WHO WE ARE
Founded in 1965, HACAP (Hawkeye Area Community Action Program) was created to respond to local needs with local solutions. Over the years, our work has grown alongside our communities. From adding energy-saving weatherization services in the 1970s, to joining the Feeding America network in the 1980s, to expanding our service area to nine Eastern Iowa counties in 2020, HACAP has continued to evolve, always guided by the belief that opportunity should be within everyone’s reach.
Today, HACAP delivers 45 programs across Benton, Dubuque, Delaware, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties, supporting more than 78,000 individuals each year. As one of 16 community action agencies in Iowa, and part of a nationwide network of over 1,000 agencies, we are deeply connected to a larger movement working to reduce poverty and strengthen communities across the country.
Our mission is simple but powerful: helping people develop skills to become successful and build strong communities. Our vision is a future where all people have the opportunity to thrive. Guided by innovation, partnership, responsiveness, and leadership, we remain committed to doing this work with (and not just for) the communities we serve.
At the heart of HACAP is the Promise of Community Action: that change is possible, hope is powerful, and when people are supported and connected, communities grow stronger. Through collaboration with businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and community members, we continue to create pathways to self-sufficiency and opportunity.
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 Notice
Audit
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. HACAP is a proud member of the National Community Action Partnership, Feeding America and a United Way Partner Agency.
