Union-Snyder Community Action Agency

What Union-Snyder Community Action Agency does

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency (Union-Snyder CAA) is a 501(c)-equivalent public charitable organization and IRS-defined charitable government unit founded in 1979 and headquartered at 713 Bridge Street in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. The agency serves low-income residents of Union and Snyder Counties through a portfolio of more than 15 strengths-based, interconnected programs addressing barriers to economic mobility including housing instability, food insecurity, energy burden, under-education, unemployment, transportation gaps, and income insecurity. Service delivery is led by Executive Director Jill Walter, with a Food Security Manager (Rachel Herman) and Administrative Director (Rachel Reeher) overseeing operations, and is governed by a Joinder Board of Directors and Tripartite Advisory Board consistent with Community Action Agency norms.

The agency's core programs include Energy Assistance (delivered via partnerships with PPL Electric Utilities and UGI Utilities through OnTrack, CAP, OpHelp, OpShare, and LIHEAP crisis pathways), Housing Assistance (HUD-defined Rapid Rehousing and Homeless Assistance Programs), Food Assistance (three county food pantries, the Union County Food Hub at the Miller Center, and mobile pantry routes), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (IRS-certified free tax preparation), Veterans Affairs navigation, The Linen Closet (personal care and household supplies distribution), and Transportation Assistance. Resource infrastructure includes a Human Services Directory, Food Resources Calendar spanning five counties, periodic Community Needs Assessments, and an Agency Referrals system for partner-organization handoffs.

The revenue model is grant-dependent and non-commercial: primary funding flows from the Community Services Block Grant administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (Contract C000082254), with supplemental funding from HUD for housing programs, utility-partner OpHelp/OpShare contributions funded by customer and corporate donations, foundation grants (Degenstein, Community Giving, First Community Foundation Partnership), individual and corporate donations through a Donorbox-powered portal, and merchandise sales through a Bonfire storefront. All services are provided free of charge based on income eligibility tied to USDA poverty guidelines, with no fees charged to beneficiaries. The agency reaches customers through direct service at two physical locations (Selinsgrove and Lewisburg), referrals from a 100+ member Hunger Coalition network, and partnerships with healthcare systems (Geisinger, WellSpan Evangelical), universities (Bucknell, Susquehanna), and county government offices.

Name

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency

Legal name

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency

Website

https://union-snydercaa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency is a 1979-founded Pennsylvania nonprofit delivering free, grant-funded antipoverty programs — energy, housing, food, veterans, and tax assistance — to low-income residents of Union and Snyder Counties through a 100+ partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Action / Social Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Social services nonprofit
• Energy assistance programs
• Housing assistance services
• Food assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Selinsgrove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) administered by Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), Contract Number C000082254. Additional government funding through HUD for housing programs.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Public charitable organization accepting monetary donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations. Donations support the Families in Crisis Fund and general operations. Tax deductible as defined by IRS as a charitable government unit.
3. Partnership Funding: Support from utility partners including PPL OpHelp and UGI OpShare programs, which provide energy assistance grants funded by customer, employee, and corporate donations. Additional support from foundations including Degenstein Foundation and Community Giving Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency is a private nonprofit that delivers no-cost community action programs to low-income residents of Union and Snyder Counties, Pennsylvania, including energy/utility bill assistance, housing support, food assistance, free IRS VITA tax preparation, veterans affairs case service, and The Linen Closet clothing and household-goods distribution.

Product overview

Union-Snyder Community Action Agency operates as a multi-program social services organization serving Union and Snyder Counties in Pennsylvania. The agency offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Energy Assistance (partnerships with PPL and UGI utilities for bill payment support), Housing Assistance (Rapid Rehousing and Homeless Assistance Programs), Food Assistance (Food Pantries, Food Hub for redistribution, and Hunger Coalition), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Veterans Affairs services, and The Linen Closet (personal care supplies). These programs are designed to address barriers to economic mobility for low-income residents including housing instability, food insecurity, income insecurity, transportation, and unemployment. The agency also provides resource navigation tools including a Human Services Directory and Food Resources Calendar, and conducts Community Needs Assessments to inform service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Assistance (LIHEAP / CWAP)
• Housing Assistance
• Food Assistance
• VITA Free Tax Preparation
• Veterans Affairs Services
• The Linen Closet

