Gaston Community Action, Inc. (GCA) is a private non-profit corporation structured in accordance with standards and requirements of the federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and amendments and duly chartered by the State of North Carolina to operate anti-poverty programs on October 22, 1964.
Our Mission
“to stimulate a better focusing of all available local, state, private and federal resources upon the goal of enabling low income families, and low income individuals of all ages, in rural and urban areas, to attain the skills, knowledge, and motivations and secure the opportunities needed for them to become self-sufficient.”
To accomplish our mission, funding needs were met by administering programs for various funding sources (Italic denotes current funding sources) including North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, United States Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Department of Labor, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, United Way, Low Income Housing Development Corporation, Gaston County, Gaston and Lincoln Counties Department of Social Services, Child Care Services Association, Partnership for Children of Lincoln/Gaston Counties, Inc., Catholic Dioceses, Office of Economic Opportunity, North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Community Services Administration, Department of Energy, United States Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
This Agency has continuously provided services and advocacy in behalf of the poor and disadvantaged since its inception and charter. Some of the programs administered include Weatherization Assistance and Heating and Air Conditioning Repair and Replacement, Head Start Child Development, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Total Family Achievement and Homeless, Community Development, Family Resource Center, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Charter School, Individual Development Account, Emergency Food and Medical Assistance, Emergency Food and Shelter, Employment Assistance, Senior Citizen’s, Youth Counseling, Youth Recreation, Manpower Recruitment and Training, Housing, Energy Crisis Intervention, Fuel Assistance, Garden Projects, Information Referral, outreach programs, and adult education.
Programs presently being administered by the Agency are as follows:
Weatherization Assistance Program, funded by NC Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity, reduces the energy costs by installing measures that improve the energy efficiency of the home while improving the health and safety of the individuals. Assistance is provided to low income families that include as priority groups the elderly, families with children and persons that are disabled.
Heating and Air Conditioning Repair and Replacement Program, funded by NC Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity, inspects, repair/replace heating or air conditioning systems for energy efficiency and health and safety of individuals.
Head Start Child Development Program, funded by US Department of Health and Human Services, touches the lives of more than 650 children and their families on a yearly basis. The children receive educational, social development, medical, dental, vision and hearing screenings as well as other evaluations and services pertinent to a healthy, well-rounded child. Through parent skill building and curriculum understanding workshops, parents are provided valuable information on their role as the primary caregivers and educators of their children. This service is provided in Spanish also in an effort to reach all participants.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), funded by the US Department of Agriculture, National School Lunch Program, helps provide nutritious meals for low-income children and nutritional information to children and families we serve.
Total Family Achievement Program (TFAP), funded through pass through funds of NC Department of Health and Human Services, from the US Department of Health and Human Services, helps families change their lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities and provide case management along with direct provision of services that result in job placement and family income increases.
Charter School (Highland Charter Public School), funded by the NC Department of Public Education and US Department of Education, provides expanded learning experiences that allow students to achieve North Carolina’s proficient and advanced levels of performance. The education program integrates curricular, instructional and organizational practices so that enrichment is provided to maximize student achievement.
Individual Development Account Program (IDA), funded by the NC Department of Labor, trains participants on how to achieve economic success through savings and the receipt of matching funds for homeownership.
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP), funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, provides food and/or shelter assistance to individuals in need.
Services are provided in Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, and Stanly counties. The Weatherization/HARRP program is operated in Gaston, Cleveland, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union counties, Head Start and CACFP programs in Gaston and Lincoln, the Charter School in Gaston, IDA and EFSP in Lincoln county and TFAP in all four counties, Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland and Stanly.