About Us
Mid-East Community Action Agency (MECAA) was established in 1965 when the Federal Head Start Program was enacted as a summer program to offer early childhood education programming for preschool children. Serving children throughout Roane and Loudon Counties, the Head Start program addresses the developmental, social, emotional, health and family needs of children from low-income backgrounds to give them the strongest possible foundation for success in life.
MECAA was chartered in 1978 under a grant from the Community Services Administration and is currently overseen by a Board of Directors as a private non-profit 501c (3) corporation. MECAA serves as the professional organization for the development and implementation of strategies that address the problems and situations associated with poverty in the Roane County and Loudon County communities.
MECAA’s long term goal is to promote and support self-sufficiency. However, over the short term, MECAA realizes that individuals and families living in poverty may need more immediate support to get through a challenging period. When funds are available, MECAA can help ease the burden of individuals or families in crisis by providing direct financial assistance to cover basic needs such as food, rent or utility payments. These services allow vulnerable members of the community to stretch their own resources a little further.
What We Do
MECAA strives to identify problems of poverty and eliminate conditions of poverty as they affect individuals and/or families. MECAA will also utilize and mobilize resources of the communities and partnering agencies to implement programs that are designed to empower those in need to rise out of poverty and become self-sufficient.
MECAA is very proud of the work we do so we invite you to learn more about the exciting initiatives that MECAA is working on to improve the quality of lives in our community.