Tri-CAP

Tri-County Action Program, Inc. (Tri-CAP) is the federally designated community action program for Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties in central Minnesota. Programs administered by the agency may serve one or more counties and in several cases, go beyond the boundaries of the three counties.

Tri-CAP was incorporated in 1965, becoming the first community action program in non-metro Minnesota. For more than 50 years, Tri-CAP has been fulfilling its mission to invest in people and build the communities that comprise our tri-county region of central Minnesota. Through advocacy, outreach, education and assistance, the Tri-CAP team has helped thousands of low- and moderate-income residents achieve and maintain social and economic self-sufficiency and in turn, strengthen the very fabric of our communities. Information about a wide variety of programs and services offered by Tri-CAP can be found throughout this site. We invite you to take a look around our website to learn more about the programs we offer to expand opportunities for the economic and social well-being of our central Minnesota residents.

The leadership team at Tri-CAP is committed to serving all our communities by always keeping the needs of our customers as our highest priority. The agency is governed by an 18-member volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is made up of one third each: elected officials, consumer representatives, and the public-at-large. These dedicated volunteers set policy for the agency and meet on a monthly basis.

Our main offices are in Waite Park, Minnesota. The public is always welcome to stop by and ask more about what we do and learn how we can help. We hope you take the time to investigate this site and learn more about us!

Our mission: The mission of Tri-CAP is to enhance and expand opportunities for the economic and social well being of our residents and our community.

Our vision: The vision of Tri-CAP is to empower and engage residents of our communities to achieve goals of personal self-sufficiency.

Core Values

Our work is guided by a commitment to excellence through these core values:

• Integrity-We are recognized as a trusted, respectful, progressive provider of services to the residents of the areas we serve.

• Respect-We are advocates on behalf of the people we serve and teach them to advocate for themselves and others.

• Collaboration-We work with funders, community partners and stakeholders to develop strategies for sustainability and support.

• Responsiveness-We take leadership roles in assessing the needs of the community and scanning the environment around us to continuously reshape our service design to impact the lives of those we serve.

• Equality-We believe in the preservation of human dignity for all people through full access to the opportunities in our society regardless of ethnic origin, age, gender, religion and socio-economic status and other differences.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER – EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Community Action Code of Ethics

We, as Community Action professionals, dedicate ourselves to eliminating poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation by opening to everyone the opportunity for education and training; the opportunity to work; and the opportunity to live in decency and dignity; and with respect for cultural diversity, commit ourselves to:

• Recognize that the chief function of the Community Action movement at all times is to serve the best interests of the poor, thereby serving the best interests of all people.
• Accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to conduct ourselves with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency and effectiveness.
• Respect the structure and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, provide them with facts and advice as a basis for their making policy decisions, and uphold and implement policies adopted by the Board of Directors.
• Keep the community informed about issues affecting the poor; facilitate communication by the poor with locally elected public officials and the private sector.
• Conduct our organizational and operational duties with positive leadership exemplified by open communication, creativity, dedication and compassion.
• Exercise whatever discretionary authority we have under the law to promote the interests of the poor.
• Lead the Community Action movement with respect, concern, courtesy and responsiveness; recognizing that service to the poor is beyond service to oneself.
• Demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all our Community Action activities in order to inspire confidence and trust in the Community Action movement.
• Serve in such a way that we do not realize undue personal gain from the performance of our professional duties.
• Avoid any interest or activity that is in conflict with the conduct of official duties.
• Respect and protect privileged information to which we have access in the course of official duties.
• Strive for professional excellence and encourage the professional development of our associates, including those seeking to become certified Community Action professionals.

Donations

Invest in Community Action!

While Tri-CAP does receive government aid and foundation grants, these financial resources are not enough to cover the growing needs of people in a crisis situation. Please consider Tri-CAP in your annual giving. Donations are tax-deductible.

Donate online or send your donation to:

Tri-CAP

P.O. Box 683

Waite Park, MN 56387

DONATE ONLINE

Thank you!