Every May, communities across the country recognize Community Action Month– a time to celebrate the work of Community Action Agencies and the people fighting every day to reduce poverty, expand opportunity, and strengthen local communities. In California, that work reaches every corner of the state through the efforts of the California Community Action Partnership Association (CalCAPA) and the statewide network of Community Action Agencies serving all fifty-eight counties.
For nearly sixty years, Community Action Agencies have remained on the front lines of economic hardship, helping families navigate rising housing costs, food insecurity, utility burdens, unemployment, and emergencies. Collectively, California’s Community Action network administers more than $1.4 billion annually in services and programs designed to meet local needs with local solutions. 
But Community Action Month is not only about celebrating impact. It is also about elevating our collective impact.
This year’s Community Action Month arrives at a critical moment for anti-poverty programs in California and nationwide. Community Action Agencies are facing increasing uncertainty surrounding both federal and state budget priorities, placing essential services and supports at risk for the families who rely on them most.
Advocacy Day: Bringing Community Voices to the State Capitol
CalCAPA’s annual Advocacy Day in Sacramento was a highlight for Community Action Month in California. Held on May 14, 2026, the event brought together Community Action leaders, advocates, agency staff, and community partners to engage directly with state lawmakers on the issues affecting California’s low-income families. Nearly 100 attendees spanning across thirty of CalCAPA’s membership organizations were at the State Capitol to represent the California Community Action Network.
Advocacy Day is more than a legislative meeting schedule. It is an opportunity for Community Action Agencies to tell the real stories behind the data– stories of families struggling with housing instability, seniors trying to afford utilities, parents seeking child care and workforce training, and communities recovering from economic and environmental challenges.
The event also highlights the importance of preserving and strengthening the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the foundational federal funding source that supports Community Action Agencies nationwide. CalCAPA Executive Director, David Knight, states, “CalCAPA leaders have repeatedly emphasized that CSBG serves as a catalyst for significantly larger investments in local communities, leveraging billions of dollars in services and opportunities across California.”
Featured Speakers and Legislative Leaders
This year’s Advocacy Day continues CalCAPA’s tradition of bringing together policymakers, community advocates, and statewide leaders for meaningful conversations about poverty reduction and economic mobility.
Previous CalCAPA Advocacy Day events have featured speakers including Senator Tim Grayson, Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, and Assemblymember Alex Lee, alongside leadership from organizations such as the California Association of Food Banks and the California WIC Association.
This year we were honored to expand that list to include returning legislator Assemblymember Alex Lee, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, Assemblymember Anamarie Avila Farias, Senator Jerry McNerney, and Senator Melissa Hurtado, as well as partner organizations like the Association of California Community and Energy Services and the California Association of Food Banks. Our speaker lineup consisted of Community Action Champions that have helped make a real impact for low-income communities in California.
These conversations matter. Legislative decisions made in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. directly affect whether local agencies can continue delivering services that families depend on every day.
Federal and State Budget Challenges
This year, Community Action Agencies are navigating a particularly difficult funding landscape.
At the federal level, continued threats to CSBG have raised serious concerns throughout the national Community Action network, forcing some organizations to close programs, lay off staff, or shut their doors entirely. Advocates across the country have been working to protect CSBG funding and educate lawmakers about the outsized impact the program has in each and every community, large and small. 
At the same time, California faces ongoing budget pressures that are affecting health and human services programs at the state level. Agencies are contending with increased demand for assistance while also preparing for possible funding reductions, delays, and shifting program requirements.
For Community Action Agencies, these budget challenges create a difficult balancing act: demand for services continues to rise while funding uncertainty makes long-term planning increasingly complicated. Programs addressing homelessness prevention, energy assistance, food security, workforce development, and emergency services all depend on stable investment to operate effectively.
Despite these challenges, Community Action Agencies continue adapting to meet local needs by leveraging partnerships, local innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to maximize impact.
Why Community Action Month Matters
Community Action Month serves as a reminder that poverty is not an isolated issue. It affects housing, education, workforce participation, health outcomes, and overall community well-being. Addressing those challenges requires coordinated, community-driven solutions.
That is exactly what Community Action Agencies were created to do.
As advocates gather in Sacramento for Advocacy Day, the message remains clear: investments in Community Action are investments in stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities.
Whether through legislative advocacy, direct services, or community partnerships, California’s Community Action network continues working toward a future where every family has the opportunity to thrive.
To learn more about CalCAPA, upcoming advocacy efforts, and Community Action programs across California, visit CalCAPA.org.