OACAC’s 5th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 from 11:30am* – 2:30pm at the University Plaza Convention Center, 333 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway in Springfield. The MO Mac & Cheese Fest event connects fan with an......
Join us for an evening of music, dancing, food, and fun! There will be a prize for the best costume. $5 cover at the door, ages 18+ only. When: Saturday, July 27, 2024 from 7-11pmWhere: H&H Pool Hall, Hwy 112 in Cassville, MO Proceeds benefit......
Summertime = Fireflies, and on 7/25/24, we hope you’ll join us at Painting With A Twist to get creative and inspired for poverty relief in Greene County. It’s fun and no creative or artistic skills are needed. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. 1.......
Thanks to a grant from the Marshfield Area Community Foundation, relief from heat is available this summer for eligible Webster County residents. Call (417) 859-4589 to apply....
Do you have a passion for helping youth realize their potential? Do you think it’s important that teens know that decisions they make now may follow them into adulthood? For over 10 years, OACAC’s REALL project has aimed to do just that with a 3-hour......
UPDATED 7/3/24: The correct amounts for Missouri 2024 for a family of two are $25,550 at 125% and $40,880 at 200% FPL. (July 1, 2024) Effective today, July 1, 2024, the Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program can now......
Throughout June, in collaboration with United Way of the Ozarks Day of Caring, we collected donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks to be shared with children during Tooth Truck visits. We put the call out for items that children would love,......
School supplies, resources, and more! Back to School Fairs are being held in Barry, Dade, and Dallas counties to help families with school supplies for their students. Eligibility guidelines apply. Barry County: Call (417) 847-2140 by July 2 to register Dade County: Call (417) 232-8020......
Celebrate The Arts • Support Poverty Relief We are grateful to be part of the Queen City Shout community of musicians and artists who share their talents; volunteers who give their time; sponsors and supporters who believe in the mission of this festival; attendees who......
Ping-Pong + Tennis + Badminton = PICKLEBALL! It’s fun and easy for beginners to learn. This Saturday, June 29, we invite you to bring your favorite pickleball pal and participate in OACAC’s first Pickleball tournament supporting poverty relief in Greene County, MO. Thanks to our......
OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Thursday and Friday, July 4 & 5, 2024 in observance of Independence Day. Information and applications can be found on our website....
OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. Information and applications can be found by navigating the tabs on our website....
June 13, 2024: Happy United Way of the Ozarks Day of Caring! We started the day with a great breakfast among fellow Day of Caring volunteers, project hosts, and community supporters. All month we’ve been collecting items for the Ronald McDonald House Care Mobile, aka,......
Hello and thanks for your interest in joining our mailing list. We are happy to share success stories, program information, volunteer opportunities, news of upcoming events, and more with you. Join our mailing list here. Scroll to the bottom of the page, enter your information,......
Congratulations to Kimberly Shinn-Brown, recipient of the distinguished 2024 Charles Braithwait Leadership Award! Kimberly exemplifies the essence of Community Action through her unwavering dedication to children and families. Enthusiastic about the mission of Community Action, Kimberly has devoted 29 years to Ozarks Area Community Action......
We’re pleased to recognize Susan Flores as our outstanding board member for May 2024. Susan is active in our community, engaged with the people we serve, knowledgeable of our programs, helpful with fundraising, and a cheerful, welcoming person. She has served on the board for......
During the month of June, OACAC is partnering with the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile of the Ozarks to collect the items below, making a dental visit a bit more fun for little ones. Will you join us with the donation of a new item? Donations......
Our summer cooling program is underway for electric payments only. A shut-off notice is required. To request an application be mailed, call our automated line at (417) 864-3460. To print an application, visit https://oac.ac/liheap-energy-programs/. To complete and submit the application electronically, visit https://mydss.mo.gov/energy-assistance. Adobe Reader......
