Mission
The mission of the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) is to reduce poverty among local families and individuals while working to counteract, and whenever possible eliminate, the societal conditions that cause and perpetuate poverty.CAAS's key strategies for accomplishing this mission are to:
(1) Expand and promote opportunities for all Somerville residents in the fields of education, employment, housing, health, and improved neighborhood life, and
(2) Serve as a structure for empowering both low-income constituencies and those whose full involvement in the community has been obstructed or discouraged by oppression and discrimination.
These strategies are implemented in the belief that by working together, people achieve more.
The three main outcomes that result when CAAS succeeds in this mission are:
(1) Vulnerable families and individuals realize additional potential through strengthening their families and support networks,
(2) Low-income people become more self-sufficient, and
(3) Local residents understand that they own a stake in the City of Somerville, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States of America, and therefore they participate more fully in civic life.
Vision Statement
CAAS envisions a Somerville community where all residents are able to achieve economic independence, mobility, and success.To achieve our vision for the community in an ever-changing environment, CAAS must be a financially stable organization and a leader in the community. Over the next three years, CAAS will:
- Strengthen the operations and programs of the organization;
- Build on past success by adding or re-establishing programs that have been proven effective;
- Provide for an integrated service delivery system and successfully integrate planning, data collecting, and evaluation processes into the day-to-day operations of the organization;
- Develop and communicate its “brand” effectively throughout the Greater Somerville area and beyond;
- Diversify its funding streams and increase its income from non-governmental sources;
- Establish critical staff support throughout the agency; and
- Find creative ways to use CAAS’ partnerships with other agencies to provide services and address policy changes.
CAAS will maintain a Board and staff that are highly competent, well-informed, flexible, and representative of the demographics of Somerville’s low-income community.
- The Board will regularly take part in training and conduct self-evaluation.
- The Board will use this Community Action Plan and the annual CSBG workplan to monitor the progress of the organization toward its goals.
- Board members will actively take part in the fundraising plans of the agency.
- The Board will stay aware of staff needs and work to ensure that staff compensation continues to increase and improve.
- The agency will offer professional development opportunities, placing a priority on assisting staff in obtaining required certifications.
- The agency will also establish internal structures and procedures to ensure the flow of information and coordination of effort among staff. We will create a “no wrong door” system where clients can access all services by entering the agency via any program or service and receive all the benefits for which they are eligible.
CAAS will respond to changing community needs. We are committed to continue serving new immigrant populations in a culturally competent manner as the countries from which they originate change over time. CAAS will continue to improve its ability to offer effective services for clients with disabilities.
Members of the CAAS Board and staff will work to influence policies and practices at local, state, and national levels that affect low-income people in areas such as affordable housing, immigrant rights, education, and community health. CAAS will play a key role in advocacy efforts by coalitions of concerned citizens and community organizations. We will raise public awareness and mobilize public opinion to help make CAAS’ vision a reality.
