Helping people help themselves

People . . . all people, black or white, rich or poor . . . may be unequally responsible for what has happened to them in the past, but all are equally responsible for what they do next.    -Charles Murray, from his 1984 book Losing Ground

On September 27, 1965, Southwest Georgia Community Action Council (CAC), Inc. was chartered, making the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 a reality in Southwest Georgia by helping socially and economically disadvantaged persons help themselves through a variety of programs.

Starting as a group of concerned Colquitt County citizens acting as an interagency council, Dr. Adeline Barber was asked to investigate the possibilities of accessing President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” programs being made available to communities.  Eventually Commander Robert J. Clinton, a retired naval officer, agreed to chair the group and seek funding from the newly created Office of Economic Opportunity.

The Area Planning and Development Commission (APDC, now the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission) in Camilla received the original funding.  APDC subsequently spun the program off, and CAC was chartered to serve the Southwest Georgia area with the corporate headquarters located in Moultrie.

Growing out of the dreams of a diverse group of visionary citizens with a sincere concern for the well-being of their community, CAC is a charitable private non-profit organization that now employs approximately 550 individuals and serves 21 counties through an estimated annual budget of $30 million.

Three major service categories define the array of services provided by the Agency: Community Services, Child Development, and Housing & Energy.  Services are provided through a network of Neighborhood Service Centers and Head Start Child Development Centers located throughout the service area.

Helping People Help Themselves is more than a motto.  Since 1965 it has been a way of life!