Ironton-Lawrence County Area Community Action Organization Program Awarded by Community Action Association and Ohio University’s Voinovich School

Representatives from the Ironton-Lawrence County Area Community Action Organization accept their top program award from the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies and Ohio University’s Voinovich School on Jan. 30 in Columbus.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Feb. 12, 2020) – The Recovery to Work Program, coordinated by the Ironton-Lawrence County Area Community Action Organization, was honored by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies as an exemplary program at the 2020 Winter Legislative Conference on Jan. 30 in Columbus.

“Community Action Agencies throughout Ohio are developing programs that help their entire communities,” said Philip E. Cole, executive director of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies. “We are proud to work with Ohio University to evaluate the best of the best and qualify them as ‘exemplary.’ The programs selected for this award truly shine and can serve as a model for other agencies who may face similar challenges in their communities.”

The Recovery to Work Program connects recovering individuals to comprehensive treatment, employment services and professionals. The program’s ability to bring partners together takes advantage of community strengths and creates a holistic environment. As a result of this collaborative approach, Recovery to Work participants achieve a 30% private employment placement rate following completion of the program.

“These award winners are doing incredible work to help those in need in their local communities. The Voinovich School was honored to partner with the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies in selecting exemplary community action programs,” Margaret Hutzel, Voinovich School senior project manager, said.

The Recovery to Work Program was one of three honorees awarded during the conference, with nearly 300 Community Action partners, professionals, vendors, and elected officials in attendance. The OACAA works with over 1,000 agencies across the country in order to strengthen a unified Community Action presence in Ohio. The OACAA and Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs collaborated to determine the winners, as they work to strengthen community action presence in Ohio.