Categories
I Want To Donate Money I Want To Donate Supplies

Diapers and Diaper Depot Resources

diapersCommunity Action is pleased to partner with The Junior League of Topeka to support proud, low-income parents by providing a healthy diapering support system. We distribute 10,000 diapers per month and your donation of diapers and funds to support the program are critical. We encourage businesses and civic groups to consider hosting diaper drives and donating your collected diapers and cash to the program. Individual donations are also welcomed.

Learn more by calling us at 785-836-4500.

 

[button link=”https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Z9NHH4GVBAH24″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] DONATE NOW[/button]

Categories
I Want To Volunteer

Volunteers Needed for Senior Services

Mobile Food Pantry Volunteer

Hours: 12PM-2PM

Schedule: Every 4th Wednesday of each month weather permitting (except December and January)

Location: Rossville Mobile Food Pantry

Mobile food pantries distribute fresh produce and other nutritious foods to families in need at sites where access to food assistance is limited. Volunteers will be asked to:

  • Provide support in bagging and loading foods into cars as customers arrive
  • Assist with clean-up and getting rid of trash at the end of the event

Desired Skills:

  • Have a commitment to Community Action
  • Enjoy working with people
  • Able to keep client information confidential
  • Dependable, independent, and compassionate
  • Ability to stand for the entire duration of the volunteer activity
  • Willingness to be outside in any weather elements
  • Lifting is required, unless you have lifting restriction

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must be at least 12 years old
  • Must provide your own transportation to mobile food pantry

All volunteers interested in this opportunity will be interviewed by the Senior Services Coordinator staff, who will provide training on mobile food pantries, nutrition, and volunteer expectations. All supplies need to bag supplies will be provided.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact a Community Action Partner at (785) 836-4500.

Categories
I Want To Donate Money

Matching Gifts

Double Your Donation

Did you know many companies match the donations of their employees? You can double the impact of your donation by simply contacting  your HR department to see if your employer will match your charitable donation and completing a matching gift form.  With your help, our resources will expand and grow to further help the needs of those struggling in our community.

Once the appropriate forms are completed, please mail it to:

Community Action, Inc.
PO Box 5256
Topeka, KS 66605

Community Action is a nonprofit organization classified as tax exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Our tax ID number is 48-0780983.

Categories
I Want To Donate Money Uncategorized

Dillons Community Rewards

Dillons Community RewardsGive Back by Shopping at Dillons!

Do you have a Dillons Plus Shopper’s card? With just a few clicks, you can sign up to give back to Community Action each time you shop at Dillons at no cost to you!

Enroll by visiting www.dillons.com/communityrewards and select Community Action, Inc. (or search by # 76611), and Community Action will earn funds to further meet the needs of our community.

 

[button link=”https://www.dillons.com/communityrewards” newwindow=”yes”] ENROLL NOW[/button]