Throughout May, the spirit of community action will come alive in Natchez-Adams County as the AJFC Community Action Agency Inc. joins community action agencies across the country to celebrate National Community Action Month.

National Community Action Month highlights Community Action Agencies’ work fighting poverty on the local level.

AJFC’s plans for this special commemoration include community action awareness programs to be through the seven counties it serves.

Adams County’s activities will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Thompson Head Start Center, 1038 N. Union St., Building B, in the Mamie Mazique Multipurpose Room.

Our goal for our national community action month celebration is to highlight the real problems low-income people in Natchez and Adams County are facing, especially during these challenging economic times. People come to AJFC for help because they have experienced hardships and we assist them in changing their lives. Our programs are designed to assist individuals and families and help them achieve self-sufficiency.

The national office of the Community Action Partnership designates May as National Community Action Month to recognize Community Action Agencies’ work fighting poverty on the local level.

Each year, these groups help clients escape poverty and achieve financial stability through programs such as Head Start, which provided comprehensive child development services to preschool children; Community Service Block Grants, which provides job training assistance and placement, assistance with financial education, housing and transportation assistance and Low-Income Home Energy Program, which provides energy assistance.

The economy is on everyone’s minds, and people want to work. They want to be able to purchase a home and provide for their families.

That is why Community Action programs such as AJFC are needed now more than ever.

National Community Action Month is our time to showcase our long history of helping people achieve economic security and self-sufficiency.

Barbara Stewart

AJFC employee