OCAB Community Action Agency

What OCAB Community Action Agency does

OCAB Community Action Agency, Inc. (operating as OCABCAA Corporation and legally named Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg Community Action Agency, Inc.) is a private nonprofit corporation founded in 1966 that delivers federally and state-funded anti-poverty social services to income-eligible residents of four rural South Carolina counties: Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, and Bamberg. The agency's core service portfolio comprises Head Start and Early Head Start preschool programs for low-income children ages 3–5, the Senior Companion Program matching adult volunteers aged 55+ with at-risk seniors, Energy Department programs including LIHEAP heating/cooling assistance and CSBG self-sufficiency services, a Prevention Department offering youth leadership development and HIV/teen pregnancy prevention programming for ages 13–21, and CSBG-funded Employability Services providing health screenings, CDA credentialing, tuition assistance, and job training. Services are provided free of charge to qualified applicants based on federal poverty level guidelines.

The agency operates through a distributed physical footprint of more than 13 neighborhood service centers and Head Start centers across the four-county service area, with the Central Office at 1822 Joe S Jeffords Hwy in Orangeburg serving as the administrative hub. Recent operational additions include an online application portal for utility and nutrition assistance (coordinated by staff with county-based access codes), secured drop box partnerships with municipal buildings, and integration with the third-party childplus.net Head Start enrollment platform. A sister organization, the OCAB Community Development Corporation, extends the mission into housing and economic development and operates the Ujima Village Apartments for elderly and disabled residents in Bamberg.

OCAB is governed by a tripartite Board of Directors with equal representation from public officials, low-income residents, and community organizations — a governance structure standard for Community Action Agencies established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The business model is entirely non-commercial: funding flows from federal and state government grants (LIHEAP, CSBG, Head Start) and private donations, with the organization reporting average annual funds of approximately $7 million and serving more than 19,000 individuals and families each year. No fees are charged for any service.

Name

OCAB Community Action Agency

Legal name

OCABCAA Corporation

Website

https://ocabcaa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OCAB Community Action Agency is a private nonprofit founded in 1966 that delivers Head Start, energy assistance, senior companion, youth prevention, and employability services free of charge to income-eligible residents across Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, and Bamberg Counties in rural South Carolina, funded primarily by federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Child Care Services (6244), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAA

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Community action services
• Head Start preschool
• LIHEAP energy assistance
• Youth prevention programs
• Senior companion services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orangeburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: OCAB receives government funding from federal and state sources including LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program), CSBG (Community Services Block Grant), and Head Start program funding. Average annual funds of $7 million received from government and private sources.
2. Private Donations: The agency accepts monetary donations from individuals and organizations to support families, friends, and neighbors in need. Donation campaigns include general empowerment donations, Toys 4 Tots, and other fundraising initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OCAB Community Action Agency is a nonprofit social services provider that delivers Head Start and Early Head Start preschool education, LIHEAP and CSBG energy assistance, a Senior Companion volunteer program, youth Prevention and leadership programs, and CSBG Employability Services. Services are provided free of charge to income-eligible residents through neighborhood service centers, online applications, and drop box locations across four rural South Carolina counties.

Product overview

OCAB Community Action Agency is a private nonprofit corporation offering a portfolio of community social services. The organization provides Head Start & Early Head Start preschool programs, Energy Department assistance (LIHEAP and CSBG), a Senior Companion volunteer program, Youth Prevention and Leadership programs, Employability Services, and operates Neighborhood Centers across Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, and Bamberg counties. An online portal enables applications for utility and nutrition assistance services. The agency serves more than 19,000 individuals and families annually with funding from government and private sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start & Early Head Start Full-day preschool program for three-, four-, and five-year-olds from low-income families that promotes cognitive, physical, emotional, psychological, and social development, including for children with disabilities. Delivered through multiple Head Start centers across the four-county service area, with applications accepted via the ChildPlus online portal.
• Energy Department Programs (LIHEAP & CSBG) Offers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income households pay for heating and cooling costs, plus Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) programs promoting self-sufficiency through employment assistance, education support, and emergency services.
• Senior Companion Program Volunteer program pairing adults ages 55 and older with primarily older adults at risk of losing independence to assist with daily living tasks such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, and transportation to appointments.
• Prevention Department (Youth Enrichment and Leadership) Youth enrichment and leadership program empowering students ages 13-18 through character building, academic support, and life skills, including HIV/AIDS prevention and teen pregnancy reduction initiatives. Delivered through workshops, counseling, and educational activities in partnership with local schools, churches, and community organizations.
• CSBG Employability Services Employment assistance program providing health screenings, CDA credentialing, tuition payment, job training, background reports, work-related clothing, and child care services for income-eligible individuals seeking self-sufficiency in the four-county service area.
• OCAB Neighborhood Centers Neighborhood service centers in Bowman, Holly Hill, St. Matthews, Bamberg, Neeses, Denmark, and Allendale that link rural residents to needed resources across Head Start, Energy Assistance, Employability, and Prevention programs. Some locations are temporarily closed with phone-based staff access.
• Apply for Assistance (Online Portal) Online application portal for utility service and nutrition service assistance, with designated staff coordinators handling applications by county and last name. Applicants receive access codes from coordinators to submit applications digitally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,024 households served in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Saluda Community Action Agency: Small SC Community Action Agency providing LIHEAP, Head Start, and self-sufficiency programming in a rural county adjoining OCAB's service footprint.
• Carolina Community Actions (Carolina CAA): South Carolina CAA serving Darlington, Marlboro, and Dillon counties with Head Start, LIHEAP, weatherization, and emergency services - identical operating model and funding mix as OCAB.
• Dorchester County Community Action Agency: SC-based nonprofit Community Action Agency operating Head Start and energy assistance programs in a similarly rural/low-income county, comparable in size and service mix to OCAB.
• Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council: SC nonprofit operating as a CAA, providing Head Start, energy assistance, and workforce programming across rural counties using the same federal funding architecture as OCAB.
• Central Carolina Community Action Agency (NC): North Carolina CAA operating Head Start and CSBG programming across rural counties - functionally identical model to OCAB but serving a regional neighbor.
• Coastal Community Action (NC): NC-based CAA delivering identical federal programs (Head Start, LIHEAP, weatherization) to low-income families under the same tripartite governance structure.
• Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton Community Action Agency: South Carolina Community Action Agency serving three coastal/low-country counties with Head Start, LIHEAP, weatherization, and self-sufficiency programming under the same CSBG framework as OCAB.

Others

• South Carolina Community Action Partnership (SCCAP): South Carolina state association for CAAs offering training and federal funding coordination for agencies including OCAB.
• National Community Action Partnership (CAP): National association of more than 1,000 Community Action Agencies; OCAB is a member peer of this network, providing policy advocacy and capacity-building services to agencies like OCAB.

Regional players

• Newberry County First Steps / Community Services: South Carolina county-based social services and early-childhood coordination entity that complements OCAB's Head Start delivery by aligning community resources in nearby counties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OCABCAA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocab-community-action-agency-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OCAB Community Action Agency