The not-for-profit North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) observed May as National Community Action Month in Warren County.NECAC is a 12-county area not-for-profit social service, community health and public housing Community Action Agency that serves the low-income, elderly, youth, disabled and disadvantaged.The agency’s Central Administration Offices are located in Bowling Green, with NECAC Service Centers operated in each county.NECAC delivers more than 60 programs to qualifying clients and earns its revenues through contracts and grants with federal, state and local governments, private businesses and other nonprofit organizations.The agency has 95 full-time and more than 200 part-time employees, and currently operates a budget of more than $28 million.NECAC President and Chief Executive Officer Don Patrick said Community Action programs and services have helped improve the lives of thousands of people in the agency’s 12 counties.“We are pleased to join Community Action Agencies across the United States in observing more than five decades of helping people and changing lives,” Patrick said. “This is a time when we can highlight the important social service, community health and public housing programs that we administer and deliver to those who need our services.”Common Community Action programs include employment and training services, housing rent-assistance, energy assistance, homeownership, home weatherization and repairs, affordable housing, senior and family apartment developments, family planning health services, in‑home senior care services, volunteer programs for seniors and county outreach programs.NECAC and other Community Action agencies were born from the Economic Opportunity Act, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. NECAC was organized in 1965.NECAC celebrates its 51st anniversary.The idea was to put local agencies in charge of directing resources and funding to the people and programs that needed them the most. Changes later were made to make sure there was broad representation on the boards of Community Action agencies.NECAC is governed by a 36-member volunteer board of directors with three representatives from each of the 12 counties. The board consists of one public elected official (PEO) representative, one civic interest representative (CIR) and one low-income representative (LIR) from each county. Lyndon Bode, presiding commissioner of Marion County, is the chairman of the board and serves as the Marion County PEO.Serving on the NECAC board from Warren County are Fred Vahle of Warrenton as the PEO, Angie Scott of Warrenton as the CIR and Jeff Thomsen of Innsbrook as the LIR.More information about NECAC programs and services is available by calling at (636) 456-8191 or visiting the NECAC Warren County Service Center at 120 E. Main in Warrenton from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.NECAC