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The Bergen County Community Action Partnership, Inc. (BCCAP) is a 501 (c) (3), not-for-profit Community Action Agency. Established in 1967, BCCAP is Bergen County’s designated anti-poverty agency. The Board of Directors governing the agency is appointed or elected from within the county, and represents local government, private sector entities, and the low-income population served by the organization. |
| BCCAP’s mission is “to change lives through education, economic opportunities, healthcare, housing, and human services.” The agency responds to the emergency and long-term needs of low-income persons through an array of services designed to relieve the crises associated with poverty and facilitate the transition to, and attainment of, self-sufficiency. BCCAP has carefully constructed a continuum of care for its clientele; a series of inextricably linked programs which encompass housing and shelter, education and training, and a range of clinical and support services. |  |
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BCCAP provides a wide range of programs to assist the poor, the homeless, substance abusers, children, senior citizens, foreign born, and others. BCCAP delivers services across a broad spectrum, from identifying needs to providing permanent housing. Services are provided through the operation of approximately 150 housing (shelter, transitional and permanent) units, comprehensive housing support services, a halfway house for recovering male substance abusers, a drop-in meal program, adult education, employment training and permanent job placement, four early childhood education centers and several other human services facilities. |
In 2009, the agency served over 24,000 individuals, and is on track to surpass that level in the coming years.
The agency maintains partnerships with various social service, mental health and municipal, county, state and federal agencies. BCCAP programs draw upon multiple funding and support streams from federal, state and local governments, and the corporate, community and philanthropic sectors.
The Asset Development Division includes Bridges to Success, Individual Development Accounts, Homelessness Prevention Programs, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Earned Income Tax Credit, Financial Education, Credit Counseling, Housing Counseling, and 1st Bergen Federal Credit Union (sponsored by BCCAP). The programs are all designed to help individuals gain the financial literacy skills that will lead them to greater economic success and more active participation in their communities. This is a win-win–win for individuals, families and communities.
The Benefits Assessment and Residential Services Division provides a comprehensive array of services to low-income, special needs adults and families designed to assist with their attainment of self-sufficiency. These programs include Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), NJ Shares, and Universal Services Fund; special needs housing (transitional and permanent) for homeless youth, those in recovery from substance abuse and those who are mentally ill/chemically addicted (MICA). A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Garfield operates in collaboration with North Hudson Community Action Corporation. More information can be found by visiting our 1st Stop, Residential Services and Home Energy pages.
The Education and Training Division includes Vocational Training and Work First New Jersey "To Work" initiatives, ESL classes, Faith-Based initiatives, the New Americans Program, and Health Literacy Program. Classroom instruction is held in the Education and Training Center in Hackensack and at a variety of sites throughout Bergen County. The adult education programs are fully approved and licensed by the State Department of Labor and Workforce Development. More information on these programs can be found by visiting our Adult Education and Training pages.
The Head Start and Child Development Services Division includes Bergen County Head Start at sites thoughout the county, and a day care program for working parents. For more information, visit our Head Start pages.
Our Real Estate and Weatherization Services Division is responsible for the property management of all BCCAP sites, and also includes the Weatherization Assistance program. This division also manages the activities of CHIP (Community Housing In Partnership), an affiliated corporation certified by NJ as a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO).
The Finance Division provides sound fiscal management of the agency. It ensures maintenance of appropriate agency-wide records as well as accurate and timely submission of all reports.
The Division of Research and Development provides planning and grant-writing for agency-wide resource development. The division is the Agency's primary arm in the areas of public, media and community relations.
The agency continues to build on its proven track record of more than forty years duration of serving low-income residents of Bergen County. BCCAP has been cited as, and is generally considered to be, one of the leading community action agencies in the State of New Jersey. We have numerous affiliations with other community agencies in order to address poverty-based needs, needs that show no evidence of abatement in the foreseeable future.