We celebrated May 2024 as Community Action Month and the 60th anniversary of Community Action all month and we thank you for celebrating with us by participating in our 60 in 4 campaigns. Throughout the four full weeks of May, we collected 60+ items to......
We’ve been celebrating May as Community Action Month and the 60th anniversary of Community Action all month and we thank you for celebrating with us by participating in our 60 in 4 campaigns. Throughout the four full weeks of May we have collected 60+ items......
We’re pleased to welcome our new Greene County Center Supervisor, Malea Cunningham. Malea is a Springfield native with a passion for giving back to the community. She is a graduate of MSU with a B.S. in Sociology and an M.S. in Counseling. Combining her passion......
We had fun celebrating our Foster Grandparent Volunteers at our annual recognition event on May 29, 2024. The theme was Back to the 50’s and this group knows how to have a good time! Thank you to all our volunteer grandparents who share their life......
Our Housing team had the joy of talking with a woman who has received assistance for over seven years and said she is “graduating” because she is paying rent independently and has stable employment with a local school district. She thanked our team for the......
Tuesday, May 28, 2024: Due to storm related power outages, our Barry County Neighborhood Center will be closed today. Information and applications for services can be found at www.oac.ac....
Join the OACAC Taney County Neighborhood Center team and board as they host the first annual Corn Hole Tournament on Saturday, June 22, 2024! Proceeds support poverty relief in Taney County. When: 10am Where: 5571 Gretna Road in Branson, MO Register by June 17, 2024....
OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2024 in observance of Memorial Day. Information and applications can be found at www.oac.ac....
The People’s Pantry project provides freestanding pantries in multiple locations across SW MO. Filled with shelf stable food, fresh produce, hygiene items, and more, people are encouraged to take what they need and leave what they can....
The OACAC Area Board will meet on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. The meeting agenda is below....
CSBG Neighborhood/Community Centers in Greene and Webster counties will switch to summer hours beginning May 19. All other centers will operate on their regular schedules....
On Thursday, May 16, 2024 our Polk County Community Center will be closed in the morning for a REALL simulation. They will open at 12:30 that day....
Ping-Pong + Tennis + Badminton = PICKLEBALL! It’s fun and easy for beginners to learn. On June 29, we invite you to bring your favorite pickleball pal and participate in OACAC’s first Pickleball tournament supporting poverty relief in Greene County, MO. Thanks to our generous......
Our Greene County Center will be closing at noon on Friday, May 10, 2024 for a staff work day. Information and applications can be found at www.oac.ac....
Please join us in wishing Mike Hoffman a very happy retirement! Mike started at OACAC 30 years ago today and has been an important part of our Fiscal team. He is an active volunteer with multiple organizations which he will continue supporting. We thank him......
Join us on May 29, 2024 from 1:00-2:00pm as our Family Planning Nurse Practitioner, Aimee Adams, speaks about sexual health and relationships. This will be a judgement-free, relaxed class focused on protecting ourselves and others, testing, condom use, giving consent, birth control and pregnancy, and......
Happy National Nurses Day! We appreciate our nurses, Aimee and Erin, who serve with great compassion and kindness....
Celebrate May as Community Action Month and the 60th anniversary of Community Action with us by participating in any of our 60 in 4 campaigns. Throughout the four full weeks of May, we’ll be collecting 60+ items to share with the communities we serve! May......
Grandpa George has been serving as a Foster Grandparent volunteer since 2012. To say he is devoted to his role as a volunteer and the children he mentor and tutors is an understatement. Here are just a few samples of what his volunteer station staff......
The OACAC Area Board will meet on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The meeting agenda is below....
4/12/24: OACAC is the administrator for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funding in Barry, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties. Currently, Barry, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties have been awarded funding through he Department of Homeland Security/Federal......
4/8/24: We did a thing! Did you see it? While we weren’t in the path of totality, 97% coverage was still amazing to see....
