Who We Serve

The CAAS Advocacy & Community Services Program serves Somerville residents who receive an income up to 175% of the federal poverty level (for example, $39,112.50 for a family of four). The CAAS Head Start program mainly serves children from Somerville and Cambridge families who receive an income up to 100% of the poverty level (for example, $22,350 for a family of four) and a limited number of families up to 130% of poverty ($29,055 for a family of four).

CAAS staff work with Somerville residents from many countries, making programs available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, and other languages. CAAS office and program sites are wheelchair-accessible, and CAAS strives to make all its programs and services welcoming to people with disabilities. From October 2009 through September 2010, the people CAAS served were:

• 45% male and 55% female
• 46% adults ages 18-54, 32% children under the age of 5, 17% children ages 6-17, and 4% seniors ages 55+
• 37% White, 23% Black,7% Asian, 4% Multi-racial, and 29% other
• 22% Latino or Hispanic
• 13% people with disabilities

63% of the families CAAS served had some form of income and 35% earned wages by working. 37% of families reported no income and survived on the benefits that CAAS helped them obtain. (CAAS enabled over 300 residents of Somerville and surrounding communities to apply for food stamps and emergency assistance at CAAS instead of traveling to DTA offices in Revere-one hour by public transit.)

8% of the families CAAS served owned their own homes. 64% rented an apartment. 22% were homeless at the time they came to CAAS for help. CAAS prevented homelessness by providing legal assistance to 345 families who had received an eviction notice.