Who We Are
Blue Ridge Community Action, Inc. (BRCA) is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1965 to address problems related to poverty in Burke, Caldwell and Rutherford counties. The BRCA mission statement "Helping People. Changing Lives." embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes our counties better places to live. We care about the entire community, and are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. BRCA strives to obtain and maintain agency self-sufficiency, as well as assist employees and low-income residents to obtain and maintain self-sufficiency. Our mission is realized by providing services, advocacy and support for persons so they can become economically self-sufficient, improve the quality of their lives, and better provide opportunities for their families.
BRCA is governed by a 15 member tripartite Board of Directors. One third of the Board represents elected public officials, one third represents the private sector, and one third represents low-income communities.
Under the guidance of the local Board, BRCA develops programs and mobilizes resources from federal, state and local governments, private foundations and private financing to expand and/or establish new services benefiting low-income residents. BRCA’s primary service counties are Burke, Caldwell and Rutherford, although limited services are provided to low-income residents of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Rutherford, Stanly and Union Counties.
Mission Statement
"Helping People , Changing Lives," is realized by providing services, advocacy, and support for persons so they can
become self-sufficient, improve the quality of their lives, and better provide opportunities for their families.
Historical Snapshot
Blue Ridge Community Action, Inc. (BRCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized in 1965 as a Community Action Agency to provide programs serving area low income residents. Since 1965, the agency maintained its three-fold mission: 1) provide programs and services which enable families to move out of poverty positions; 2) provide programs and services which reduce the suffering caused by poverty; and, 3) advocate for change in policies, institutions, and practices which cause and maintain poverty in our communities.
Within the context of this three-fold mission, BRCA has developed a variety of programs which are designed to meet multiple needs of low-income families. While the geographic service area for BRCA is not limited, agency programs primarily serve residents of Burke and Caldwell counties.
In addition to the direct services and skills development programs, BRCA staff and Board members are also members of area policy making groups and represent sectors of private industry. These individuals advocate on behalf of the agency for change in those institutions and policies which create and/or maintain poverty in our communities.
The agency has been successful in financially structuring program service delivery to maximize local private sector funds and, where feasible and appropriate, generating self-supporting income streams for programs. The combination of public grants to directly aid individuals and income generating programs has given BRCA the flexibility as a non-profit organization to develop and expand programs to meet the needs of our communities.
Management & Administration
Funds to operate programs come from federal, state, and local governments, as well as foundations, donations, and fees for services. Despite this funding, the organization remains a local, private, non-profit human services agency governed by people from Burke and Caldwell counties.
The agency has a fifteen member Board of Directors. One-third is appointed by the county commissioners, one-third is elected by local civic organizations, and one-third is elected by communities with a high incidence of poverty.
Because we are not just a non-profit, but very much a private organization, we seek funding from sources other than the government. Since the early 1980's, we have been successful securing financing from local banks to both expand existing services as well as start new ones.
33.4% of the current funding comes from private financing. In keeping with our theme that lasting progress can only be made through community partnerships, we regularly contract with local governments to assure that desperately needed services are made available to the public.
As a partner with local governments, the state government and private sector financial institutions, we at Blue Ridge Community Action, Inc. are able to realize our mission and provide new and expanded services on behalf of the people of Burke and Caldwell counties.
For more information about the services and programs provided by Blue Ridge Community Action, please call our offices at (828) 438-6255 in Burke County or Caldwell County (828) 758-4290.