CAW/M Historical Timeline

1964, Athens, Ohio:

“And with your courage and with your compassion and your desire, we will build the Great Society. It is a Society where no child will go unfed, and no youngster will go unschooled.” – President Lyndon B. Johnson.

1964, Ann Arbor, Michigan:

“We are going to assemble the best thought and broadest knowledge from all over the world to find these answers. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a serious of conference and meetings – on cities, on natural beauty, on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. From these studies, we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society.” – President Lyndon B. Johnson

• Major policy areas of the Great Society: Civil Rights
• War on Poverty
• Economic Opportunity Act of 1964

On August 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which created a variety of programs, including Community Action Agencies, as part of his War on Poverty. Community Action Agencies (CAA) were designed as locally controlled organizations with the purpose of reducing poverty and helping low-income people become self-sufficient. Through keeping a pulse on their communities of service, CAAs find solutions based on local needs by promoting self-sufficiency, ensuring that all residents are able to live in dignity, and by implementing innovative and cost-effective programs to improve lives and living conditions. Now there are about 1,100 CAAs across the United States serving income-eligible individuals and families of all ages. They are governed by a tripartite board of directors with one third of the board representing low-income people.

• 1966 – Agency incorporated as Ashland Wayne Community Action Commission & Head Start grantee
• 1967 – First Wayne County Head Start center opens in Wooster with 45 children
• 1971 – Added Ashland Co. Head Start program to Ashland Wayne Community Action
• 1971 – Rittman Head Start site opened due to high level of low-income residents and established at Milton United Presbyterian Church. The center is still there.
• 1973 – Head Start Policy Council became incorporated as the governing board for Wayne Head Start as a delegate
• 1978 – Ashland no longer in territory
• 1983 – Added Medina Co. to territory – became CAW/M
• 1980’s – CAW/M Mother and Child Health Clinics established in Wayne and Medina Counties – pre-natal care, family health care, well-baby. Eventually absorbed by Health Department in Medina County and hospital in Wooster in the ’90’s.
• 1984 – Young Moms Support Group Starts from the Child & Health Clinics in Medina County.
• 1987 – Clare Adele Schreiber started Building Healthy Families in Wayne County for family support, education, stability through mental health and peer supports.
• 1985 – Expanded Head Start into Medina County
• 1995 – Real Life Stories Program begins with focus on young mothers, building healthy families through the use of drama. Focuses over the years included teen pregnancy prevention, asset building (to combat ACEs or adverse childhood experiences) through Real Life Discoveries, AIDS education and prevention. Performed in school classes, after school assemblies, teen dances, for teachers, pastors, counselors.
• 1992 – Car seat safety program begins with Wooster Rotary support and State of Ohio initiative. Staff become certified safety technicians for Child passenger Safety.
• 1998 – Early Head Start Program begins
• 2001 – Fatherhood Initiative grant established dads outreach for family involvement through socialization and education.
• 2005 – ELI (Early Learning Initiative) program starts- brings the Head Start philosophy of teaching and support into local daycares.
• 2005 – PIA (Partners in Advocacy) program starts – mental health intervention program for Head Start families. Was part of a Head Start national research project – only 25 grants awarded in the nation.
• 2010 – Moms and Dads family program evolved from Building Healthy Families and Fatherhood Initiative.
• 2013 – Purchased Lincoln Way Elementary School
• 2014 – Helped to develop Rebuilding Together in Medina County
• 2015 – Wayne County operations relocated to Lincoln Way Center
• 2015 – All eight CAW/M Head Start centers receive maximum 5-Sar Step Up to Quality designation.
• 2015 – Assisted the City of Wooster and other local organizations with the relocation of the displaced Larwill Trailer Park residents.
• 2015 – Through work of CAW/M Head Start Dental Health Taskforce, pediatric dental offices open in Wayne County.
• 2016 – Helped to form the Mess Management Coalition for education about Hoarding and Bed Bug Coalition
• 2016 – Received the Mobility Management Coordination grant for Wayne County
• 2016 – Started the Getting Ahead Program