Tri County Community Action (TCCA) is an anti-poverty agency serving Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties in central Pennsylvania. Sheila Derr joined TCAA as the Director of Early Childhood and Family Development in June 2020. and since has been working towards their primary goal: to disrupt the cycle of poverty. To make this goal a reality, TCCA prioritizes 1) understanding the cycle of poverty, 2) sharing this information with communities, 3) working with community members to support low-income families, and 4) creating innovative strategies to combat poverty and reduce its impact on communities.
Most of the families that TCCA serves live at or below the poverty line. For a family of 4, this involves a monthly income of about $3,600 or less. In this region, a living wage is about $7,500 per month for a single parent with two children. This means that many families need to navigate life with a gap in income (of about $3,800 or more).
Since its inception in 1966, TCCA’s mission and purpose has stayed clear and unwavering. Community engagement is the core of this organization. That is, TCCA wants communities to understand challenges of poverty and to invest in the development and delivery of programs and strategies to support people who need them most. Programs and strategies offered by TCCA focus on several outcomes:
- People earn enough to support their families.
- People have the resources they need.
- People live in the community of their choice.
- People have the skills and social capital to advocate for themselves and their children.
- Children become lifelong learners.
To support TCCA's goal of ending poverty and expanding opportunities:
Stay connected in all things community action. TCCA relies on people like you to be a part of the conversation and participate in local, regional, and legislative events they host. To sign up to receive news, updates, and stories, visit: www.cactricounty.org/emailsignup.
Take action in your community by volunteering with TCCA. There are multiple volunteer opportunities available for individuals and groups. Create your volunteer profile at www.cactricounty.org/volunteer.
Donate. You can become a Poverty Fighting Partner by supporting TCCA. Donations go towards helping families living in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties escape poverty permanently. To donate, please visit www.cactricounty.org/donate.html
For additional information, contact Sheila Derr or another member of TCCA at www.cactricounty.org or call (717) 232-9757. Follow their social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.