OKANOGAN COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL INC

Would you like to be part of a truly grassroots effort to prove that Poverty—both crisis-derived and generational—can be eliminated? Then join us as we celebrate 60 years at Okanogan County Community Action Council. Community leaders came together in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty to develop community-driven solutions to our county's poverty. We've made strides over the years but have not won the battle yet.

In the next 60 years, we propose to set the standard for how frontier communities can reject poverty as a prominent component of rural life. We are embracing technology, educating community leaders about the challenges of poverty, and informing people living in poverty about the opportunities available as they set goals and implement a strategy for Getting Ahead with the help of community mentors.

Grassroots empowerment means EVERYONE in the county needs to be welcome to get involved and seek information that will better their lives. In the next few years, we will see a new facility called The Center that provides classrooms, meeting spaces, daycare, community kitchens and gardens, and regular access to education and advocacy opportunities via telecommunications infrastructure.

Moving into the future, our agency also will be providing much-needed low-income housing to address the current housing crisis and homelessness. We are partnering with the Colville Indian Housing Authority on our first new build, a 72-unit housing development called Senpaqcin, which means “dawn; first light in the morning" in Salish, the traditional language of our native population. One-third of the units will be set aside for tribal members, and homeless households will occupy 25% of the units upon entry.

We started as a few people dedicated to change. We are now a movement devoted to the idea that each of us has something to give to our community, and in turn, each of us will be enriched in the process.

Our vision for the future does not include people living in poverty but rather a community where people are housed, have their needs met, and give back to their community. Will you join us? This is going to be fun.