Greene Lamp, a leading community action agency designed to create positive change in the community, celebrates 55 years. Greene Lamp started in 1965 as a 501(c)3 non-profit Community Action Agency in two counties. With additional funding through grants, their services have extended to 12 counties with an emphasis on achieving self-sufficiency.

“Our motto is from crayons to careers. By building those relationships, we hope to give them hope and set some goals. A lot of times it’s just letting people know you can improve, and you can do better,” said Greene Lamp Board Chair Linda Rouse Sutton.

Greene Lamp gets grant funds to provide local services and activities that will have a major impact on the causes of poverty in the community. The agency works to better focus local, state, private, and federal resources to assist low-income individuals and families to gain useful skills and knowledge, gain access to new opportunities and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

“So many of us who are so fortunate, don’t realize that there are so many out there who have always been told no, or you’ll never be anything or you won’t amount to anything,” said Sutton.

Sutton wanted to emphasize the support and pride she has in the Greene Lamp staff who view the clients they serve as members of their family.

“Our staff, it’s not just a job for them. They deal with people who have needs and maybe too proud to ask,” said Sutton. “They see the need and they help.”

With programs that include Head Start, Early Head Start, Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Self-sufficiency, Foster Grandparents, N.E.G. Hurricane Program, WIOA Out of School Youth and WIOA Adult & Dislocated Workers, Greene Lamp has a need for volunteers and supplies.