Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 81.djvu/725

 81 STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 9 0 - 2 2 2 - D E C. 23, 1967

691

"(1) the strengthening of community capabilities for planning and coordinating Federal, State, and other assistance related to the elimination of poverty, so that this assistance, through the efforts of local officials, organizations, and interested and affected citizens, can be made more responsive to local needs and conditions; "(2) the better organization of a range of services related to the needs of the poor, so that these services may be made more effective and efficient in helping families and individuals to overcome particular problems in a way that takes account of, and supports their progress in overcoming, related problems; "(3) the greater use, subject to adequate evaluation, of newtypes of services and innovative approaches in attacking causes of poverty, so as to develop increasingly effective methods of employing available resources; "(4) the development and implementation of all programs and projects designed to serve the poor or low-income areas with the maximum feasible participation of residents of the areas and members of the groups served, so as to best stimulate and take full advantage of capabilities for self-advancement and assure that those programs and projects are otherwise meaningful to and widely utilized by their intended beneficiaries; and "(5) the broadening of the resource base of programs directed to the elimination of poverty, so as to secure, in addition to the services and assistance of public officials, private religious, charitable, and neighborhood organizations, and individual citizens, a more active role for business, labor, and professional groups able to provide employment opportunities or otherwise influence the quantity and quality of services of concern to the poor. " (b) I t is further declared to be the purpose of this title and the „om7i''o "^oftu^ policy of the Office of Economic Opportunity to provide for basic edu- nit^.^sta^emint cation, health care, vocational training, and employment opportunities °^ policy. in rural America to enable the poor living in rural areas to remain in such areas and become self-sufficient therein. I t shall not be the purpose of this title or the policy of the Office of Economic Oj^portunitj to encourage the rural poor to migrate to urban areas, inasmuch as it is the finding of Congress that continuation of such migration is frequently not in the best interests of the poor and tends to further congest the already overcrowded slums and ghettos of our Nation's cities. " P A R T A—COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS "DESIGNATION or COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES; COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS

"SEC. 210. (a) A community action agency shall be a State or political subdivision of a State (having elected or duly appointed governing officials), or a combination of such political subdivisions, or a public or private nonprofit agency or organization which has been designated by a State or such a political subdivision or combination of such subdivisions, which— "(1) has the power and authority and will perform the functions set forth in section 212, including the power to enter into contracts with public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations to assist in fulfilling the purposes of this title, and "(2) is determined to be capable of planning, conducting, administering and evaluating a community action program and is currently designated as a community action agency by the Director.

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