Community Action programs permeate the American landscape. Their achievements are the result of citizens using federal and state funding to identify and solve local problems. The men and women who joined the Community Action movement at its beginning had a rare opportunity to influence society through their interpretation and implementation of the Act. Many of them, committed to the principles of economic opportunity, are involved with Community Action Agencies to this day. As Community Action Agencies face new challenges, and as their founders contemplate retirement, the records containing their unique perspectives on the origins of the movement are in danger of being lost.
Agencies move, or staff needs more storage space.
Files that have not been used for years suddenly are viewed as excess baggage. Transferring them to the Community Action Archives will assure that the significance of both individuals and agencies will be remembered by those who come after. Examples include correspondence committee files and reports board records and reports newsletters minutes of meetings annual reports programs identified photographs buttons, pins signs, slogans These materials may take the form of paper records, photographs, and audio and video cassettes and tapes. Items that are not suitable for the collection include readily available published materials, most government documents, newspaper clippings, and the case files of individual clients. Papers and records donated to the Community Action Archives will become the property of the Curators of the University of Missouri upon signature by donor of a deed of gift.