A team of our colleagues from Housing, Fiscal, and CSBG assembled outreach starter boxes for folks in our Housing DMH program who have gone from unhoused to successfully housed. Each box contains necessities including detergent, cleaning supplies, and paper products. Twenty boxes were packed on......
Do you live in Taney County, Missouri? Do you need support to ensure success at work with items such as clothing, small car repairs, or other work related expenses.? Give our Taney County Neighborhood Center a call at (417) 239-1882. Eligibility requirements apply. Our thanks......
We’re happy to welcome Skylar Walker back to OACAC as the new Director of our Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program! CSBG is a program near and dear to Skylar’s heart, having first worked as VOICE Coordinator in 2018, Assistant CSBG Director in 2019, and......
Thank you, Sandra! Sandra Adams has been a wonderful asset to our Area Board and Christian County Advisory Board for a couple of years, but her time as an advocate for the people we serve goes way back. An avid volunteer with projects and special......
Give the gift of a book to a child or teen. Our free community library, located in our Central Office lobby, needs some adventures and stories to fill the shelves. While you’re at garage or estate sales, perusing the upcoming Friends of the Library book......
Many thanks to Head Start parent, Fatima, for giving her creativity, time, and materials to make this beautiful bulletin board. It hangs in a Head Start Center and is sure to inspire all who walk by....
The MO Office of Broadband Development just announced the official opening of the BEAD Challenge Portal. Challenges will be accepted from now until April 23, 2024. The purpose of the challenge process is to finalize the eligibility of Missouri homes and businesses for funding through......
Come hang out with OACAC Family Planning and support our services in the community by playing trivia! A portion of sales for Trivia Night will benefit OACAC Family Planning directly. When: April 18, 2024 from 7-9pm Where: 4 By 4 Brewery, 2811 E. Galloway in......
On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, our Family Planning Clinic will host evening hours from 4-8pm. They will provide testing, reproductive healthcare, and more, along with drawings, music, and fun! Come see us at 215 S. Barnes in Springfield, inside the OACAC Central Office. For details,......
The VOICE project traveled to Southwest Elementary this week and had a great time with these enthusiastic students! Many thanks to all who made this possible, including educators and the folks who staffed each table. The VOICE project inspires young people to dream big about......
The OACAC Area Board will meet on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The meeting agenda is below....
“We all love Grandma S and look forward to her coming and playing with our class. All the children and even the staff feel like she’s family. I couldn’t ask for a more positive, loving, person. Thank you!” Thank you to all the Foster Grandparent......
As participants in Empower Missouri’s Advocacy Partners program, we were charged with writing a statement which will focus OACAC’s advocacy work....
“Children need individuals from the community that will support them.” Grandpa Ritchie Would you like to share your talents, love, and encouragement with a child? Are you age 55+? We are recruiting caring adults to serve as Foster Grandparent volunteers in our 14-county service area......
Calling all Monopoly lovers – don’t miss the 13th Annual Ozark Mountain Monopoly Tournament! The tournament begins at 9:30am on Saturday, April 27, 2024. The player fee includes a position for the first 90 minute elimination round and potentially a seat in the championship round.......
Join the Eagle Riders 3948 and the OACAC Lawrence County Neighborhood Center for the first annual Tricycle Races For a Cause to alleviate poverty in Lawrence County, MO. When: Saturday, April 13 from 10am-3pm*The rain date is Saturday, April 20 from 10am – 3pm Race......
Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks Dallas County Affiliate, our Dallas County Neighborhood Center has assistance available for Dallas County adults to pay for their High School Equivalency Test (HiSET). The HiSET exam is the first step toward college, a......
Effective January 1, 2024, OACAC Family Planning is participating in a new program called The Right Time Grant. This grants pays for contraceptive methods and visits for patients who are uninsured or under-insured. Patients do not have to meet income qualifications for this grant, anyone......
