Helping people. Changing lives.

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP)

The mission of the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania is to strengthen, advocate for, and empower the state network of Community Action Agencies to effectively address issues of poverty.

What is Community Action?

Community Action is the authority on addressing poverty in Pennsylvania.

The Community Action network is comprised of public and non-profit community-based organizations (CBOs) of Community Action Agencies across all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Each agency is uniquely addressing the Social Determinants of Health through various programming, informed by regular Community Needs Assessments, to understand the needs of those most vulnerable in every community.



Looking for help utilizing the PA Navigate system in your organization? We are here to help!
Powered by Community Action Association of Pennsylvania, we are here to help with onboarding, ongoing training, and resources. Our Community Engagement Team is dedicated to the support of organizations in PA Navigate— from claiming your listings, to utilizing PA Navigate’s free tools for social and community service organizations, we are here to help you get the most for the communities you serve.

PA Navigate Resouces



2024 Community Action Association of Pennsylvania Annual Impact Report

This year, over 503,133 individuals were served by Community Action Agencies in Pennsylvania.

Collectively, the Community Action network’s programming ensures the most vulnerable populations across Pennsylvania can access interventions, programming and emergency services that impact pivotal elements of addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). On the road to success and self-sufficiency, the barriers are not always the same and not always clear. Community Action programming is based directly on community needs assessments conducted within the communities they serve to identify and build services specific to that population.

The Thinking CAAP: A Community Action Podcast!

Tune in for advocacy, education, technical assistance, news, and networking for Community Action in the Commonwealth.
CAAP created this podcast as a resource for Community Action professionals to listen to on the go.
Listen for updates about CAAP and how they might affect you. Then dive into the “huggy heart” of the matter—where Beck and Amanda tackle a current topic that community action professionals like you are facing across Pennsylvania.
You can submit questions about community action issues for Beck and Amanda to answer in future episodes by emailing info@thecaap.org, subject line: thinking CAAP.

The Thinking CAAP

“I believe that the work of our network is to build a continuum where economic stability is just the beginning. Through our actions and partnerships, we have the opportunity to mobilize efforts that can lead to economic equity so every community can thrive. And if there is an anecdote for poverty it’s hope. Hope that we can make it to the next day but also hope that you can live out your dreams. I believe hope connected to action changes the landscape of our lives and the lives of generations to come.”

— Vanessa Philbert, CEO, Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County

Our Partners


“Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities and makes America a better place to live.”

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