HACAP is where people turn.
Our 45 programs are filled by local staff and volunteers who serve thousands of neighbors every year. We call them our neighbors because that’s exactly who they are: members of our community. The working parents. The family who has to choose between food and gas. The child who discovers the wonder of learning. We find the gaps and fill them. We identify problems and solve them. We connect people to what they need to not just get by but get ahead.
Our Mission
Helping people develop the skills to become successful and build strong communities
Our Vision
A thriving community where all people have the opportunities for success
Our History
For more than 60 years, HACAP has been by and for Eastern Iowans, helping our neighbors so they can do more than just get by; they get ahead. Thousands of neighbors across nine counties turn toward HACAp. The result, as our history shows, is a stronger community for everyone.
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1965: HACAP is established as part of the nationwide Community Action Network, created through the Economic Opportunity Act to provide local solutions to poverty.
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1968: Operations officially begin, serving families in Linn, Johnson, and Jones counties.
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1970s - HACAP launches Weatherization Services, helping low-income households reduce energy costs and improve home efficiency.
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1973-1981 - The agency expands its service area to include Iowa, Benton, and Washington counties, bringing programs and resources to more Eastern Iowa communities.
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1980s - HACAP joins the Feeding America network, significantly increasing its capacity to distribute food and address hunger across the region.
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2008: The agency serves as a central call center for United Way 2-1-1 during historic regional flooding in Cedar Rapids.
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2020: Dubuque, Delaware, and Jackson counties are added, expanding HACAP's total coverage to nine Eastern Iowa counties (Linn, Johnson, Benton, Jones, Dubuque, Delaware, Washington, Jackson, and Iowa).
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2020: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating derecho that caused widespread damage across Eastern Iowa, HACAP mobilized large-scale food giveaways and emergency assistance efforts to help thousands of neighbors access essential resources.
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Today - HACAP serves communities across Eastern Iowa through programs focused on food assistance, early childhood education, energy conservation, housing, transportation, volunteer engagement, and other services that help individuals and families thrive.
Our Strategic Initiatives
1. Affordable Housing for All - Strengthen our community through housing stock improvements, renovations, and/or the expansion of low-income housing through community partnerships.
2. Child and Family Life - Strengthen our community through the improvement of local child care quality and the provision of age-appropriate education and development activities for low-income children and parents.
3. Food Security - Strengthen our community through an improved food pantry/meal site network and improved access to low-cost, nutritious food for low-income populations.
4. Financial Stability - Strengthen low-income households through improved financial stability.
5. Agency Excellence - Improved service delivery quality by strengthening the agency’s capability to assess, measure, and report its collective impact on local poverty.
6. Responding to Emerging Needs - Strengthen our community through a rapid response to emerging factors linked to the causes of poverty.
Financial Information
Public Notices
HACAP is a proud member of the National Community Action Partnership, Feeding America and a United Way Partner Agency. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
