Program areas at ACCAP
Head start program:head start is a multi-faceted child and family development Program for income-eligible households in Anoka and Washington counties in Minnesota. The Program is designed to help pregnant women and children, aged birth to five, and their families achieve their full potential. During 2023 577 children were served.
Senior programs: senior programs are available to assist seniors in accessing programs and services to allow them to live independantly. Senior outreach served 821 clients in 2023. The chores and more Program assists with services such as lawn care, snow removal, laundry and other housekeeping activities, in 2023 496 clients were provided 2,991 services. Senior kinship connects seniors with volunteers to do weekly visits, in 2023 there were 19 clients served by 21 volunteers.
Building operations:the building operations Program operates affordable and subsidized rental housing. During 2023, there were 303 rental units that served 326 households. The housing stock includes single family homes, townhomes/duplexes, apartments and single-room-occupancy shared housing. The organization offers rent subsidies under one circumstance: the first is the senior section 202 building with 24 units; otherwise, our rents are limited to 30%, 50% or 60% of 30% of area median income where the organization has used federal, state, County or federal home loan bank development/redevelopment resources. There are a handful of rents that are market rents which we would set at a maximum of the fair market rent, which would qualify the unit for section 8 tenants. The rents we may charge are reduced by the utility allowance for the unit. Anoka County Community Action Program collaborates with Anoka County and housing non-profits to serve vulnerable populations that include persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities. The organization operates 12 single family homes that serve persons with developmental disabilities in group settings. We also cooperate with private agencies that serve Anoka County clients who are disabled individuals in semi-independent living environments.
Energy assistance program:the energy assistance Program is available to assist qualified low-income households with fuel and electric bills. Energy grants are based upon heating costs for the previous heating season, income and household size. Grants are paid to the utility company(s) on the household's behalf. Energy assistance also qualifies households for weatherization and energy related repair programs, and may be documentation of eligibility for other programs, such as affordability programs through utility company. The energy assistance Program for Anoka County served 4,879 households with primary heat grants for utility billing assistance, 1,400 households with crisis payments for utility billing assistance and 69 households with energy related payments during the 2022-2023 Program year ending september 30, 2023.