About West Virginia Community Action Partnership, Inc.

The West Virginia Community Action Partnership, Inc. (WVCAP) is a statewide membership organization for the 16 Community Action Agencies in West Virginia. Initially established in 1966, WVCAP serves as the voice for the local Community Action Agencies and low-income individuals and families on a statewide basis. WVCAP works in partnership with the WV Office of Community Advancement and Development (WVCAD) to identify training needs and coordinate training opportunities for the Community Action Agencies. WVCAP facilitates bi-monthly meetings that allow Community Action Agency leaders the platform for sharing resources and ideas. WVCAP works closely with our lobbyist to promote legislation that supports the efforts of local Community Action Agencies, while protecting the interests of low-come individuals and families. WVCAP advocates for and supports public policy beneficial to the needs of local Community Action Agencies.

WVCAP is a private nonprofit corporation governed by a Board of Directors. Each Community Action Agency appoints an official representative to serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors. Non-voting membership categories include Network Association Membership, Corporate Membership, and Associate Membership.

Our Vision

WVCAP is dedicated to eliminating the causes of poverty.

Our Mission

WVCAP is an alliance of Community Action Agencies that supports and strengthens our members, advocates for low-income individuals and families and promotes partnerships.

The History of Community Action

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the “War on Poverty” and created a task force headed by Sargent Shriver to assist with developing policy for his anti-poverty agenda. The result of this effort was the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The EOA Act defined a model local delivery entity called a Community Action Agency and defined their purpose. The organizations were

“…to stimulate a better focusing of all available local, State, private, and Federal resources upon the goal of enabling low-income families, and low-income individuals of all ages, in rural and urban areas, to attain the skills, knowledge, and motivation to secure the opportunities needed for them to become self-sufficient.”

Funding to the CAAs came directly from the federal level to the local entity.

Under President Gerald Ford’s administration, the Economic Opportunity Act was terminated and replaced with the Community Service Act. Although the name changed, the purpose and structure remained the same and funding continued to come directly to the CAAs, by-passing the States. In 1981 under President Ronald Reagan, the Community Service Act created the Community Service Block Grant and defined the role of the States to administer the funds. An office was established in the Department of Health and Human Services to transfer funds to the States. The purpose and utilization of CAAs remained the same.

In 1989, the Community Service Block Grant Act was passed into law and is the legislation in which CAAs operate under today.

WVCAP Staff

Mary Chipps
Executive Director, WVCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email mchipps@wvcap.org 
PH 304-347-2277

Brooke Kouns
Executive Assistant, WVCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email: bkouns@wvcap.org

Megan Acord
Training Coordinator, WVCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email: macord@wvcap.org

Megan Kleinschmidt
SSVF Program Manager
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email mkleinschmidt@wvcap.org

Vacant
Healthcare Navigator, SSVF
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311

April Shaver
Healthcare Navigator, SSVF
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email ashaver@wvcap.org
PH 304-612-6271

WV RCAP Technical Assistance Providers

Mary Hutson
State Coordinator & Technical Assistance Provider
WV RCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email mhutson@wvcap.org 
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 304-542-3122

James Morris
Technical Assistance Provider
WV RCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email JMorris@wvcap.org 
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 304-320-6776

Alan Marchun
Technical Assistance Provider
WV RCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email amarchun@wvcap.org 
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 681-446-3693

Kristina Ward
Technical Assistance Provider
WV RCAP
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email KWard@wvcap.org
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 304-651-3355

Mat Wiseman
Technical Assistance Provider
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email MWiseman@wvcap.org
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 304-545-1546

Becky Payne
Technical Assistance Provider
One Creative Place
Charleston, WV 25311
Email rpayne@wvcap.org
PH 304-347-2277
CELL 304-546-8038

Board Officers

Dreama Padgett, President
Mountain Heart Community Services, Inc.
PO Box 1509
Oceana, WV 24870
Email dpadgett@mountainheartwv.org
PH 304-682-8271

Matthew Hinkle, Vice President
Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency Chief Executive Officer
228 Clay Street
Moorefield, WV 26836
Email mjhinkle@easternaction.org                 PH 304-538-7711

Dwight Coburn, Secretary/Treasurer
Southwestern Community Action Council, Inc.
540 Fifth Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701
Email Dwight.Coburn@scacwv.org
PH 304-525-5151

Angela Williams, Past President
Nicholas Community Action Partnership, Inc.
1205 Broad Street
Summersville, WV 26651
Email Awilliams@ncapwv.org
PH 304-872-1162

Tim Salmons, At Large
Coalfield Community Action Partnership. Inc.
PO Box 1406
Williamson, WV 25661
Email tsalmons@coalfieldcap.org
PH 304-235-17011

Meaningful Statistics that Demonstrate
Community Action Impact in West Virginia

For the period of January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021
For every $1 in CSBG funding, the CAAs leveraged $14.98 in other federal, state, local, and private funds.

0
Low-income individuals served
0
Children
0
Seniors
0
Veterans
$ 0
Total CSBG Funding
$ 0
Total other funds leveraged with CSBG