JULY MISSION – CAP AGENCY GENERAL FUND

During the month of July, mission donations will go to further the work of the CAP Agency General Fund. Thank you for your generous support.

The CAP Agency assists and empowers people to achieve social and economic well-being by providing services in partnership with our communities.
Investing in People, Building Community

The CAP Agency is a private non-profit organization serving children, families, and older adults in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties. The agency is part of a national community action association focused on reducing poverty through Case Management, an integrated service approach that addresses strengths and barriers and creates a plan for increased self-reliance. Organized in 1965, the CAP Agency’s various programs “fill the gap” by providing assistance not available elsewhere. Each year, the agency provides services to approximately 32,000 residents in the tri-county area.

Programs and Services

Nutrition
Meals on Wheels—annually provides home delivery of more than 53,000 nutritious, hot meals to home-bound residents in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties.
Senior Dining—each year offers nutritious, hot noon meals to nearly 1,000 older adults at 20 congregate dining sites throughout Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties.
Food Shelf—located in Shakopee, a five-day supply of nutritionally balanced food is being provided to 1,000 individuals and families each month in Scott and Carver counties.
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)—promotes good health by providing nutrition information and counseling along with supplemental foods to over 2,400 women, infants, and children every month in Scott and Carver counties.

Education
Head Start—a family-centered preschool program providing education, social services, and health and nutrition services to more than 500 children 3 or 4 years old (before September 1) and their families living in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties. Early Head Start is a home-based, year-round program for infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) and their parents residing in Dakota county. Group activities for the entire family are also provided.

Healthy Families—supports new and expectant parents from Carver and Dakota counties in the areas of child health and development, positive parenting skills, and a safe home environment through a home visiting program. Referral required.


Childcare and Crisis Care
Crisis Nursery—offers families in Carver and Scott counties up to 24 hours of overnight care or up to 5 days of day care for their children when the family is in crisis. Additional services are also available to help parents resolve the situation. Last year, 88 families turned to Crisis Nursery for help.
CCR&R (Child Care Resource & Referral)—connects families to childcare and supports childcare professionals in Scott and Carver counties.

Energy-Related Assistance
Energy Assistance Program—provides financial assistance to help renters and homeowners in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties pay a portion of their energy bill. Funds may also be available for energy crisis situations and energy-related repairs. Last year 4,950 households received energy assistance and 1,127 households
received crisis assistance.

Weatherization—helps reduce heating and cooling costs by providing insulation,
caulking, minor furnace repairs, and furnace replacement services to more than 55 homeowners in Scott and Carver counties.
Energy Related Repair Program—assists homeowners in correcting hazardous and life-threatening safety or no heat problems due to malfunctioning or nonfunctioning heating systems. Last year, 84 homeowners in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties received the safety repairs and installations.

Conservation Improvement Program—over 1,533 families in Dakota and Scott counties received electric conservation services and materials. CAP Agency partners with Dakota Electric, Minnesota Valley Electric and Shakopee Public Utilities to promote electrical conservation.

Clothing and Items
Thrift Shop—gently used clothing and small household items are available to residents of Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties at reasonable prices. The Thrift Shop is located at the CAP Agency office in Shakopee.
Emergency Services
Emergency Services—helps families in Scott and Carver counties get through an immediate crisis when all other resources have been exhausted. Families receive a grant or loan to assist with housing, employment, medical or personal issues.

Housing and Homeless Prevention
Permanent Supportive Housing—provides a CAP owned, rental unit for homeless individuals and families with disabilities in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties. Last year, this program housed 28 households.

Mainstream Section 8 Housing—provided 60 rental vouchers for individuals and families with disabilities in Dakota county.

Transitional Housing—provides a CAP owned rental unit to homeless families and individuals in Scott and Dakota counties (limit of two-year occupancy.) 26 families and 13 individuals received assistance last year.

HUD Transitional Housing—provides a rental voucher for homeless families living in Scott and Carver counties.
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Other Programs and Services
Chore—volunteers help with indoor and outdoor home maintenance for Scott and Carver county older adults so they can live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

Getting There—assists qualified households in Scott, Carver, and Dakota Counties to purchase affordable transportation through a lease-to-own program. Must be employed 30+ hours per week for 6+ months, have minor dependent children. Must attend financial education classes. Must be able to afford ongoing monthly payments and insurance.

FAIM (Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota)—helps qualified wage earners in Scott, Carver, and Dakota Counties to save for post-secondary education, first time home ownership or starting a business. FAIM matches $3 for every $1 saved. Financial literacy classes are required.

Food Support Outreach—helps Minnesotans with low-income get the food they need for sound nutrition and well-balanced meals. Under the guidance of the USDA and DHS, monthly benefits are issued in the form of a re-usable Electronic Benefit Transfer card.

Community Projects
Food Drives—throughout the year schools, faith communities, scouts, businesses and civic organizations help replenish the CAP Agency Food Shelf.

Give Where You Live—fundraising campaign to support services and programs of the CAP Agency. Kick-off event is “A Vine-a-Fare” held each year in mid-November.

School Supply Distribution—over 1,800 children in Scott and Carver counties start school with backpacks full of school supplies. The backpacks and school supplies are donated by community members, businesses, civic organizations and faith communities.

Hope for the Holidays—adopt-a-family holiday gift sponsorship project ensures a happy Holiday for children and families in Scott and Carver counties. To ensure that no child is forgotten during the holiday season, CAP welcomes Toy Drives to provide gifts for children whose families did not participate in the adopt-a-family project. Parents can select from the gifts and toys that are donated through toy drives. Last year, over 6,300 individuals received holiday gifts.

Minnesota FoodShare Campaign—CAP participates in the March statewide
campaign which supports local food shelves.