In observance of Presidents Day, OACAC Centers and Offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19. Information and applications for services can be found at www.oac.ac....
The OACAC Community Action Poverty Simulation consists of four 15-minute sessions, each representing a week, in which participants grapple with real-life situations faced by individuals living in poverty. The Simulation forces participants to assume the role of a low-income family and confront the realities of......
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council (CICC) to improve coordination and transparency in child policy across federal agencies, with a focus on issues such as child poverty and wellbeing. The council was established under the Consolidated......
Volunteers are needed for a Community Action Poverty Simulation with Springfield Public Schools on March 8, 2024 from 8-11am. This is a stipend paid simulation for eligible volunteers. Details and sign-up here....
OACAC is one of six non-profit beneficiaries of Queen City Shout, a weeklong festival celebrating the arts and supporting poverty relief. Do you love music? Art? Films? Poetry? Dance? Volunteering during Queen City Shout is fun and we invite you to sign-up to help during......
Thanks to photographer, Joanna San Paolo of Snap Shot Photo, for capturing the moments of our 4th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest on January 13, 2024. Photos can be viewed here....
Now in its 13th year, Queen City Shout is Springfield’s largest showcase of music, film, and arts with its two-fold vision to Celebrate The Arts & Support Poverty Relief. Queen City Shout will take place March 18-24 at multiple venues around Springfield. OACAC is pleased......
The OACAC Area Board will meet on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The meeting agenda is below....
Volunteers are needed for our Galentine’s Gala on Friday, Feb. 2. Free admission and waffles in exchange for your generosity of time! Sign up here. Thank you!...
The 4th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest was so much fun! Our many thanks to all who attended and helped make the event a success. We hope everyone will attend again in 2025. Congratulations to all the vendors who showcased their delicious mac &......
Due to inclement weather, OACAC offices and centers will be closed on 1/12/24, as will the New to You Thrift Store in Buffalo. **The 4th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest IS HAPPENING on Saturday, Jan. 13 from 11am – 2pm at University Plaza Convention......
Do you live in Taney County, Missouri? Do you need support to ensure success at work with items such as clothing, small car repairs, or other work related expenses.? Give our Taney County Neighborhood Center a call at (417) 239-1882. Eligibility requirements apply. Our thanks......
OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Monday, January 15, 2024 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Information and applications for services can be found on the various tabs on our website....
On January 8,1964, President Lyndon Johnson delivered a critically important speech which outlined his vision for the presidency and was the beginning of the Community Action Program. Today, Community Action Agencies across the nation continue to offer programs and emboldened strategies which help people move......
As of 12/31/23, the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) has ended. For information about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), click here....
Take a break from cooking and order Pizza Hut online using code RY and OACAC will receive a portion of the sale in support of poverty relief. When: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 (rescheduled from 1/16/24) Where: Order online at www.pizzahut.com What: Enter code RY Participating......
Give the gift of an experience this holiday season and kick off the new year with some fun! Tickets are on sale now for OACAC’s MO Mac & Cheese Fest and Galentine’s Gala. Do you love mac & cheese? Don’t miss the 4th Annual MO......
Our Stone County Neighborhood Center will be closed on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 until noon....
OACAC will be closed from 12/25 – 12/29 and on 1/1. Additionally, Head Start centers will be closed on 12/22 and 1/2. Please visit www.oac.ac for information and applications....
Music! Dancing! Inspired, Fun Activities! A Waffle Bar! And best of all, a night out among friends, new and old. Grab your bestie or bring yourself and make plans to join us. We can’t wait to see you! The Galentine’s Gala is a lovely night......
Are you or someone you know a High School Senior seeking scholarships? Did you attend Head Start as a child? The National Head Start Alumni Scholarship is a non-renewable merit award to celebrate Head Start student achievement in high school and support students as they......
Great news! As of December 2023, we are connected with Walmart’s Spark Good Program, giving customers the opportunity to round up their purchases made online at walmart.com or through the app. Round up amounts will be collected across all transactions and the money will be......