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency for program participants
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Community Action PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational hub linking the nation's 1,000+ local Community Action Agencies and State Associations. Union-Snyder CAA is a member organization with access to shared resources, best practices, and national advocacy.
• PPL Electric UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver energy assistance programs including OnTrack Payment Program, OpHelp grants, and Security Deposit Waiver Program for income-qualified customers.
• UGI UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver energy assistance including Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and OpShare grants for low-income and hardship-affected customers.
• Lewisburg YMCA / Miller Center for Recreation & WellnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership hosting the Union County Food Hub at the Miller Center. Evangelical and Geisinger also power the Hub facility for community food security programs.
• Central Pennsylvania Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional food bank partnership for food distribution network and Hunger Mapping Project collaboration for community needs assessment.
• Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government funder through Community Services Block Grant (Contract Number C000082254). Agency is a public charitable organization defined by IRS under government unit status.
• Greater Susquehanna Valley United WaykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey community partner organization supporting local families and initiatives in Union and Snyder Counties.
• AmeriCorps / CORE Susquehanna AmeriCorpskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year AmeriCorps VISTA project supporting the Union-Snyder Hunger Coalition. Provides volunteer service capacity for food security initiatives.
• Bucknell UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner with history of collaboration from Sowing Change conference initiative. Student projects and internships support agency programs.
• Susquehanna UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner contributing to community food security and social services. Student engagement and collaborative initiatives.
• WellSpan Evangelical Community HospitalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare provider partner supporting community health initiatives and Food Hub operations.
• Geisinger Health SystemkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner powering the Miller Center Food Hub and supporting community health initiatives.
• Union CountykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner for local services and initiatives.
• Snyder CountykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner including Snyder County Veterans Affairs office housed within CAA services.
• DoorDashminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting agency operations and food delivery initiatives.
• Weis MarketsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrocery retailer providing food donations and support for food assistance programs.
• GiantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrocery retailer providing food donations to support local food access programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PathStone Corporation: A large regional nonprofit serving rural Pennsylvania and surrounding states with workforce development, housing, and anti-poverty programs. Comparable on mission and rural Pennsylvania service footprint, though operating at significantly greater scale and multi-state scope.
• United Way of Pennsylvania: Statewide umbrella for Pennsylvania United Ways, funding and coordinating human-service nonprofits including CAAs. Comparable in mission and policy advocacy role, though its scope is broader and statewide rather than two-county direct services.
• Feeding Pennsylvania: Statewide association of Pennsylvania food banks. Comparable to Union-Snyder CAA's Hunger Coalition and food-security work, though operating at the state association level rather than direct client services.
• Central Pennsylvania Food Bank: Regional food bank partner of Union-Snyder CAA and a more established, larger-scale food-security organization. Comparable in food-distribution mission and Hunger Coalition adjacency, though its scale and food-bank model differ from a CAA's broader case-management scope.
• Salvation Army Harrisburg (Capital Region): A large national nonprofit providing emergency assistance (food, housing, utility help) in the central PA region. Comparable mission and overlapping client base with Union-Snyder CAA, though operating under a national structure and faith-based governance model.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Harrisburg: Diocesan social services agency covering central Pennsylvania including the Susquehanna Valley. Comparable in providing case management, food, and emergency assistance to low-income residents, though faith-based and broader in geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Lebanon County Community Action Partnership: A neighboring Pennsylvania Community Action Agency delivering an analogous portfolio of CSBG-funded energy, housing, food, and case-management services to low-income residents. Most directly comparable peer given shared PA geography, CAA network membership, and program mix.
• Berks Community Action Program: A Pennsylvania CAA serving Berks County with a comparable set of anti-poverty programs (energy assistance, housing, food, VITA). Strong peer due to overlapping service lines and CAA network affiliation in the same state funding ecosystem.
• Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way: A regional United Way serving the same Susquehanna Valley geography, including Union and Snyder Counties. Comparable as a community-based nonprofit raising and deploying funds for local human services, with overlapping donor and partner networks.

Regional players

• Snyder County Assistance Office: The county-level Pennsylvania Department of Human Services office that administers SNAP, Medicaid, and cash assistance in Union-Snyder's service area. Not a peer in the conventional sense but a critical referrer/partner that touches the same client population through state-administered programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3vIny0_nS_UyymEpHOy8dA
• Facebookfacebook.com/unionsnydercaa
• Instagraminstagram.com/unionsnydercaa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Union-Snyder Community Action Agency