| |
|
|
| EOC Background and General Information |
| |
|
|
| Mission |
| “To
humanely focus all available resources to empower low-income
families and individuals working toward the skills, knowledge,
and motivation for self-sufficiency.” |
| |
| Vision |
| At
EOC, “Helping People. Changing Lives.” is
more than just a catchy phrase. The words challenge us
to treat all people with equality and dignity as we pursue
our goal of overcoming the barriers brought about by social
disadvantage and poverty. They call us to meet the challenge
of helping those we serve with empathy and remind us that
we are not immune to the forces of crisis that impact
the lives of individuals and families. The vision behind
“Helping People. Changing Lives.” compels
us to consider social issues and barriers, rather than
personalities. It eliminates the temptation to judge individuals
in their state of immediate need, and instead focus on
uncovering potential and worth. As a philosophy of living,
“Helping People. Changing Lives.” penetrates
beyond the workplace. These few words define a commitment
to the betterment of our families, neighborhoods, and
communities. They present opportunities for all of us.
These simple words – “Helping People. Changing
Lives.” – have captured the essence, history
and purpose of EOC over the past 45 years. They continue
to propel us forward in our mission to serve. |
| |
| Value
Statement |
| We
Value: …our clients, who are treated
with respect, dignity, and compassionate understanding.
…our employees, who are appreciated and treated
with fairness.
…excellence in leadership, with high ethical standards
to guide social change and innovation.
…diversity in our community that empowers low-income
persons to be dynamic, thriving, and self-sufficient.
…partnerships and collaborative relationships
with those who share our vision.
…advocacy for public policies that benefit our
clients and community.
|
| |
| History |
| Fresno
County Economic Opportunities Commission, known as EOC,
is widely recognized and is one of the largest nonprofit
community action agencies in the United States. Founded
in 1965, following the passage of the Economic Opportunity
Act of 1964, EOC has spent the past four decades investing
in people to help them become self-sufficient. The broad
scope of EOC’s services provides links in the human
service system in Fresno County, and throughout the Central
San Joaquin Valley. Because over one-third of the county’s
population is disadvantaged, EOC is vital to the Community’s
well-being. By providing employment and training, health
care, child care, life skills training, senior and youth
related services, EOC serves over 150,000 Fresno County
residents each year. The philosophy behind all of EOC’s
programs reflects a commitment to providing quality essential
services to those in need. For over 45 years, EOC
has built a strong foundation of services that offer support
to people in all phases of life. Programs designed to
meet the needs of youth are a major focus part of EOC’s
services. |
| |
| Timeline |
| 45 Year History of Community Action 1964-2009. |
| |
| Background |
When Congress passed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the goal was to obtain equality of opportunity in education, employment, health and living conditions for every American in our country. To realize this goal, nearly 900 locally-based Community Action Agencies were established throughout the nation; Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) is one of these agencies. The functions of the Commission as stated in its bylaws include the provision of encouragement, stimulation and assistance in the development of anti poverty action projects by public agencies, non-profit organization or indigent groups. Listening to the community and responding with action is a policy of the Commission. The mission of the agency is to assist disadvantaged person in developing their own capabilities to become more self-sufficient, independent members of the community.
The Commission is a non-profit (501(c)3) private corporation governed by a twenty-four (24) member tripartite Board of Commissioners under the auspices of the EOA of 1964. Eight members are public elected officials or their designee; eight members are from the business sector, public agencies, and community groups; the remaining eight members are elected low-income target area representatives from throughout Fresno County.
The scope of service provided by the agency consists of almost all facets of human services and economic development. They range from pre-school education to vocational training; from juvenile and drug abuse counseling to treatment for serious juvenile offenders; from youth recreation to senior citizen hot meal services; from energy conservation education to crisis intervention; from preventive health care to prenatal nutrition education; and from vocational counseling to job placement services.
EOC operates on an annual budget of approximately $160 million and employs over 1,300 full-and part-time staff members. Sources of revenues consist of all levels of government, donations, businesses and user fees. Due to the wide variety of services provided by the Commission, staff is extremely experienced in management, operations and financial aspects of all levels of human services and economic development. The agency’s success can be measured by the various dimensions of services and its demonstrated ability in reaching and servicing the target population. In the past year, for example, the agency provided preschool education and supportive services to more than 3,500 children, more than 4,000 youth received shelter and crisis support, senior citizens received more than 900 meals daily, more than 26,000 women and children received nutrition education and supplemental food vouchers per month, health services provided services to 4,592 patients, and more than 1,200 homes were weatherized to conserve energy and reduce fuel bills. |
| |
|