Our 4th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest, presented by Schreiber Foods and Summit Media, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 from 11am – 2pm at the University Plaza Convention Center, 333 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway in Springfield. This event connects fan......
This holiday season, we invite you to join us in an act of generosity that can truly make a huge difference in our community. On Saturday, December 9, we’ll be at the iHeart Studios (2740 S Glenstone in the Brentwood Center) for this year’s SHARE the Light event. Swing......
OACAC’s 4th Annual MO Mac & Cheese Fest is coming up on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center from 11am – 2pm and we need your help! This is a FUN event that showcases SW MO’s best mac & cheese with......
This #GivingTuesday, November 28, people are coming together across the globe and showing the power of collective generosity through gifts of financial support and time. We thoughtfully ask for you to consider a #GivingTuesday or year-end gift to poverty relief this holiday season. When you......
The agenda for the November 28, 2023 OACAC Area Board meeting is below....
Give the gift of a happy, healthy smile this holiday season. The annual OACAC Head Start Holiday Smiles campaign raises funding to provide exams, preventative care, and critically needed dental work for Head Start children. Our goal for the 2023 Head Start Holiday Smiles campaign is......
Calling all creatives! What would YOU put on our MO Mac & Cheese Fest t-shirt? Enter your design for a chance to see your art on the 2024 t-shirt, two free tickets to the event, and bragging rights. Entries accepted through 12/1/23 at [email protected]....
We wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 23 and Friday, Nov. 24 in observance of Thanksgiving. We’ll open for regular hours on Monday, Nov. 27....
We are thankful for the generous support of the Stanley & Elaine Ball Foundation managed by Central Trust Company. This grant supports our Foster Grandparent Program, pairing seniors & youth in a caring, mentoring environment....
Our Webster County Neighborhood Center is hosting a gift card fundraiser. Enter for your chance to win one of two gift card bundles, each valued at $250+! Purchase tickets in person or online....
OACAC offices and CSBG Neighborhood Centers will be closed on Friday, Nov. 10 in observance of Veterans Day. Head Start Centers will be open....
National Weatherization Day, held annually on October 30, is an opportunity to highlight the important work performed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program network. “Words cannot express how grateful I am for the improvements that (OACAC has) made in my home,” said......
In memory and honor of former OACAC board member, Jack Gamble, the award for perfect attendance during the 2022-2023 fiscal year goes to our Greene County Advisory Board! This award was presented at the October 24, 2023 Area Board Meeting. We appreciate the dedication to......
On Nov. 8, we’re hosting a Poverty Simulation with SGF Give 5 and there is room for YOU to join in. This is a free experience which promotes poverty awareness, increases understanding of the challenges faced by individuals living in poverty, and inspires local change......
We loved sharing the warmth with our community at our sheets and socks giveaway on October 17, 2023! From community partners, individuals, and families, we appreciate all who stopped by. We were able to distribute hundreds of sheets and more than 2,000 pairs of socks!......
The agenda for the October 24, 2023 OACAC Area Board meeting is below....
National Weatherization Day is on October 30, and an opportunity to highlight the important work performed by the Energy Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). “Through weatherization improvements and upgrades, these households save on average $372 or more every year according to a national evaluation of the program. Since......
Give 5 is partnering with OACAC on a Poverty Simulation and we’re seeking volunteers to help us make this a memorable experience. Volunteers will play the role of a teacher, banker, Social Services worker, police officer, utility company, and more. No special skills necessary, an......
OACAC offices and centers will be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. Information and applications can be found at www.oac.ac....
In October, we recognize and celebrate National Energy Awareness Month (LIHEAP and Weatherization programs), Housing America Month (Housing and CSBG programs), and Head Start Awareness Month (Head Start/Early Head Start program). Follow us on Facebook as we share highlights from each of these programs throughout......
